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Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, in keeping with the promise of life that is in Christ Jesus,
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To Timothy, my dear son: Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
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Thanksgiving
I thank God, whom I serve, as my ancestors did, with a clear conscience, as night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers.
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Appeal for Loyalty to Paul and the Gospel
For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands.
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For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.
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So do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner. Rather, join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God.
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May the Lord grant that he will find mercy from the Lord on that day! You know very well in how many ways he helped me in Ephesus.
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And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others.
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Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this.
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for which I am suffering even to the point of being chained like a criminal. But God’s word is not chained.
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Here is a trustworthy saying: If we died with him, we will also live with him;
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if we endure, we will also reign with him. If we disown him, he will also disown us;
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Dealing With False Teachers
Keep reminding God’s people of these things. Warn them before God against quarreling about words; it is of no value, and only ruins those who listen.
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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.
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Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly.
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Their teaching will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus,
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Nevertheless, God’s solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: “The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness.”
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Those who cleanse themselves from the latter will be instruments for special purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work.
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Opponents must be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth,
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and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.
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But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days.
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People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy,
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treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God—
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having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.
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But they will not get very far because, as in the case of those men, their folly will be clear to everyone.
