提摩太后书 2
Chinese Contemporary Bible (Simplified)
基督的精兵
2 我儿啊!你要靠着基督耶稣的恩典刚强起来。 2 以前你在许多见证人面前听过我的教导,你要把这些教导传给忠信可靠、能够教导他人的人。
3 你要做基督耶稣的精兵与我同受苦难。 4 当兵的若让其他事务缠身,就不能取悦征召他的上司。 5 同样,参加比赛的人若不遵守比赛规则,就不可能得奖。 6 辛劳的农夫理当先享受收成。 7 你要思想我说的话,因为主必赐你悟性明白各样的事。
8 你要切记我所传的福音:耶稣基督是大卫的后裔,祂从死里复活了。 9 我为这福音受苦,甚至像犯人一样被囚禁,但上帝的道是囚禁不住的。 10 我为了上帝所拣选的人忍受一切痛苦,使他们可以获得在基督耶稣里的救恩和永远的荣耀。 11 有真实可信的话说:
“我们若与基督同死,
就必与祂同活。
12 我们若忍耐到底,
就必与祂一同做王。
我们若不承认祂,
祂也必不承认我们。
13 我们纵然会失信,
祂仍然信实可靠,
因为祂不能违背自己。”
做无愧的工人
14 你要提醒众人这些事,在主面前嘱咐他们:不要为言词争辩,因为那对听见的人有害无益。 15 你应当竭力在上帝面前做经得起考验、问心无愧的工人,正确地阐释真理之道。 16 要远避一切世俗的空谈,因为好空谈的人只会越来越不敬虔。 17 他们讲的话像毒疮,只会越烂越大,许米乃和腓理徒就是例子。 18 他们离经背道,说复活的事已成过去,动摇了许多人的信心。 19 然而,上帝所立的坚实根基永不动摇,这根基上刻着:“主认识谁是属于祂的人”,“凡自称是属于主的人都要离弃罪恶。”
20 大户人家不但有金器银器,也有木器瓦器,这些器皿的用途有贵贱之分。 21 人若洁身自爱,远离卑贱的事,就必成为圣洁无瑕的贵重器皿,可以被主用来成就各样的善事。
22 你要逃避年轻人的邪情私欲,要跟那些以清洁的心求告主的人一同追求公义、信心、仁爱、和平。 23 不要参与愚昧无知的辩论,因为这些事只会引起纷争。 24 上帝的奴仆不可与人争执,总要温和待人,善于教导,心存忍耐。 25 要温柔地规劝那些反对我们的人,也许上帝会赐给他们悔改的心,使他们明白真理, 26 让他们这些被魔鬼掳去、受其摆布的人能够醒悟过来,脱离魔鬼的网罗。
提摩太后书 2
Chinese New Version (Simplified)
作基督的精兵
2 所以,我儿啊,你应当在基督耶稣的恩典里刚强起来, 2 又应当把你在许多见证人面前从我这里听见的,交托给那些又忠心又能够教导别人的人。 3 你应当和我同受磨难,好象基督耶稣的精兵。 4 当兵的人不让世务缠身,为要使那招兵的人欢喜。 5 竞赛的人若不遵守规则,就不能得冠冕。 6 劳力的农夫理当先尝果实。 7 你要想想我的话,因为凡事主必给你领悟力。
8 你要记得那从死人中复活的耶稣基督,他是大卫的后裔所生的,这就是我所传的福音。 9 我为了这福音受了磨难,甚至像犯人一样被捆绑起来;可是, 神的话却不被捆绑。 10 因此,我为了选民忍受一切,好叫他们也可以得着在基督耶稣里的救恩,和永远的荣耀。
11 “我们若与基督同死,就必与他同活;
12 我们若能坚忍,就必与他一同作王;
我们若不认他,他必不认我们;
13 我们纵然不信,他仍然是信实的,
因为他不能否定自己。”
这话是可信的。
作无愧的工人
14 你要在 神面前把这些事提醒众人,叮嘱他们不要作无益的争辩;这只能败坏听见的人。 15 你应当竭力在 神面前作一个蒙称许、无愧的工人,正确地讲解真理的道。 16 总要远避世俗的空谈,因为这些必会引人进到更不敬虔的地步。 17 他们的话好象毒瘤一样蔓延;他们当中有许米乃和腓理徒。 18 他们偏离了真道,说复活的事已经过去了,于是毁坏了一些人的信心。 19 然而, 神坚固的根基已经立定,上面刻着这样的印:“主认识属于他的人”和“凡称呼主名的人都应当离开不义”。 20 在富贵人的家里(“富贵人的家里”原文作“大房子”),不但有金器、银器,也有木器、瓦器;有贵重的,也有卑贱的。 21 人若自洁,离开卑贱的事,就必作贵重的器皿,成为圣洁,合主使用,预备行各样的善事。 22 你应当逃避年轻人的私欲,要和那些以清洁的心求告主的人,一同追求公义、信心、爱心、和平。 23 你要拒绝愚蠢无知的问难;你知道这些事会引起争论。 24 但主的仆人却不可争论,总要待人温和,善于教导,存心忍耐, 25 以温柔劝导那些对抗的人,或许 神给他们悔改的心,可以认识真理。 26 他们虽然曾经被魔鬼掳去,随从他的意思而行,或许也能醒悟过来,脱离魔鬼的陷阱。
2 Timothy 2
Common English Bible
Pass on the message and share suffering
2 So, my child, draw your strength from the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 2 Take the things you heard me say in front of many other witnesses and pass them on to faithful people who are also capable of teaching others.
3 Accept your share of suffering like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. 4 Nobody who serves in the military gets tied up with civilian matters, so that they can please the one who recruited them. 5 Also in the same way, athletes don’t win unless they follow the rules. 6 A hardworking farmer should get the first share of the crop. 7 Think about what I’m saying; the Lord will give you understanding about everything.
