2 Timothy 1-4

New American Standard Bible 1995

Timothy Charged to Guard His Trust

1 Paul, ^(A)an apostle of ^(B)Christ Jesus ^[a](C)by the will of God, according to the promise of ^(D)life in Christ Jesus,

² To ^(E)Timothy, my beloved ^[b](F)son: ^(G)Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

^3 (H)I thank God, whom I ^(I)serve with a ^(J)clear conscience ^[c]the way my forefathers did, ^(K)as I constantly remember you in my ^[d]prayers night and day, ^4 (L)longing to see you, ^(M)even as I recall your tears, so that I may be filled with joy. ^5 [e]For I am mindful of the ^(N)sincere faith within you, which first dwelt in your grandmother Lois and ^(O)your mother Eunice, and I am sure that it is in you as well. ⁶ For this reason I remind you to kindle afresh ^(P)the gift of God which is in you through ^(Q)the laying on of my hands. ⁷ For God has not given us a ^(R)spirit of ^[f]timidity, but of power and love and ^[g]discipline.

⁸ Therefore ^(S)do not be ashamed of the ^(T)testimony of our Lord or of me ^(U)His prisoner, but join with me in ^(V)suffering for the ^(W)gospel according to the power of God, ⁹ who has ^(X)saved us and ^(Y)called us with a holy ^(Z)calling, ^(AA)not according to our works, but according to His own ^(AB)purpose and grace which was granted us in ^(AC)Christ Jesus from ^(AD)all eternity, ¹⁰ but ^(AE)now has been revealed by the ^(AF)appearing of our Savior ^(AG)Christ Jesus, who ^(AH)abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, ^11 (AI)for which I was appointed a preacher and an apostle and a teacher. ¹² For this reason I also suffer these things, but ^(AJ)I am not ashamed; for I know ^(AK)whom I have believed and I am convinced that He is able to ^(AL)guard what I have entrusted to Him ^[h]until ^(AM)that day. ^13 [i](AN)Retain the ^(AO)standard of ^(AP)sound words ^(AQ)which you have heard from me, in the ^(AR)faith and love which are in ^(AS)Christ Jesus. ¹⁴ Guard, through the Holy Spirit who ^(AT)dwells in us, the ^[j](AU)treasure which has been entrusted to you.

¹⁵ You are aware of the fact that all who are in ^[k](AV)Asia ^(AW)turned away from me, among whom are Phygelus and Hermogenes. ¹⁶ The Lord grant mercy to ^(AX)the house of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me and ^(AY)was not ashamed of my ^[l](AZ)chains; ¹⁷ but when he was in Rome, he eagerly searched for me and found me— ¹⁸ the Lord grant to him to find mercy from the Lord on ^(BA)that day—and you know very well what services he rendered at ^(BB)Ephesus.

Be Strong

2 You therefore, my ^[m](BC)son, ^(BD)be strong in the grace that is in ^(BE)Christ Jesus. ² The things ^(BF)which you have heard from me in the presence of ^(BG)many witnesses, ^(BH)entrust these to ^(BI)faithful men who will be ^(BJ)able to teach others also. ^3 (BK)Suffer hardship with me, as a good ^(BL)soldier of ^(BM)Christ Jesus. ⁴ No soldier in active service ^(BN)entangles himself in the affairs of everyday life, so that he may please the one who enlisted him as a soldier. ⁵ Also if anyone ^(BO)competes as an athlete, he ^[n]does not win the prize unless he competes according to the rules. ^6 (BP)The hard-working farmer ought to be the first to receive his share of the crops. ⁷ Consider what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything.

⁸ Remember Jesus Christ, ^(BQ)risen from the dead, ^(BR)descendant of David, ^(BS)according to my gospel, ^9 [o]for which I ^(BT)suffer hardship even to ^(BU)imprisonment as a ^(BV)criminal; but ^(BW)the word of God ^(BX)is not imprisoned. ¹⁰ For this reason ^(BY)I endure all things for ^(BZ)the sake of those who are chosen, ^(CA)so that they also may obtain the ^(CB)salvation which is in ^(CC)Christ Jesus and with it ^(CD)eternal glory. ^11 (CE)It is a trustworthy statement:

An Unashamed Workman

¹⁴ Remind them of these things, and solemnly ^(CK)charge them in the presence of God not to ^(CL)wrangle about words, which is useless and leads to the ruin of the hearers. ¹⁵ Be diligent to ^(CM)present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling ^(CN)the word of truth. ¹⁶ But ^(CO)avoid ^(CP)worldly and empty chatter, for ^[q]it will lead to further ungodliness, ¹⁷ and their ^[r]talk will spread like ^[s]gangrene. Among them are ^(CQ)Hymenaeus and Philetus, ¹⁸ men who have gone astray from the truth saying that ^(CR)the resurrection has already taken place, and they upset ^(CS)the faith of some. ¹⁹ Nevertheless, the ^(CT)firm foundation of God stands, having this ^(CU)seal, “^(CV)The Lord knows those who are His,” and, “^(CW)Everyone who names the name of the Lord is to abstain from wickedness.”

²⁰ Now in a large house there are not only gold and silver vessels, but also vessels of wood and of earthenware, and ^(CX)some to honor and some to dishonor. ²¹ Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from ^(CY)these things, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified, useful to the Master, ^(CZ)prepared for every good work. ²² Now ^(DA)flee from youthful lusts and pursue righteousness, ^(DB)faith, love and peace, with those who ^(DC)call on the Lord ^(DD)from a pure heart. ²³ But refuse foolish and ignorant ^(DE)speculations, knowing that they ^(DF)produce ^[t]quarrels. ^24 (DG)The Lord’s bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, ^(DH)able to teach, patient when wronged, ^25 (DI)with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, ^(DJ)if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to ^(DK)the knowledge of the truth, ²⁶ and they may come to their senses and escape from ^(DL)the snare of the devil, having been ^(DM)held captive ^[u]by him to do his will.

