¹³ Until I come,^(A) devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture,^(B) to preaching and to teaching.

¹⁵ These, then, are the things you should teach. Encourage and rebuke with all authority. Do not let anyone despise you.

⁴ and will give our attention to prayer^(A) and the ministry of the word.”

² Preach^(A) the word;^(B) be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke^(C) and encourage^(D)—with great patience and careful instruction.

¹⁶ Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save^(A) both yourself and your hearers.

¹⁵ Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.^{(A) 16} Avoid godless chatter,^(B) because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly. ¹⁷ Their teaching will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus^(C) and Philetus,

⁶ If you point these things out to the brothers and sisters,^[a] you will be a good minister of Christ Jesus, nourished on the truths of the faith^(A) and of the good teaching that you have followed.^(B)

¹¹ Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica,^(A) for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures^(B) every day to see if what Paul said was true.^(C)

³⁹ You study^[a] the Scriptures^(A) diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life.^(B) These are the very Scriptures that testify about me,^(C)