8 Remember Jesus Christ, who was raised from the dead and descended from David. This is my good news. 9 This is the reason I’m suffering to the point that I’m in prison like a common criminal. But God’s word cannot be imprisoned. 10 This is why I endure everything for the sake of those who are chosen by God so that they too may experience salvation in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. 11 This saying is reliable:
“If we have died together, we will also live together.
12 If we endure, we will also rule together.
If we deny him, he will also deny us.
13 If we are disloyal, he stays faithful”
because he can’t be anything else than what he is.
Speak, instruct, and act correctly
14 Remind them of these things and warn them in the sight of God not to engage in battles over words that aren’t helpful and only destroy those who hear them. 15 Make an effort to present yourself to God as a tried-and-true worker, who doesn’t need to be ashamed but is one who interprets the message of truth correctly. 16 Avoid their godless discussions, because they will lead many people into ungodly behavior, 17 and their ideas will spread like an infection. This includes Hymenaeus and Philetus, 18 who have deviated from the truth by claiming that the resurrection has already happened. This has undermined some people’s faith.
19 God’s solid foundation is still standing with this sign: The Lord knows the people who belong to him,[a] and Everyone who confesses the Lord’s name must avoid wickedness.[b] 20 In a mansion, there aren’t just gold and silver bowls but also some bowls that are made of wood and clay. Some are meant for special uses, some for garbage.[c] 21 So if anyone washes filth off themselves, they will be set apart as a “special bowl.” They will be useful to the owner of the mansion for every sort of good work.
Avoid conflict with opponents
22 Run away from adolescent cravings. Instead, pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace together with those who confess the Lord with a clean heart. 23 Avoid foolish and thoughtless discussions, since you know that they produce conflicts. 24 God’s slave shouldn’t be argumentative but should be kind toward all people, able to teach, patient, 25 and should correct opponents with gentleness. Perhaps God will change their mind and give them a knowledge of the truth. 26 They may come to their senses and escape from the devil’s trap that holds them captive to do his will.
