Advice to a Young Preacher

1 From Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus, by the command of God our Savior and Christ Jesus our hope.

² To Timothy, a true son to me because you believe.

Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

Warning Against False Teaching

³ I want you to stay in Ephesus. I asked you to do that when I went into Macedonia. Some people there in Ephesus are teaching false things. Stay there so that you can command them to stop. ⁴ Tell them not to spend their time on stories that are not true and on long lists of names in family histories. These things only bring arguments; they do not help God’s work. God’s work is done by faith.

¹⁸ Timothy, you are like a son to me. I am giving you a command that agrees with the prophecies that were given about you in the past. I tell you this so that you can follow those prophecies and fight the good fight of faith.

¹¹ Command and teach these things. ¹² You are young, but do not let anyone treat you as if you were not important. Be an example to show the believers how they should live. Show them with your words, with the way you live, with your love, with your faith, and with your pure life. ¹³ Continue to read the Scriptures to the people, strengthen them, and teach them. Do these things until I come. ¹⁴ Remember to use the gift that you have. That gift was given to you through a prophecy when the group of elders laid their hands on^[a] you. ¹⁵ Continue to do those things. Give your life to doing them. Then everyone can see that your work is progressing. ¹⁶ Be careful in your life and in your teaching. Continue to live and teach rightly. Then you will save yourself and those people who listen to you.

²³ Timothy, you stop drinking only water and drink a little wine. This will help your stomach, and you will not be sick so often.

⁶ That is why I remind you to use the gift God gave you. God gave you that gift when I laid my hands on^[a] you. Now let it grow, as a small flame grows into a fire. ⁷ God did not give us a spirit that makes us afraid. He gave us a spirit of power and love and self-control.

⁸ So do not be ashamed to tell people about our Lord Jesus. And do not be ashamed of me. I am in prison for the Lord. But suffer with me for the Good News. God gives us the strength to do that.

¹³ Follow the true teachings you heard from me. Follow them as an example of the faith and love we have in Christ Jesus. ¹⁴ Protect the truth that you were given. Protect it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.

A Loyal Soldier of Christ Jesus

2 Timothy, you are like a son to me. Be strong in the grace that we have in Christ Jesus.

¹⁵ Do the best you can to be the kind of person that God will approve, and give yourself to him. Be a worker who is not ashamed of his work—a worker who uses the true teaching in the right way.

²² Stay away from the evil desires of youth. Try hard to live right and to have faith, love, and peace. Work for these things together with those who have pure hearts and who trust in the Lord.

² Preach the Good News. Be ready at all times. Tell people what they need to do, tell them when they are wrong, and encourage them. Do these things with great patience and careful teaching. ³ The time will come when people will not listen to the true teaching. They will find more and more teachers who are pleasing to them, teachers who say the things they want to hear. ⁴ They will stop listening to the truth. They will begin to follow the teaching in false stories. ⁵ But you should control yourself at all times. When troubles come, accept them. Do the work of telling the Good News. Do all the duties of a servant of God.