Book of Common Prayer

He prophesies of the latter days, and exhorts Timothy to the diligent reading of the holy scripture.

4 The Spirit speaks clearly that in the latter times some will depart from the faith, and will give heed to spirits of error, and to devilish teaching ² by those who speak falsely through hypocrisy, who have their consciences marked with an hot iron, ³ forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from foods that God has created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. ⁴ For everything God created is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving. ⁵ For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer. ⁶ If you put the brethren in mind of these things, you will be a good minister of Jesus Christ, who has been nourished up in the words of the faith and good teaching, which teaching you have continually followed. ⁷ But cast away unspiritual and old wives’ tales.

Exercise yourself unto godliness. ⁸ For bodily exercise is of some benefit, but godliness is fruitful in all things, having promises for the life that is now and for the life to come. ⁹ This is a sure saying, and worthy to be received by all. ¹⁰ It is for this that we labour and suffer rebuke – because we believe in the living God, who is the saviour of all men, but especially of those who believe. ¹¹ Such things command and teach.

¹² Let no one dishonour your youth, but be to those who believe an example, in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, and in pureness.

¹³ Until I come, attend to reading, to exhortation, and to teaching. ¹⁴ Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you through prophecy and with the laying on of the hands of an elder. ¹⁵ Be diligent in these things, and give yourself to them, so that it may be seen how you bring profit in all things. ¹⁶ Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine, and continue therein. For if you will so do, you will preserve yourself and those who hear you.

²⁴ Another similitude he put forth to them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. ²⁵ But while people were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. ²⁶ When the blade had sprung up and had brought forth fruit, then the tares appeared also. ²⁷ Then the servants went to the householder and said to him, Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? Where then did the tares come from? ²⁸ He said to them, The envious man has done this. Then the servants said to him, Do you want us then to go and weed them out? ²⁹ But he said, Nay, lest while you go about to weed out the tares, you pluck up also with them the wheat by the roots. ³⁰ Let both grow together till harvest comes. And in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather the tares first, and bind them in sheaves to be burned; but gather the wheat into my barn.