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Be Strong in Grace

You, therefore, my son, be strong in the grace(A) that is in Christ Jesus. What you have heard from me(B) in the presence of many witnesses, commit to faithful(C) men[a] who will be able to teach others also.

Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus.(D) No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in the concerns of civilian life; he seeks to please the commanding officer. Also, if anyone competes as an athlete, he is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules. The hard-working farmer ought to be the first to get a share of the crops.(E) Consider what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything.

Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead(F) and descended from David, according to my gospel, for which I suffer to the point of being bound like a criminal. But the word of God is not bound. 10 This is why I endure(G) all things for the elect:(H) so that they also may obtain salvation, which is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory.(I) 11 This saying is trustworthy:(J)

For if we died with him,(K)
we will also live with him;
12 if we endure, we will also reign(L) with him;
if we deny him, he will also deny us;
13 if we are faithless, he remains faithful,
for he cannot deny himself.

An Approved Worker

14 Remind them of these things, and charge them before God[b] not to fight about words.(M) This is useless and leads to the ruin of those who listen. 15 Be diligent to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who doesn’t need to be ashamed, correctly teaching the word of truth.(N) 16 Avoid irreverent and empty speech, since those who engage in it will produce even more godlessness,(O) 17 and their teaching will spread like gangrene. Hymenaeus(P) and Philetus are among them. 18 They have departed from the truth, saying that the resurrection has already taken place,(Q) and are ruining the faith of some.(R) 19 Nevertheless, God’s solid foundation stands firm, bearing this inscription:(S) The Lord knows those who are his,[c](T) and let everyone who calls on the name(U) of[d] the Lord turn away from wickedness.(V)

20 Now in a large house there are not only gold and silver vessels,(W) but also those of wood and clay; some for honourable[e] use and some for dishonourable.[f](X) 21 So if anyone purifies himself from anything dishonourable,[g] he will be a special[h] instrument, set apart, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work.(Y)

22 Flee(Z) from youthful passions, and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace,(AA) along with those who call on the Lord(AB) from a pure heart. 23 But reject foolish and ignorant disputes, because you know that they breed quarrels. 24 The Lord’s(AC) servant must not quarrel,(AD) but must be gentle to everyone, able to teach,[i] and patient, 25 instructing his opponents with gentleness.(AE) Perhaps God will grant them repentance(AF) leading them to the knowledge of the truth. 26 Then they may come to their senses and escape the trap of the devil,(AG) who has taken them captive to do his will.(AH)

Footnotes

  1. 2:2 Or faithful people
  2. 2:14 Other mss read before the Lord
  3. 2:19 Nm 16:5
  4. 2:19 Lit everyone who names the name of
  5. 2:20 Or special
  6. 2:20 Or ordinary
  7. 2:21 Lit from these
  8. 2:21 Or an honourable
  9. 2:24 Or everyone, skilful in teaching

A Good Soldier of Christ Jesus

You then, (A)my child, (B)be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus, and (C)what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses (D)entrust to faithful men,[a] (E)who will be able to teach others also. (F)Share in suffering as (G)a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No soldier (H)gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him. (I)An athlete is not (J)crowned unless he competes according to the rules. It is (K)the hard-working farmer who ought to have the first share of the crops. Think over what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything.

Remember Jesus Christ, (L)risen from the dead, the (M)offspring of David, (N)as preached in my gospel, (O)for which I am suffering, (P)bound with chains as a criminal. But (Q)the word of God is not bound! 10 Therefore (R)I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain (S)the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with (T)eternal glory. 11 The saying is (U)trustworthy, for:

(V)If we have died with him, we will also (W)live with him;
12 (X)if we endure, we will also reign with him;
(Y)if we deny him, he also will deny us;
13 (Z)if we are faithless, (AA)he remains faithful—

for (AB)he cannot deny himself.

A Worker Approved by God

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

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

22 So (AQ)flee (AR)youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with (AS)those who call on the Lord (AT)from a pure heart. 23 Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant (AU)controversies; you know that they breed quarrels. 24 And (AV)the Lord's servant[e] must not be quarrelsome but (AW)kind to everyone, (AX)able to teach, patiently enduring evil, 25 correcting his opponents (AY)with gentleness. God (AZ)may perhaps grant them repentance (BA)leading to a knowledge of the truth, 26 and they may come to their senses and escape from (BB)the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Timothy 2:2 The Greek word anthropoi can refer to both men and women, depending on the context
  2. 2 Timothy 2:14 Some manuscripts the Lord
  3. 2 Timothy 2:15 That is, one approved after being tested
  4. 2 Timothy 2:21 Greek from these things
  5. 2 Timothy 2:24 For the contextual rendering of the Greek word doulos, see Preface