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I solemnly urge you in the presence of God and Christ Jesus, who will someday judge the living and the dead when he comes to set up his Kingdom: Preach the word of God. Be prepared, whether the time is favorable or not. Patiently correct, rebuke, and encourage your people with good teaching.

For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear. They will reject the truth and chase after myths.

But you should keep a clear mind in every situation. Don’t be afraid of suffering for the Lord. Work at telling others the Good News, and fully carry out the ministry God has given you.

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Charge to Timothy Repeated

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: Preach the message,[a] be ready[b] whether it is convenient or not,[c] reprove, rebuke, exhort[d] with complete patience and instruction. 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] And they will turn away from hearing the truth, but on the other hand they will turn aside to myths.[h] You, however, be self-controlled[i] in all things, endure hardship, do an evangelist’s work, fulfill your ministry.

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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.”