2 Timothy
Chapter 1
1-2 Dear Timothy, my beloved son,
Greetings from Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus. I was sent as an apostle, because of God's will, to tell about the eternal life that God promised. We obtain that eternal life because we’re one with Christ Jesus.
My prayer is that God the Father and our Lord Christ Jesus will always be kind to you, have compassion on you and watch over you so that you live calmly under God’s protection!
Expressions of thanks and encouragement
3 I'm really thankful to God because of you, Timothy. God is the One I serve, like my forefathers did, with a heart that doesn’t feel any guilt. I don’t forget to pray for you day and night. 4 And when I remember you, I also remember your tears when we parted. So I really long to see you so that my heart is filled with joy again. 5 I remember that you sincerely believe in Christ. That has been well-proven to me. And in that trait, you follow the example of your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice. 6 For that reason I want to remind you to keep using and increasing the spiritual ability that God gave you when I laid my hands on you. That ability is like a fire that can’t be allowed to die but has to be kept aflame. 7 For when God’s Spirit leads our lives we don’t need to be afraid or ashamed. Instead, the Spirit increases our ability to live with power, full of love and self-control.
8 So don’t be ashamed to give a testimony about our Lord, and don’t be ashamed because I'm imprisoned for serving Him. Instead, with the strength of God, you also suffer with me for the sake of the Good News. 9 For God has chosen us and saved us to become the people He has made holy. That didn’t all happen because of what we’ve done. We’re saved and called only because of God’s will and only through His kindness. And His kindness was planned for us before the beginning of the age and given because we’re made one with Christ Jesus. 10 That salvation has now been revealed to us by the coming of Christ Jesus, our Savior. He has destroyed the power of death over us and through the Good News He reveals the way towards eternal life that has no end. 11 In order for the Good News to be spread more and more widely, God chose me as a spokesman, an apostle and a teacher. 12 That’s why I’m suffering in this prison! But I’m not ashamed, because I already know Jesus. He’s very worthy to be believed, and I’m sure that He’s able to guard and guarantee the results of the ministry that He has entrusted to me until the Day He comes.
13 Hold firmly to the true teaching that I taught you. Keep believing in Christ and live with the love we obtain because of being one with Him. 14 For now God has entrusted my teaching and service to you. Guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.
15 You’ve heard that all the brothers in the faith in the region of Asia have left me, including Phygelus and Hermogenes. 16-17 That makes me miss Onesiphorus! [1] I pray that the Lord blesses Onesiphorus’ family with His kindness. Even though I was in prison, he wasn’t ashamed to visit me. In fact, when he came to Rome he had to search for me everywhere until he found me. He always encouraged and strengthened me. 18 And of course you remember how much he helped me in Ephesus. May the Lord be very kind to Onesiphorus on the Judgment Day!
Chapter 2
Become a faithful soldier of Christ Jesus
1 Timothy my son, you should be continually strengthened through God’s amazing kindness which we have because of being one with Christ. 2 And all the teaching that you heard when I taught the brothers and sisters in the faith, teach and entrust it to other brothers and sisters, especially to those who are able to teach and who are faithful to give that teaching to other people.
3 Follow my example when you’re made to suffer as a follower of Christ Jesus too. As His follower, you’ve become like a soldier in Christ’s troops. 4 A soldier doesn’t busy himself with other different jobs because he wants to please his commander. 5 As another example, in a sports contest, a runner won’t receive the victory prize [1] if he doesn’t run according to the rules of the contest. 6 And as another example, a farmer who works hard deserves to be the first to enjoy the produce of the harvest that he planted. 7 Think about these examples and the Lord will give you ability to understand these things more deeply.
8 Always think about Christ Jesus! He’s the Descendant of David. [2] And He came back to life from death. That’s the Good News I tell. 9 But it’s because I tell the news of salvation that I’m made to suffer! I’m bound with chains until now, as if I was a criminal. But God’s Word can’t be imprisoned! There are still many brothers and sisters who keep on telling the news of salvation. 10 So I’m willing to endure all kinds of suffering because in that way I maintain the truth of the Good News which is being told and believed. For by firmly enduring, I’m actually helping all of God’s chosen people to have an opportunity to accept the salvation we get because we’re one with Christ Jesus. In that way, they’ll take part in enjoying His glory forever.
