A Worker Approved by God

14 Remind them of these things, and (A)charge them before God[a] (B)not to quarrel about words, (C)which does no good, but only ruins the hearers. 15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved,[b] a worker (D)who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth. 16 But (E)avoid (F)irreverent babble, for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness, 17 and their talk will spread like gangrene. Among them are (G)Hymenaeus and Philetus, 18 who have swerved from the truth, (H)saying that the resurrection has already happened. They are upsetting the faith of some. 19 But God's firm foundation stands, bearing this seal: (I)“The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Let everyone (J)who names the name of the Lord depart from iniquity.”

20 Now in (K)a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver but also of wood and clay, (L)some for honorable use, some for dishonorable. 21 Therefore, (M)if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable,[c] he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, (N)ready for every good work.

22 So (O)flee (P)youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with (Q)those who call on the Lord (R)from a pure heart. 23 Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant (S)controversies; you know that they breed quarrels. 24 And (T)the Lord's servant[d] must not be quarrelsome but (U)kind to everyone, (V)able to teach, patiently enduring evil, 25 correcting his opponents (W)with gentleness. God (X)may perhaps grant them repentance (Y)leading to a knowledge of the truth, 26 and they may come to their senses and escape from (Z)the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.

Godlessness in the Last Days

But understand this, that (AA)in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be (AB)lovers of self, (AC)lovers of money, (AD)proud, (AE)arrogant, abusive, (AF)disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, (AG)heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, (AH)not loving good, treacherous, reckless, (AI)swollen with conceit, (AJ)lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but (AK)denying its power. (AL)Avoid such people. For among them are (AM)those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions, always learning and never able to (AN)arrive at a knowledge of the truth. Just as (AO)Jannes and Jambres (AP)opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, (AQ)men corrupted in mind and (AR)disqualified regarding the faith. But they will not get very far, for their folly will be plain to all, (AS)as was that of those two men.

All Scripture Is Breathed Out by God

10 (AT)You, however, have followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness, 11 my persecutions and sufferings that happened to me (AU)at Antioch, (AV)at Iconium, and (AW)at Lystra—which persecutions I endured; yet (AX)from them all (AY)the Lord rescued me. 12 Indeed, all who desire to (AZ)live a godly life in Christ Jesus (BA)will be persecuted, 13 while (BB)evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and (BC)being deceived. 14 But as for you, (BD)continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom[e] you learned it 15 and how (BE)from childhood you have been acquainted with (BF)the sacred writings, (BG)which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16 (BH)All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that (BI)the man of God[f] may be complete, (BJ)equipped (BK)for every good work.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Timothy 2:14 Some manuscripts the Lord
  2. 2 Timothy 2:15 That is, one approved after being tested
  3. 2 Timothy 2:21 Greek from these things
  4. 2 Timothy 2:24 For the contextual rendering of the Greek word doulos, see Preface
  5. 2 Timothy 3:14 The Greek for whom is plural
  6. 2 Timothy 3:17 That is, a messenger of God (the phrase echoes a common Old Testament expression)

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