Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

¹⁴ But continue in the things that you have learned, which also were committed to you, seeing you know from whom you have learned them, ¹⁵ and also that from childhood you have known the holy scripture, which is able to make you wise unto salvation through the faith that is in Christ Jesus. ¹⁶ For all scripture given by the inspiration of God is profitable to teach, to convict, to reform, and to instruct in righteousness, ¹⁷ so that the man of God may be perfect and prepared for all good works.

He exhorts Timothy to be fervent in the word and to suffer adversity, makes mention of his own death, and bids Timothy to come to him.

4 I charge you therefore before God, and before the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the quick and the dead at his appearing in his kingdom: ² preach the word; be fervent, be it in season or out of season. Refute, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and instruction.

³ For the time will come when the people will not suffer wholesome doctrine, but, after their own fancies, they (whose ears itch) will get themselves a heap of teachers, ⁴ and will turn their ears from the truth, and will be given to fables. ⁵ But as for you, watch in all things, and suffer adversity, and do the work of an evangelist. Fulfil your office to the utmost.

He teaches to be fervent in prayer continually. Of the Pharisee and the publican. The kingdom of God belongs to children. Christ answers the ruler, and promises reward to all who suffer loss for his sake and follow him. The blind man is restored to his sight.

18 And he put forth a similitude to them signifying that people ought always to pray, and not to be weary of it, ² saying, There was a judge in a certain city who neither feared God nor regarded man. And there was a certain widow in the same city, who came to him, ³ saying, Avenge me of my adversary! ⁴ And he would not for a while. But afterward he said to himself, Though I do not fear God or care about people, ⁵ yet because this widow is troubling me, I will avenge her, lest she wear me out with nagging.

⁶ And the Lord said, Hear what the unrighteous judge says. ⁷ And will God not avenge his elect who cry day and night to him – yea, though he defer them? ⁸ I tell you, he will avenge them, and that quickly. Nevertheless, when the Son of man comes, do you suppose he will find faith on the earth?