“Difficult Times Will Come”

3 But realize this, that ^(DN)in the last days difficult times will come. ² For men will be ^(DO)lovers of self, ^(DP)lovers of money, ^(DQ)boastful, ^(DR)arrogant, ^(DS)revilers, ^(DT)disobedient to parents, ^(DU)ungrateful, ^(DV)unholy, ^3 (DW)unloving, irreconcilable, ^(DX)malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, ^[v](DY)haters of good, ^4 (DZ)treacherous, ^(EA)reckless, ^(EB)conceited, ^(EC)lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, ⁵ holding to a form of ^[w](ED)godliness, although they have ^(EE)denied its power; ^(EF)Avoid such men as these. ⁶ For among them are those who ^[x](EG)enter into households and captivate ^[y](EH)weak women weighed down with sins, led on by ^(EI)various impulses, ⁷ always learning and never able to ^(EJ)come to the ^[z]knowledge of the truth. ⁸ Just as ^(EK)Jannes and Jambres ^(EL)opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, ^(EM)men of depraved mind, rejected in regard to the faith. ⁹ But they will not make further progress; for their ^(EN)folly will be obvious to all, just ^(EO)as ^[aa]Jannes’s and Jambres’s folly was also.

¹⁰ Now you ^(EP)followed my teaching, conduct, purpose, faith, patience, ^(EQ)love, ^[ab]perseverance, ^11 (ER)persecutions, and ^(ES)sufferings, such as happened to me at ^(ET)Antioch, at ^(EU)Iconium and at ^(EV)Lystra; what ^(EW)persecutions I endured, and out of them all ^(EX)the Lord rescued me! ¹² Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus ^(EY)will be persecuted. ¹³ But evil men and impostors ^(EZ)will proceed from bad to worse, ^(FA)deceiving and being deceived. ¹⁴ You, however, ^(FB)continue in the things you have learned and become convinced of, knowing from whom you have learned them, ¹⁵ and that ^(FC)from childhood you have known ^(FD)the sacred writings which are able to ^(FE)give you the wisdom that leads to ^(FF)salvation through faith which is in ^(FG)Christ Jesus. ^16 (FH)All Scripture is ^[ac]inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for ^[ad]training in righteousness; ¹⁷ so that ^(FI)the man of God may be adequate, ^(FJ)equipped for every good work.

“Preach the Word”

4 ^(FK)I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to ^(FL)judge the living and the dead, and by His ^(FM)appearing and His kingdom: ² preach ^(FN)the word; be ready in season and out of season; ^(FO)reprove, rebuke, exhort, with ^[ae]great ^(FP)patience and instruction. ³ For ^(FQ)the time will come when they will not endure ^(FR)sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, ⁴ and ^(FS)will turn away their ears from the truth and ^(FT)will turn aside to myths. ⁵ But you, ^(FU)be sober in all things, ^(FV)endure hardship, do the work of an ^(FW)evangelist, fulfill your ^(FX)ministry.

⁶ For I am already being ^(FY)poured out as a drink offering, and the time of ^(FZ)my departure has come. ^7 (GA)I have fought the good fight, I have finished ^(GB)the course, I have kept ^(GC)the faith; ⁸ in the future there ^(GD)is laid up for me ^(GE)the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on ^(GF)that day; and not only to me, but also to ^(GG)all who have loved His ^(GH)appearing.

Personal Concerns

^9 (GI)Make every effort to come to me soon; ¹⁰ for ^(GJ)Demas, having loved ^(GK)this present ^[af]world, has deserted me and gone to ^(GL)Thessalonica; Crescens has gone to ^[ag](GM)Galatia, ^(GN)Titus to Dalmatia. ^11 (GO)Only ^(GP)Luke is with me. Pick up ^(GQ)Mark and bring him with you, ^(GR)for he is useful to me for service. ¹² But ^(GS)Tychicus I have sent to ^(GT)Ephesus. ¹³ When you come bring the cloak which I left at ^(GU)Troas with Carpus, and the books, especially the parchments. ^14 (GV)Alexander the coppersmith did me much harm; ^(GW)the Lord will repay him according to his deeds. ¹⁵ Be on guard against him yourself, for he vigorously opposed our ^[ah]teaching.

¹⁶ At my first defense no one supported me, but all deserted me; ^(GX)may it not be counted against them. ¹⁷ But the Lord stood with me and ^(GY)strengthened me, so that through me ^(GZ)the proclamation might ^[ai]be ^(HA)fully accomplished, and that all ^(HB)the Gentiles might hear; and I was ^(HC)rescued out of ^(HD)the lion’s mouth. ¹⁸ The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed, and will ^[aj](HE)bring me safely to His ^(HF)heavenly kingdom; ^(HG)to ^[ak]Him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

¹⁹ Greet Prisca and ^(HH)Aquila, and ^(HI)the household of Onesiphorus. ^20 (HJ)Erastus remained at ^(HK)Corinth, but ^(HL)Trophimus I left sick at ^(HM)Miletus. ^21 (HN)Make every effort to come before ^(HO)winter. Eubulus greets you, also Pudens and Linus and Claudia and all the brethren.

^22 (HP)The Lord be with your spirit. ^(HQ)Grace be with you.