Footnotes
- 2 Timothy 2:19 Num 16:5 LXX
- 2 Timothy 2:19 Possibly modeled on Isa 26:13
- 2 Timothy 2:20 Or dishonorable purposes
2 Timothy 2
New English Translation
Serving Faithfully Despite Hardship
2 So you, my child, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 2 And what you heard me say[a] in the presence of many witnesses[b] entrust to faithful people[c] who will be competent[d] to teach others as well. 3 Take your share of suffering[e] as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. 4 No one in military service gets entangled in matters of everyday life; otherwise he will not please[f] the one who recruited him. 5 Also, if anyone competes as an athlete, he will not be crowned as the winner[g] unless he competes according to the rules.[h] 6 The farmer who works hard ought to have the first share of the crops. 7 Think about what I am saying and[i] the Lord will give you understanding of all this.[j]
8 Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, a descendant of David;[k] such is my gospel,[l] 9 for which I suffer hardship to the point of imprisonment[m] as a criminal, but God’s message[n] is not imprisoned![o] 10 So I endure all things for the sake of those chosen by God,[p] that they too may obtain salvation in Christ Jesus and its eternal glory.[q] 11 This saying[r] is trustworthy:[s]
If we died with him, we will also live with him.
12 If we endure, we will also reign with him.[t]
If we deny[u] him,[v] he will also deny us.
13 If we are unfaithful, he remains faithful, since he cannot deny himself.[w]
Dealing with False Teachers
14 Remind people[x] of these things and solemnly charge them[y] before the Lord[z] not to wrangle over words. This is of no benefit; it just brings ruin on those who listen.[aa] 15 Make every effort to present yourself before God as a proven worker who does not need to be ashamed, teaching the message of truth accurately.[ab] 16 But avoid profane chatter,[ac] because those occupied with it will stray further and further into ungodliness,[ad] 17 and their message will spread its infection[ae] like gangrene. Hymenaeus and Philetus are in this group.[af] 18 They have strayed from the truth[ag] by saying that the resurrection has already occurred, and they are undermining some people’s faith. 19 However, God’s solid foundation remains standing, bearing this seal: “The Lord knows those who are his,”[ah] and “Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord[ai] must turn away from evil.”
20 Now in a wealthy home[aj] there are not only gold and silver vessels, but also ones made of wood and of clay, and some are for honorable use, but others for ignoble use.[ak] 21 So if someone cleanses himself of such behavior,[al] he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart, useful for the Master, prepared for every good work. 22 But keep away from youthful passions, and pursue righteousness, faithfulness, love, and peace, in company with others[am] who call on the Lord from a pure heart.[an] 23 But reject foolish and ignorant[ao] controversies, because you know they breed infighting.[ap] 24 And the Lord’s slave[aq] must not engage in heated disputes[ar] but be kind toward all, an apt teacher, patient, 25 correcting[as] opponents with gentleness. Perhaps God will grant them repentance and then knowledge of the truth[at] 26 and they will come to their senses and escape the devil’s trap where they are held captive[au] to do his will.[av]
Footnotes
- 2 Timothy 2:2 tn Grk “what you heard from me” (cf. 1:13).
- 2 Timothy 2:2 tn Grk “through many witnesses.” The “through” is used here to show attendant circumstances: “accompanied by,” “in the presence of.”
- 2 Timothy 2:2 tn Grk “faithful men,” but here ἀνθρώποις (anthrōpois) is generic, referring to both men and women.
- 2 Timothy 2:2 tn Or “able” (see Paul’s use of this word in regard to ministry in 2 Cor 2:16; 3:5-6).
- 2 Timothy 2:3 tn Grk “suffer hardship together,” implying “join with me and others in suffering” (cf. 1:8).
- 2 Timothy 2:4 tn Grk “that he may please.”
- 2 Timothy 2:5 tn Grk “will not be crowned,” speaking of the wreath awarded to the victor.
- 2 Timothy 2:5 sn According to the rules (Grk “lawfully, by law”) referring to the rules of competition. In the ancient world these included requirements for training as well as rules for the competition itself.
- 2 Timothy 2:7 tn The Greek word here usually means “for,” but is used in this verse for a milder continuation of thought.
- 2 Timothy 2:7 tn Grk “in all things.”
- 2 Timothy 2:8 tn Grk “of David’s seed” (an idiom for physical descent).
