尽力传福音

我在神、基督耶稣[a]面前,就是将要审判活人、死人的那一位面前,藉着他的显现和他的国度郑重地劝诫你: 你要传福音[b],无论得时不得时,总要坚持;要以极大的耐心和各样的教导责备人、告诫人、鼓励人, 因为时候将到,人们容忍不了健全的教义,反要顺着自己的欲望,为自己的耳朵能被呵痒得舒服,去召聚许多教师。 他们将掩耳不听真理,却转向编造的故事。 至于你,要在一切事上谨慎,忍受苦难,做传福音者的工作,完成你的服事。

事实上,我已经在被浇奠了;我离开世界[c]的时候已经临到了。 那美好的仗,我已经打过了;该跑的路程,我已经跑尽了[d];当守的[e]信仰,我已经持守了。[f] 此后,有那公义的冠冕为我存留,就是主——公义的审判者要在那一天回报给我的;不仅给我,也要给所有爱慕他显现的人。

结尾的教导

你要尽快到我这里来, 10 因为迪马斯爱上了现今的世代,就离弃我到帖撒罗尼迦去了;克勒斯克加拉太[g]去,提多达尔马提亚去了, 11 只有路加与我在一起。你要接上马可,带他一起来,因为他在服事工作上对我很有帮助。 12 我派特其库斯以弗所去了。 13 你来的时候,要把我在特罗阿斯时留在卡尔坡家里的那件外衣带来,还有那些书卷,尤其是那些羊皮卷,也要带来。 14 铜匠亚历山大对我做了很多恶事;主将照着他的行为回报他。 15 你也要提防他,因为他极力抵挡我们的话。

16 我第一次为自己辩护的时候,没有一个人来支持我,大家都离弃了我;愿这事不算在他们身上。 17 但是主站在我身边,使我刚强,为要藉着我使传道得以完成,让所有外邦人都能听见;我也从狮子口里被救了出来。 18 主将会救我脱离一切凶恶之事,并且救我进入他属天的国度。愿荣耀归于他,直到永永远远!阿们。

祝福

19 请问候普茜拉阿奎拉,还有奥尼斯弗罗的家人。 20 以拉斯托哥林多住下了;特罗费摩患了病,我就留他在米利都 21 你要在冬天以前尽快赶来。犹布罗斯普迪斯利诺斯克劳迪娅,以及所有的弟兄都问候你。

22 愿主[h]与你的灵同在。愿恩典与你们同在![i]

Footnotes

  1. 提摩太后书 4:1 基督耶稣——有古抄本作“主耶稣基督”。
  2. 提摩太后书 4:2 福音——原文直译“话语”或“道”。
  3. 提摩太后书 4:6 世界——辅助词语。
  4. 提摩太后书 4:7 该跑的路程,我已经跑尽了——原文直译“那赛程,我已经完成了”。
  5. 提摩太后书 4:7 当守的——辅助词语。
  6. 提摩太后书 4:7 那美好的仗,我已经打过了;该跑的路程,我已经跑尽了;当守的信仰,我已经持守了。——或译作“我已打了那美好的仗,跑完了这路程,守住了这信仰。”
  7. 提摩太后书 4:10 加拉太——有古抄本作“高卢”。
  8. 提摩太后书 4:22 主——有古抄本作“主耶稣基督”。
  9. 提摩太后书 4:22 有古抄本附“阿们。”

務要傳道

在上帝和審判活人死人的基督耶穌面前,我憑基督的顯現和祂的國鄭重囑咐你: 無論時機好壞,都要堅持傳道,以百般的忍耐和教導督責人、警戒人、勉勵人。 因為有一天,人們會厭倦純正的教導,耳朵發癢,尋找許多迎合他們私慾的老師。 他們掩耳不聽真理,反而偏向無稽之談。 然而,你要謹慎行事,不怕吃苦,專心傳道,盡忠職守。

我的生命如同奉獻在祭壇上的酒正傾倒出來,我離世的日子快要到了。 那美好的仗,我打過了;當跑的路,我跑完了;所信的道,我持守住了。 從此,有公義的冠冕為我預備,按公義審判的主會在祂來的那一天把它賜給我,不但會賜給我,也會賜給所有愛慕祂顯現的人。

最後的囑咐

請你儘快到我這裡來, 10 因為底馬貪愛世界,離棄我跑到帖撒羅尼迦去了。革勒士去了加拉太,提多去了撻馬太, 11 只剩下路加一人在我身邊。你要把馬可一起帶來,因為他在傳道的工作上對我很有幫助。 12 至於推基古,我派他到以弗所去了。 13 你來的時候,要把我在特羅亞時留在加布的外衣帶來,也要帶來那些書卷,特別是那些羊皮卷。

14 銅匠亞歷山大做了許多惡事害我,主必按他的所作所為報應他。 15 你也要提防他,因為他極力反對我們所傳的道。

16 我第一次在法庭申辯的時候,沒有人幫助我,眾人都離棄了我,但願他們不會因此而獲罪。 17 然而主站在我身旁加給我力量,使我可以把福音清楚地傳給外族人。主把我從獅子口裡救了出來。 18 主必救我脫離一切兇險,帶我進入祂的天國。願榮耀歸給上帝,直到永永遠遠。阿們!

