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.

I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;

Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine.

For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;

And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.

But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.

For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.

I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:

Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.

Do thy diligence to come shortly unto me:

10 For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia.

11 Only Luke is with me. Take Mark, and bring him with thee: for he is profitable to me for the ministry.

12 And Tychicus have I sent to Ephesus.

13 The cloke that I left at Troas with Carpus, when thou comest, bring with thee, and the books, but especially the parchments.

14 Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil: the Lord reward him according to his works:

15 Of whom be thou ware also; for he hath greatly withstood our words.

16 At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge.

17 Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion.

18 And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

19 Salute Prisca and Aquila, and the household of Onesiphorus.

20 Erastus abode at Corinth: but Trophimus have I left at Miletum sick.

21 Do thy diligence to come before winter. Eubulus greeteth thee, and Pudens, and Linus, and Claudia, and all the brethren.

22 The Lord Jesus Christ be with thy spirit. Grace be with you. Amen.

A Man With a Measuring Line

[a]Then I looked up, and there before me was a man with a measuring line in his hand. I asked, “Where are you going?”

He answered me, “To measure Jerusalem, to find out how wide and how long it is.”(A)

While the angel who was speaking to me was leaving, another angel came to meet him and said to him: “Run, tell that young man, ‘Jerusalem will be a city without walls(B) because of the great number(C) of people and animals in it.(D) And I myself will be a wall(E) of fire(F) around it,’ declares the Lord, ‘and I will be its glory(G) within.’(H)

“Come! Come! Flee from the land of the north,” declares the Lord, “for I have scattered(I) you to the four winds of heaven,”(J) declares the Lord.(K)

“Come, Zion! Escape,(L) you who live in Daughter Babylon!”(M) For this is what the Lord Almighty says: “After the Glorious One has sent me against the nations that have plundered you—for whoever touches you touches the apple of his eye(N) I will surely raise my hand against them so that their slaves will plunder them.[b](O) Then you will know that the Lord Almighty has sent me.(P)

10 “Shout(Q) and be glad, Daughter Zion.(R) For I am coming,(S) and I will live among you,”(T) declares the Lord.(U) 11 “Many nations will be joined with the Lord in that day and will become my people.(V) I will live among you and you will know that the Lord Almighty has sent me to you.(W) 12 The Lord will inherit(X) Judah(Y) as his portion in the holy land and will again choose(Z) Jerusalem. 13 Be still(AA) before the Lord, all mankind, because he has roused himself from his holy dwelling.(AB)

Clean Garments for the High Priest

Then he showed me Joshua(AC) the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan[c](AD) standing at his right side to accuse him. The Lord said to Satan, “The Lord rebuke you,(AE) Satan! The Lord, who has chosen(AF) Jerusalem, rebuke you! Is not this man a burning stick(AG) snatched from the fire?”(AH)

Now Joshua was dressed in filthy clothes as he stood before the angel. The angel said to those who were standing before him, “Take off his filthy clothes.”

Then he said to Joshua, “See, I have taken away your sin,(AI) and I will put fine garments(AJ) on you.”

Then I said, “Put a clean turban(AK) on his head.” So they put a clean turban on his head and clothed him, while the angel of the Lord stood by.

The angel of the Lord gave this charge to Joshua: “This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘If you will walk in obedience to me and keep my requirements,(AL) then you will govern my house(AM) and have charge(AN) of my courts, and I will give you a place among these standing here.(AO)

“‘Listen, High Priest(AP) Joshua, you and your associates seated before you, who are men symbolic(AQ) of things to come: I am going to bring my servant, the Branch.(AR) See, the stone I have set in front of Joshua!(AS) There are seven eyes[d](AT) on that one stone,(AU) and I will engrave an inscription on it,’ says the Lord Almighty, ‘and I will remove the sin(AV) of this land in a single day.

10 “‘In that day each of you will invite your neighbor to sit(AW) under your vine and fig tree,(AX)’ declares the Lord Almighty.”

The Gold Lampstand and the Two Olive Trees

Then the angel who talked with me returned and woke(AY) me up, like someone awakened from sleep.(AZ) He asked me, “What do you see?”(BA)

I answered, “I see a solid gold lampstand(BB) with a bowl at the top and seven lamps(BC) on it, with seven channels to the lamps. Also there are two olive trees(BD) by it, one on the right of the bowl and the other on its left.”

I asked the angel who talked with me, “What are these, my lord?”

He answered, “Do you not know what these are?”

“No, my lord,” I replied.(BE)

So he said to me, “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel:(BF) ‘Not(BG) by might nor by power,(BH) but by my Spirit,’(BI) says the Lord Almighty.

“What are you, mighty mountain? Before Zerubbabel you will become level ground.(BJ) Then he will bring out the capstone(BK) to shouts(BL) of ‘God bless it! God bless it!’”