11 This saying is very worthy to be believed,
if we consider that we died with Him, [1]
we will also live with Him.
12 If we remain faithful to Him, even in suffering,
we’ll also rule with Him.
But if we deny Him by saying, “I’m not a follower of Jesus,”
then He’ll also say, “You aren’t My follower.”
13 Even so, if we aren’t completely faithful to live according to His will,
He’ll still be faithful to fulfill all of His promises to us
because He can’t deny His own words.
Try to be acknowledged by God
14 Keep reminding our brothers and sisters about all these things and advise them firmly before God not to argue about useless things. [2] Arguments like that can’t produce anything good but lead astray so that the people who hear them are destroyed. 15 Sincerely try to be acknowledged by God as a servant who’s worthy to work for Him. You should become a servant who doesn’t need to feel ashamed of your work because you teach the true teaching from God accurately.
16 Don’t get involved when people discuss a new teaching that isn’t useful, that is teaching which doesn’t come from God. Whoever involves himself in discussions like that will keep living farther away from God’s will. 17 Teachings like that spread like a dangerous disease. Hymenaeus and Philetus are false teachers who teach things like that! 18 The two of them have followed a misleading path because they teach that God won’t give us life again after death, because according to them the only opportunity to be brought back to life has already happened. [3] In that way, they’ve confused the faith of some of our brothers and sisters.
19 But the true teaching from God [4] is like a great stone foundation for us followers of Christ. And these two sayings are written in large letters on that stone foundation:
“The Lord knows who already are and who aren’t yet His possessions.” [3]
And
“Everyone who says, ‘I’m a follower of the Lord,’ must stop doing evil.”
20 Think about this example: In a luxurious house, there are different kinds of plates and other kitchen utensils that are made of precious materials, like gold and silver. And there are also those made of wood and clay. Those made of precious materials are only used for special occasions, whereas the ones made from cheap materials are used for everyday needs. 21 It’s the same with you! If you set yourself apart only for the Lord by guarding yourself so that you keep living pure, you’ll become like a special container. It means that you’ve become a container that’s clean and worthy to be used by the Lord for every good work.
22 But keep far away from everything that arouses lust and the desires of young people. Try hard to keep living right, remain confident in true teaching, keep showing love and keep living peacefully with your fellowman. All of that needs to be done in fellowship with the brothers and sisters who ask for the Lord’s help every day with sincere hearts, like you. 23 And once again I’m ordering you not to get involved in stupid debates about useless teaching because you already know that debates like that only cause quarrels. 24 And of course it’s not proper for you, as a servant of the Lord, to quarrel. Instead, every servant of the Lord has to be friendly to everyone, skilled to teach and patient in facing problems or troubles. 25 And as a servant of the Lord you should be gentle towards those who oppose you when you teach or point out their faults. For we work with the hope that the Lord will work in their hearts so that they repent and accept true teaching. 26 So our hope is that they can become aware again and can be freed from the trap of the devil, because it isn’t just by chance that people follow wayward teaching. But they’re deceived and bound by the devil so that they become his cohorts.
Chapter 3
Character traits of people in this present age
1 My son, we should be aware that in these end times [4] we will certainly experience many difficulties. 2 Many people will
love themselves, love money,
be arrogant and like to praise themselves,
like to insult other people, disobey their parents,
not know how to be thankful, not honor God,
3 not love others, not forgive other people’s wrongs,
like to speak badly about others, be unable to control themselves,
be rude and cruel in character and hate everything that’s good.
4 People in this last age will like to betray their friends,
not think wisely,
be arrogant and consider themselves to be more important than others
and prefer to enjoy worldly pleasures rather than pleasing God.
5 Of course, in the eyes of others, they want to be considered religious followers, but they don’t want to sincerely know God or be changed by His power! Stay far away from people like that.
