2 Timothy 2:15-4:10

English Standard Version

¹⁵ Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved,^[a] a worker ^(A)who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth. ¹⁶ But ^(B)avoid ^(C)irreverent babble, for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness, ¹⁷ and their talk will spread like gangrene. Among them are ^(D)Hymenaeus and Philetus, ¹⁸ who have swerved from the truth, ^(E)saying that the resurrection has already happened. They are upsetting the faith of some. ¹⁹ But God's firm foundation stands, bearing this seal: ^(F)“The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Let everyone ^(G)who names the name of the Lord depart from iniquity.”

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

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

Godlessness in the Last Days

3 But understand this, that ^(X)in the last days there will come times of difficulty. ² For people will be ^(Y)lovers of self, ^(Z)lovers of money, ^(AA)proud, ^(AB)arrogant, abusive, ^(AC)disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, ^3 (AD)heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, ^(AE)not loving good, ⁴ treacherous, reckless, ^(AF)swollen with conceit, ^(AG)lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, ⁵ having the appearance of godliness, but ^(AH)denying its power. ^(AI)Avoid such people. ⁶ For among them are ^(AJ)those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions, ⁷ always learning and never able to ^(AK)arrive at a knowledge of the truth. ⁸ Just as ^(AL)Jannes and Jambres ^(AM)opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, ^(AN)men corrupted in mind and ^(AO)disqualified regarding the faith. ⁹ But they will not get very far, for their folly will be plain to all, ^(AP)as was that of those two men.

All Scripture Is Breathed Out by God

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

Preach the Word

4 ^(BI)I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, ^(BJ)who is to judge the living and the dead, and by ^(BK)his appearing and his kingdom: ² preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; ^(BL)reprove, rebuke, and ^(BM)exhort, with complete patience and teaching. ^3 (BN)For the time is coming when people will not endure ^(BO)sound^[f] teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, ⁴ and ^(BP)will turn away from listening to the truth and ^(BQ)wander off into myths. ⁵ As for you, ^(BR)always be sober-minded, ^(BS)endure suffering, do the work of ^(BT)an evangelist, ^(BU)fulfill your ministry.

⁶ For ^(BV)I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my ^(BW)departure has come. ^7 (BX)I have fought the good fight, ^(BY)I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. ⁸ Henceforth there is ^(BZ)laid up for me ^(CA)the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, ^(CB)the righteous judge, will award to me on ^(CC)that day, and not only to me but also to all ^(CD)who have loved his appearing.

Personal Instructions

^9 (CE)Do your best to come to me soon. ¹⁰ For ^(CF)Demas, ^(CG)in love with ^(CH)this present world, ^(CI)has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia,^{[g] (CJ)}Titus to Dalmatia.