- 2 Timothy 2:8 tn Grk “according to my gospel.”
- 2 Timothy 2:9 tn Or “chains,” “bonds.”
- 2 Timothy 2:9 tn Or “word.”
- 2 Timothy 2:9 tn Or “chained,” “bound.”
- 2 Timothy 2:10 tn Grk “the elect.”
- 2 Timothy 2:10 tn Grk “with eternal glory.”
- 2 Timothy 2:11 sn This saying (Grk “the saying”) refers to the following citation. See 1 Tim 1:15; 3:1; 4:9; Titus 3:8 for other occurrences of this phrase.
- 2 Timothy 2:11 sn The following passage has been typeset as poetry because many scholars regard this passage as poetic or hymnic. These terms are used broadly to refer to the genre of writing, not to the content. There are two broad criteria for determining if a passage is poetic or hymnic: “(a) stylistic: a certain rhythmical lilt when the passages are read aloud, the presence of parallelismus membrorum (i.e., an arrangement into couplets), the semblance of some metre, and the presence of rhetorical devices such as alliteration, chiasmus, and antithesis; and (b) linguistic: an unusual vocabulary, particularly the presence of theological terms, which is different from the surrounding context” (P. T. O’Brien, Philippians [NIGTC], 188-89). Classifying a passage as hymnic or poetic is important because understanding this genre can provide keys to interpretation. However, not all scholars agree that the above criteria are present in this passage, so the decision to typeset it as poetry should be viewed as a tentative decision about its genre.
- 2 Timothy 2:12 tn Grk “died together…will live together…will reign together,” without “him” stated explicitly. But “him” is implied by the parallel ideas in Rom 6:8; 8:17 and by the reference to Christ in vv. 12b-13.
- 2 Timothy 2:12 tn Or “renounce,” “disown,” “repudiate.” It is important to note that the object of Christ’s denial is “us.” The text does not contain an implied object complement (“he will deny us [x]”), which would mean that Christ was withholding something from us (for example, “The owner denied his pets water”), since the verb ἀρνέομαι (arneomai) is not one of the category of verbs that normally occurs in these constructions (see ExSyn 182-89).
- 2 Timothy 2:12 tn Grk “if we renounce,” but the “him” is implied by the parallel clauses.
- 2 Timothy 2:13 sn If we are unfaithful…he cannot deny himself. This could be (1) a word of warning (The Lord will exact punishment; he cannot deny his holiness) or (2) a word of hope (Because of who he is, he remains faithful to us despite our lapses). The latter is more likely, since Paul consistently cites God’s faithfulness as a reassurance, not as a warning (cf. especially Rom 3:3; also 1 Cor 1:9; 10:13; 2 Cor 1:18; 1 Thess 5:24; 2 Thess 3:3).
- 2 Timothy 2:14 tn Grk “remind of these things,” implying “them” or “people” as the object.
- 2 Timothy 2:14 tn Grk “solemnly charging.” The participle διαμαρτυρόμενος (diamarturomenos) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
- 2 Timothy 2:14 tc ‡ Most witnesses (A D Ψ 048 1241 [1505] 1739 1881 M al sy SBL) have κυρίου (kuriou, “Lord”) instead of θεοῦ (theou, “God”) here, while a few have Χριστοῦ (Christou, “Christ”; 206 429 1758). θεοῦ, however, is well supported by א C F G I 614 629 630 1175 al. Internally, the Pastorals never elsewhere use the expression ἐνώπιον κυρίου (enōpion kuriou, “before the Lord”), but consistently use ἐνώπιον θεοῦ (“before God”; cf. 1 Tim 2:3; 5:4, 21; 6:13; 2 Tim 4:1). But this fact could be argued both ways: The author’s style may be in view, or scribes may have adjusted the wording to conform it to the Pastorals’ otherwise universal expression. Further, only twice in the NT (Jas 4:10 [v.l. θεοῦ]; Rev 11:4 [v.l. θεοῦ]) does the expression ἐνώπιον κυρίου occur. That such an expression is not found in the corpus Paulinum seems to be sufficient impetus for scribes to change the wording here. Thus, although the external evidence is somewhat on the side of θεοῦ, the internal evidence is on the side of κυρίου. A decision is difficult, but κυρίου is the preferred reading.
