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2 Timothy 4
Contemporary English Version

4 When Christ Jesus comes as king, he will be the judge of everyone, whether they are living or dead. So with God and Christ as witnesses, I command you 2 to preach God's message. Do it willingly, even if it isn't the popular thing to do. You must correct people and point out their sins. But also cheer them up, and when you instruct them, always be patient. 3 The time is coming when people won't listen to good teaching. Instead, they will look for teachers who will please them by telling them only what they are itching to hear. 4 They will turn from the truth and eagerly listen to senseless stories. 5 But you must stay calm and be willing to suffer. You must work hard, telling the good news and to do your job well.

6 Now the time has come for me to die. My life is like a drink offering[a] being poured out on the altar. 7 I have fought well. I have finished the race, and I have been faithful. 8 So a crown will be given to me for pleasing the Lord. He judges fairly, and on the day of judgment he will give a crown to me and to everyone else who wants him to appear with power.

Personal Instructions

9 Come to see me as soon as you can. 10 (A) Demas loves the things of this world so much that he left me and went to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, and Titus has gone to Dalmatia. 11 (B) Only Luke has stayed with me.

Mark can be very helpful to me, so please find him and bring him with you. 12 (C) I sent Tychicus to Ephesus.

13 (D) When you come, bring the coat I left at Troas with Carpus. Don't forget to bring the scrolls, especially the ones made of leather.[b]

14 (E) Alexander, the metalworker, has hurt me in many ways. But the Lord will pay him back for what he has done. 15 Alexander opposes what we preach, so you had better watch out for him.

16 When I was first put on trial, no one helped me. In fact, everyone deserted me. I hope it won't be held against them. 17 But the Lord stood beside me. He gave me the strength to tell his full message, so that all Gentiles would hear it. And I was kept safe from hungry lions. 18 (F) The Lord will always keep me from being harmed by evil, and he will bring me safely into his heavenly kingdom. Praise him forever and ever! Amen.

Final Greetings

19 (G) Give my greetings to Priscilla and Aquila and to the family of Onesiphorus.

20 (H) Erastus stayed at Corinth.

Trophimus was sick when I left him at Miletus.

21 Do your best to come before winter.

Eubulus, Pudens, Linus, and Claudia send you their greetings, and so do the rest of the Lord's followers.

22 I pray that the Lord will bless your life and will be kind to you.

Footnotes

  1. 4.6 drink offering: Water or wine was sometimes poured out as an offering when an animal sacrifice was made.
  2. 4.13 the ones made of leather: A scroll was a kind of rolled up book, and it could be made out of paper (called “papyrus”) or leather (that is, animal skin) or even copper.
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2 Timothy 4
New English Translation

Charge to Timothy Repeated

4 I solemnly charge you before God and Christ Jesus, who is going to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: 2 Preach the message,[a] be ready[b] whether it is convenient or not,[c] reprove, rebuke, exhort[d] with complete patience and instruction. 3 For there will be a time when people[e] will not tolerate sound teaching. Instead, following their own desires,[f] they will accumulate teachers for themselves, because they have an insatiable curiosity to hear new things.[g] 4 And they will turn away from hearing the truth, but on the other hand they will turn aside to myths.[h] 5 You, however, be self-controlled[i] in all things, endure hardship, do an evangelist’s work, fulfill your ministry. 6 For I am already being poured out as an offering, and the time for me to depart[j] is at hand. 7 I have competed well;[k] I have finished the race; I have kept the faith! 8 Finally the crown of righteousness is reserved for me. The Lord, the righteous Judge, will award it to me in that day—and not to me only, but also to all who have set their affection on[l] his appearing.

Travel Plans and Concluding Greetings

9 Make every effort to come to me soon. 10 For Demas[m] deserted me, since he loved[n] the present age, and he went to Thessalonica. Crescens went to Galatia and Titus to Dalmatia. 11 Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is a great help[o] to me in ministry.[p] 12 Now I have sent Tychicus to Ephesus. 13 When you come, bring with you the cloak I left in Troas with Carpas and the scrolls, especially the parchments. 14 Alexander the coppersmith did me a great deal of harm.[q] The Lord will repay him in keeping with his deeds.[r] 15 You be on guard against him[s] too, because he vehemently opposed our words. 16 At my first defense no one appeared in my support; instead they all deserted me—may they not be held accountable for it. 17 But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, so that through me the message[t] would be fully proclaimed[u] for all the Gentiles to hear. And so I was delivered from the lion’s mouth! 18 The Lord will deliver me from every evil deed and will bring me safely[v] into his heavenly kingdom. To him[w] be glory for ever and ever![x] Amen.

