Doing Good for the Sake of the Gospel

2 You, however, must teach what is appropriate to sound doctrine.^{(A) 2} Teach the older men^(B) to be temperate,^(C) worthy of respect, self-controlled,^(D) and sound in faith,^(E) in love and in endurance.

³ Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers^(F) or addicted to much wine,^(G) but to teach what is good. ⁴ Then they can urge the younger women^(H) to love their husbands and children, ⁵ to be self-controlled^(I) and pure, to be busy at home,^(J) to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands,^(K) so that no one will malign the word of God.^(L)

⁶ Similarly, encourage the young men^(M) to be self-controlled.^{(N) 7} In everything set them an example^(O) by doing what is good.^(P) In your teaching show integrity, seriousness ⁸ and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us.^(Q)

⁹ Teach slaves to be subject to their masters in everything,^(R) to try to please them, not to talk back to them, ¹⁰ and not to steal from them, but to show that they can be fully trusted, so that in every way they will make the teaching about God our Savior^(S) attractive.^(T)

¹⁵ Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.^(A)

3 But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days.^{(A) 2} People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money,^(B) boastful, proud,^(C) abusive,^(D) disobedient to their parents,^(E) ungrateful, unholy, ³ without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, ⁴ treacherous,^(F) rash, conceited,^(G) lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— ⁵ having a form of godliness^(H) but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.^(I)

⁶ They are the kind who worm their way^(J) into homes and gain control over gullible women, who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires, ⁷ always learning but never able to come to a knowledge of the truth.^{(K) 8} Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses,^(L) so also these teachers oppose^(M) the truth. They are men of depraved minds,^(N) who, as far as the faith is concerned, are rejected. ⁹ But they will not get very far because, as in the case of those men,^(O) their folly will be clear to everyone.

¹⁵ But women^[a] will be saved through childbearing—if they continue in faith, love^(A) and holiness with propriety.

1 Paul, an apostle^(A) of Christ Jesus by the will of God,^(B) in keeping with the promise of life that is in Christ Jesus,^(C)

² To Timothy,^(D) my dear son:^(E)

Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.^(F)

Thanksgiving

³ I thank God,^(G) whom I serve, as my ancestors did, with a clear conscience,^(H) as night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers.^{(I) 4} Recalling your tears,^(J) I long to see you,^(K) so that I may be filled with joy. ⁵ I am reminded of your sincere faith,^(L) which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice^(M) and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also.

¹⁴ But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it,^{(A) 15} and how from infancy^(B) you have known the Holy Scriptures,^(C) which are able to make you wise^(D) for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.