問候

19 請代我問候百基拉和亞居拉,也問候阿尼色弗一家。 20 以拉都留在了哥林多,我把生病的特羅非摩留在了米利都。 21 你要儘快在冬天之前趕到這裡來。友布羅、布田、利奴、革勞底亞和眾弟兄姊妹都問候你。

22 願主與你的靈同在!願恩典與你們同在!

Continue to Do Your Work

I solemnly call on you in the presence of God and Christ Jesus, who is going to judge those who are living and those who are dead. I do this because Christ Jesus will come to rule ⌞the world⌟. Be ready to spread the word whether or not the time is right. Point out errors, warn people, and encourage them. Be very patient when you teach.

A time will come when people will not listen to accurate teachings. Instead, they will follow their own desires and surround themselves with teachers who tell them what they want to hear. People will refuse to listen to the truth and turn to myths.

But you must keep a clear head in everything. Endure suffering. Do the work of a missionary. Devote yourself completely to your work.

My life is coming to an end, and it is now time for me to be poured out as a sacrifice to God. I have fought the good fight. I have completed the race. I have kept the faith. The prize that shows I have God’s approval is now waiting for me. The Lord, who is a fair judge, will give me that prize on that day. He will give it not only to me but also to everyone who is eagerly waiting for him to come again.

Paul’s Final Instructions to Timothy

Hurry to visit me soon. 10 Demas has abandoned me. He fell in love with this present world and went to the city of Thessalonica. Crescens went to the province of Galatia, and Titus went to the province of Dalmatia. 11 Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you. He is useful to me in my work. 12 I’m sending Tychicus to the city of Ephesus as my representative.

13 When you come, bring the warm coat I left with Carpus in the city of Troas. Also bring the scrolls and especially the parchments.[a]

14 Alexander the metalworker did me a great deal of harm. The Lord will pay him back for what he did. 15 Watch out for him. He violently opposed what we said. 16 At my first hearing no one stood up in my defense. Everyone abandoned me. I pray that it won’t be held against them. 17 However, the Lord stood by me and gave me strength so that I could finish spreading the Good News for all the nations to hear. I was snatched out of a lion’s mouth. 18 The Lord will rescue me from all harm and will take me safely to his heavenly kingdom. Glory belongs to him forever! Amen.

Final Greetings

19 Give my greetings to Prisca and Aquila and the family of Onesiphorus. 20 Erastus stayed in the city of Corinth and I left Trophimus in the city of Miletus because he was sick. 21 Hurry to visit me before winter comes. Eubulus, Pudens, Linus, Claudia and all the brothers and sisters send you greetings.

22 The Lord be with you. His good will [b] be with all of you.

Footnotes

  1. 4:13 Parchments   are writing materials made from animal skins.
  2. 4:22 Or “grace.”

In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead,(A) and in view of his appearing(B) and his kingdom, I give you this charge:(C) Preach(D) the word;(E) be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke(F) and encourage(G)—with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine.(H) Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.(I) They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.(J) But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship,(K) do the work of an evangelist,(L) discharge all the duties of your ministry.

For I am already being poured out like a drink offering,(M) and the time for my departure is near.(N) I have fought the good fight,(O) I have finished the race,(P) I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me(Q) the crown of righteousness,(R) which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day(S)—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.(T)

Personal Remarks

Do your best to come to me quickly,(U) 10 for Demas,(V) because he loved this world,(W) has deserted me and has gone to Thessalonica.(X) Crescens has gone to Galatia,(Y) and Titus(Z) to Dalmatia. 11 Only Luke(AA) is with me.(AB) Get Mark(AC) and bring him with you, because he is helpful to me in my ministry. 12 I sent Tychicus(AD) to Ephesus.(AE) 13 When you come, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas,(AF) and my scrolls, especially the parchments.

14 Alexander(AG) the metalworker did me a great deal of harm. The Lord will repay him for what he has done.(AH) 15 You too should be on your guard against him, because he strongly opposed our message.

16 At my first defense, no one came to my support, but everyone deserted me. May it not be held against them.(AI) 17 But the Lord stood at my side(AJ) and gave me strength,(AK) so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it.(AL) And I was delivered from the lion’s mouth.(AM) 18 The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack(AN) and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom.(AO) To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen.(AP)

Final Greetings

19 Greet Priscilla[a] and Aquila(AQ) and the household of Onesiphorus.(AR) 20 Erastus(AS) stayed in Corinth, and I left Trophimus(AT) sick in Miletus.(AU) 21 Do your best to get here before winter.(AV) Eubulus greets you, and so do Pudens, Linus, Claudia and all the brothers and sisters.[b]

22 The Lord be with your spirit.(AW) Grace be with you all.(AX)

Footnotes

  1. 2 Timothy 4:19 Greek Prisca, a variant of Priscilla
  2. 2 Timothy 4:21 The Greek word for brothers and sisters (adelphoi) refers here to believers, both men and women, as part of God’s family.