19 Greetings to[y] Prisca and Aquila[z] and the family of Onesiphorus. 20 Erastus stayed in Corinth. Trophimus I left ill in Miletus. 21 Make every effort to come before winter. Greetings to you from Eubulus, Pudens, Linus, Claudia, and all the brothers and sisters.[aa] 22 The Lord[ab] be with your spirit. Grace be with you.[ac]

Footnotes

  1. 2 Timothy 4:2 tn Or “the word.”
  2. 2 Timothy 4:2 tn Or “be persistent.”
  3. 2 Timothy 4:2 tn Grk “in season, out of season.”
  4. 2 Timothy 4:2 tn Or “encourage.”
  5. 2 Timothy 4:3 tn Grk “they”; the referent (the people in that future time) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  6. 2 Timothy 4:3 tn Grk “in accord with.”
  7. 2 Timothy 4:3 tn Grk “having an itching in regard to hearing,” “having itching ears.”
  8. 2 Timothy 4:4 sn These myths were legendary tales characteristic of the false teachers in Ephesus and Crete. See parallels in 1 Tim 1:4; 4:7; and Titus 1:14.
  9. 2 Timothy 4:5 tn Or “sober,” “temperate.”
  10. 2 Timothy 4:6 tn Grk “of my departure.”
  11. 2 Timothy 4:7 sn The expression I have competed well (Grk “I have competed the good competition”) uses words that may refer to a race or to a boxing or wrestling match: “run the good race” or “fight the good fight.” The similar phrase in 1 Tim 1:18 uses a military picture and is more literally “war the good warfare.”
  12. 2 Timothy 4:8 tn Grk “all who have loved.”
  13. 2 Timothy 4:10 sn Demas is most likely the same individual mentioned in Col 4:14 and Phlm 24.
  14. 2 Timothy 4:10 tn Grk “having loved.”
  15. 2 Timothy 4:11 tn Grk “useful.”
  16. 2 Timothy 4:11 tn Or “in serving me.”
  17. 2 Timothy 4:14 tn Grk “showed me much evil.”
  18. 2 Timothy 4:14 sn An allusion to Ps 28:4.
  19. 2 Timothy 4:15 tn Grk “against whom,” as a continuation of the previous clause. Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
  20. 2 Timothy 4:17 tn Or “the preaching.”
  21. 2 Timothy 4:17 tn Grk “might be completely fulfilled.”
  22. 2 Timothy 4:18 tn Grk “save me.”
  23. 2 Timothy 4:18 tn Grk “to whom.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
  24. 2 Timothy 4:18 tn Grk “unto the ages of the ages,” an emphatic way of speaking about eternity in Greek.
  25. 2 Timothy 4:19 tn Grk “greet.”
  26. 2 Timothy 4:19 sn On Prisca and Aquila see also Acts 18:2, 18, 26; Rom 16:3-4; 1 Cor 16:19. In the NT “Priscilla” and “Prisca” are the same person. Paul uses the name Prisca, while the author of Acts uses the diminutive form of the name Priscilla.
  27. 2 Timothy 4:21 tn Grk “brothers,” but the Greek word may be used for “brothers and sisters” or “fellow Christians” as here (cf. BDAG 18 s.v. ἀδελφός 1, where considerable nonbiblical evidence for the plural ἀδελφοί [adelphoi] meaning “brothers and sisters” is cited).
  28. 2 Timothy 4:22 tc The reading ὁ κύριος (ho kurios, “the Lord”) is well supported by א* F G 33 1739 1881 sa, but predictable expansions on the text have occurred at this point: A 104 614 read ὁ κύριος ᾿Ιησοῦς (ho kurios Iēsous, “the Lord Jesus”), while א2 C D Ψ 1175 1241 1505 M al sy bo have ὁ κύριος ᾿Ιησοῦς Χριστός (ho kurios Iēsous Christos, “the Lord Jesus Christ”). As B. M. Metzger notes, although in a late book such as 2 Timothy, one might expect the fuller title for the Lord, accidental omission of nomina sacra is rare (TCGNT 582). The shorter reading is thus preferred on both external and internal grounds.
  29. 2 Timothy 4:22 tc Most witnesses (א2 D Ψ 1175 1241 1505 M al lat sy) conclude this letter with ἀμήν (amēn, “amen”). Such a conclusion is routinely added by scribes to NT books because a few of these books originally had such an ending (cf. Rom 16:27; Gal 6:18; Jude 25). A majority of Greek witnesses have the concluding ἀμήν in every NT book except Acts, James, and 3 John (and even in these books, ἀμήν is found in some witnesses). It is thus a predictable variant. Further, there are several excellent Alexandrian and Western representatives (א* A C F G 6 33 81 1739* 1881 sa) that lack the particle, rendering the omission the preferred reading.
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