Then the word of the Lord came to me: “The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation(BM) of this temple; his hands will also complete it.(BN) Then you will know that the Lord Almighty has sent me(BO) to you.

10 “Who dares despise the day(BP) of small things,(BQ) since the seven eyes(BR) of the Lord that range throughout the earth will rejoice when they see the chosen capstone[e] in the hand of Zerubbabel?”(BS)

11 Then I asked the angel, “What are these two olive trees(BT) on the right and the left of the lampstand?”

12 Again I asked him, “What are these two olive branches beside the two gold pipes that pour out golden oil?”

13 He replied, “Do you not know what these are?”

“No, my lord,” I said.

14 So he said, “These are the two who are anointed(BU) to[f] serve the Lord of all the earth.”

Footnotes

  1. Zechariah 2:1 In Hebrew texts 2:1-13 is numbered 2:5-17.
  2. Zechariah 2:9 Or says after … eye: “I … plunder them.”
  3. Zechariah 3:1 Hebrew satan means adversary.
  4. Zechariah 3:9 Or facets
  5. Zechariah 4:10 Or the plumb line
  6. Zechariah 4:14 Or two who bring oil and

I lifted up mine eyes again, and looked, and behold a man with a measuring line in his hand.

Then said I, Whither goest thou? And he said unto me, To measure Jerusalem, to see what is the breadth thereof, and what is the length thereof.

And, behold, the angel that talked with me went forth, and another angel went out to meet him,

And said unto him, Run, speak to this young man, saying, Jerusalem shall be inhabited as towns without walls for the multitude of men and cattle therein:

For I, saith the Lord, will be unto her a wall of fire round about, and will be the glory in the midst of her.

Ho, ho, come forth, and flee from the land of the north, saith the Lord: for I have spread you abroad as the four winds of the heaven, saith the Lord.

Deliver thyself, O Zion, that dwellest with the daughter of Babylon.

For thus saith the Lord of hosts; After the glory hath he sent me unto the nations which spoiled you: for he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye.

For, behold, I will shake mine hand upon them, and they shall be a spoil to their servants: and ye shall know that the Lord of hosts hath sent me.

10 Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion: for, lo, I come, and I will dwell in the midst of thee, saith the Lord.

11 And many nations shall be joined to the Lord in that day, and shall be my people: and I will dwell in the midst of thee, and thou shalt know that the Lord of hosts hath sent me unto thee.

12 And the Lord shall inherit Judah his portion in the holy land, and shall choose Jerusalem again.

13 Be silent, O all flesh, before the Lord: for he is raised up out of his holy habitation.

And he shewed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him.

And the Lord said unto Satan, The Lord rebuke thee, O Satan; even the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: is not this a brand plucked out of the fire?

Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the angel.

And he answered and spake unto those that stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment.

And I said, Let them set a fair mitre upon his head. So they set a fair mitre upon his head, and clothed him with garments. And the angel of the Lord stood by.

And the angel of the Lord protested unto Joshua, saying,

Thus saith the Lord of hosts; If thou wilt walk in my ways, and if thou wilt keep my charge, then thou shalt also judge my house, and shalt also keep my courts, and I will give thee places to walk among these that stand by.

Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, thou, and thy fellows that sit before thee: for they are men wondered at: for, behold, I will bring forth my servant the Branch.

For behold the stone that I have laid before Joshua; upon one stone shall be seven eyes: behold, I will engrave the graving thereof, saith the Lord of hosts, and I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day.

10 In that day, saith the Lord of hosts, shall ye call every man his neighbour under the vine and under the fig tree.

And the angel that talked with me came again, and waked me, as a man that is wakened out of his sleep.

And said unto me, What seest thou? And I said, I have looked, and behold a candlestick all of gold, with a bowl upon the top of it, and his seven lamps thereon, and seven pipes to the seven lamps, which are upon the top thereof:

And two olive trees by it, one upon the right side of the bowl, and the other upon the left side thereof.

So I answered and spake to the angel that talked with me, saying, What are these, my lord?

Then the angel that talked with me answered and said unto me, Knowest thou not what these be? And I said, No, my lord.

Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the Lord unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts.

Who art thou, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain: and he shall bring forth the headstone thereof with shoutings, crying, Grace, grace unto it.

Moreover the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,

The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house; his hands shall also finish it; and thou shalt know that the Lord of hosts hath sent me unto you.

10 For who hath despised the day of small things? for they shall rejoice, and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel with those seven; they are the eyes of the Lord, which run to and fro through the whole earth.

11 Then answered I, and said unto him, What are these two olive trees upon the right side of the candlestick and upon the left side thereof?

12 And I answered again, and said unto him, What be these two olive branches which through the two golden pipes empty the golden oil out of themselves?

13 And he answered me and said, Knowest thou not what these be? And I said, No, my lord.

14 Then said he, These are the two anointed ones, that stand by the Lord of the whole earth.