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11 The saying is sure:

If we have died with him, we shall also live with him;
12 if we endure, we shall also reign with him;
if we deny him, he also will deny us;
13 if we are faithless, he remains faithful—

for he cannot deny himself.

A Worker Approved by God

14 Remind them of this, and charge them before the Lord[a] to avoid disputing about words, which does no good, but only ruins the hearers. 15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth. 16 Avoid such godless chatter, for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness, 17 and their talk will eat its way like gangrene. Among them are Hymenae′us and Phile′tus, 18 who have swerved from the truth by holding that the resurrection is past already.[b] They are upsetting the faith of some. 19 But God’s firm foundation stands, bearing this seal: “The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Let every one who names the name of the Lord depart from iniquity.”

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Timothy 2:14 Other ancient authorities read God
  2. 2.18 They explained the resurrection by saying it was the rising to newness of life in baptism, thus ignoring a bodily resurrection, a doctrine the Greeks found very hard to accept; cf. Acts 17.32.

11 Here is a trustworthy saying:(A)

If we died with him,
    we will also live with him;(B)
12 if we endure,
    we will also reign with him.(C)
If we disown him,
    he will also disown us;(D)
13 if we are faithless,
    he remains faithful,(E)
    for he cannot disown himself.

Dealing With False Teachers

14 Keep reminding God’s people of these things. Warn them before God against quarreling about words;(F) it is of no value, and only ruins those who listen. 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.(G) 16 Avoid godless chatter,(H) because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly. 17 Their teaching will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus(I) and Philetus, 18 who have departed from the truth. They say that the resurrection has already taken place,(J) and they destroy the faith of some.(K) 19 Nevertheless, God’s solid foundation stands firm,(L) sealed with this inscription: “The Lord knows those who are his,”(M) and, “Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord(N) must turn away from wickedness.”

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