- 2 Timothy 2:14 tn Grk “[it is] beneficial for nothing, for the ruin of those who listen.”
- 2 Timothy 2:15 sn Accurately is a figure of speech that literally means something like “cutting a straight road.” In regard to the message of truth, it means “correctly handling” or “imparting it without deviation.”
- 2 Timothy 2:16 sn Profane chatter was apparently a characteristic of the false teachers in Ephesus (cf. 1 Tim 1:3-4; 4:7; 6:20).
- 2 Timothy 2:16 tn Grk “they [who engage in it] will progress even more in ungodliness.”
- 2 Timothy 2:17 tn Or “eat away.”
- 2 Timothy 2:17 tn Grk “of whom are Hymenaeus and Philetus.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, this last clause has been made a new sentence in the translation.
- 2 Timothy 2:18 tn Grk “have deviated concerning the truth.”
- 2 Timothy 2:19 sn A quotation from Num 16:5.
- 2 Timothy 2:19 tn Grk “names the name of the Lord.”
- 2 Timothy 2:20 tn Grk “a great house.”
- 2 Timothy 2:20 tn Grk “for dishonor,” probably referring to vessels used for refuse or excrement.
- 2 Timothy 2:21 tn Grk “from these,” alluding to the errors and deeds of the false teachers described in vv. 14-19.
- 2 Timothy 2:22 tn Grk “and peace, with those.”
- 2 Timothy 2:22 sn In company with others who call on the Lord from a pure heart alludes to the value of the community of believers for the development of Christian virtues.
- 2 Timothy 2:23 tn Or “uninstructed,” “silly.”
- 2 Timothy 2:23 tn Or “fights,” although this could suggest weapons and blows, whereas in the present context this is not the primary focus. Although “quarrel” is frequently used here (NAB, NIV, NRSV) it may be understood to refer to a relatively minor disagreement.
- 2 Timothy 2:24 tn Traditionally, “servant” or “bondservant.” Though δοῦλος (doulos) is normally translated “servant,” the word does not bear the connotation of a free individual serving another. BDAG notes that “‘servant’ for ‘slave’ is largely confined to Biblical transl. and early American times…in normal usage at the present time the two words are carefully distinguished” (BDAG 260 s.v.). One good translation is “bondservant” (sometimes found in the ASV for δοῦλος) in that it often indicates one who sells himself into slavery to another. But as this is archaic, few today understand its force. Also, many slaves in the Roman world became slaves through Rome’s subjugation of conquered nations, kidnapping, or by being born into slave households. sn Undoubtedly the background for the concept of being the Lord’s slave or servant is to be found in the Old Testament scriptures. For a Jew this concept did not connote drudgery, but honor and privilege. It was used of national Israel at times (Isa 43:10), but was especially associated with famous OT personalities, including such great men as Moses (Josh 14:7), David (Ps 89:3; cf. 2 Sam 7:5, 8) and Elijah (2 Kgs 10:10); all these men were “servants (or slaves) of the Lord.”
- 2 Timothy 2:24 tn Grk “must not fight” or “must not quarrel.” The Greek verb is related to the noun translated “infighting” in v. 23.
- 2 Timothy 2:25 sn Correcting is the word for “child-training” or “discipline.” It is often positive (training, educating) but here denotes the negative side (correcting, disciplining).
- 2 Timothy 2:25 tn Grk “repentance unto knowledge of the truth.”
- 2 Timothy 2:26 tn Grk “having been captured by him.”
- 2 Timothy 2:26 tn Grk “for that one’s will,” referring to the devil, but with a different pronoun than in the previous phrase “by him.” Some have construed “for his will” with the earlier verb and referred the pronoun to God: “come to their senses and escape the devil’s trap (though they have been captured by him) in order to do His will.” In Classical Greek the shift in pronouns would suggest this, but in Koine Greek this change is not significant. The more natural sense is a reference to the devil’s will.
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