6 For people like that are the ones who call themselves religious teachers so that they’re invited into other people’s homes. Then they deceive and trap women who aren’t yet spiritually mature and are too quick to believe anything. By that I mean women who feel the burden of their sin is really great because they let themselves be led here and there by all kinds of desires. 7 Women like that are always ready to learn about spiritual things, but they obviously aren’t able to distinguish between true teaching and false teaching. 8 However, ‘religious teachers’ like that are like Jannes and Jambres [1] who opposed Moses. Those teachers minds have become confused, and they always oppose true teaching. What they believe doesn’t actually make sense. 9 But those false teachers won’t succeed in trapping and misleading many people, for their stupidity will become very obvious, just like what happened to Jannes and Jambres.
Become a servant of the Lord like Paul
10 But my son, you’ve followed my teaching and example. The goal of my life has become the goal of your life. You and I have the same faith and patience. The way we love our fellowman and endure in trouble is also the same. 11 In your own region, you clearly know how the residents of the cities of Antioch, Iconium and Lystra persecuted me and made me suffer. But remember that the Lord saved me from all that! 12 Every servant of Christ Jesus who sincerely wants to live to please God’s heart will be persecuted, 13 while evil people and false teachers will keep becoming more and more dangerous. They lead others astray, but they themselves are also lost.
14 For that reason Timothy, you should keep following the true teaching which I taught and which was taught by other servants of the Lord. You’ve believed that teaching because you know that we, who taught it, are trustworthy. 15 And your faith is also based on the Holy Bible which you’ve known since you were a small child. And through the Lord’s Word you became wise so that you received the salvation which we have because of believing in Christ Jesus. 16 All of the Holy Bible was written according to God’s own words, and all of it is useful to teach, to rebuke, to show error and to train us to live right in God’s eyes. 17 So through God’s Word, we as God’s servants are enabled and equipped to carry out every good task which God gives us.
Chapter 4
1 Remember that Christ Jesus will return and rule as King, and then He’ll judge everyone, both those who’ve died and those who’re still living. So before God and Christ Jesus I give this command to you. 2 Always preach God’s Word, whether or not the church you serve wants to hear it. Train them based on His Word, being patient with their various weaknesses. Point out their faults, rebuke them and encourage their hearts.
3 For the time will come when people won’t want to listen to true teaching anymore. Instead, they’ll search here and there to find teachers who’ll teach them about things that are pleasant to hear according to the desires of their hearts. 4 So they won’t want to hear true teaching anymore but they’ll be happy to hear teaching based on fables or empty stories.
5 But you should restrain yourself all the time. Don’t be afraid of facing troubles that happen because you serve the Lord. Do your task as a spokesman of the Good News. Fulfill all of your tasks as a servant of God.
6 For the time has come for me to be released from this worldly body! My blood will soon be poured out like an offering to the Lord, [1] and then He’ll receive my soul. 7 I’ve already reached the finish line in this spiritual race. I’ve become the winner in this battle! I’ve stood firm in what I believe until the final day. 8 So now the time has almost come for me to receive the victory crown which has been prepared for me. That crown will show that the just Judge, the Lord, acknowledges me as a person who has lived right. I long for that day of victory when I meet Him and receive that crown. And the crown of victory isn’t prepared just for me but also for everyone who longs for the day of His return.
Personal instructions
9 Try to come to me as soon as possible 10 because Demas, who loves this world too much, has left me and gone to Thessalonica, whereas I’ve sent Crescens to Galatia and Titus to Dalmatia. 11 Only Luke is still with me. When you come, invite Mark to come with you because he has become a good helper to me. 12 And I've also sent Tychicus to Ephesus.
13 When you go through Troas, get the thick robe which I left with Carpus and also my books, especially the ones made of animal skins.
14 Alexander, the copper and iron smith, has done even more to really persecute me so that my troubles have increased. The Lord will punish him according to his actions. 15 You should also watch out for him because he really opposes our teaching.
16 The first time I defended myself in court there wasn’t even one friend that helped me. They had all left me. May God forgive them. 17 But at that time the Lord was still with me. And He gave me strength so I could preach the Good News completely to those present who were all non-Jews. So in the end I was saved from the lion’s mouth. 18 The Lord is the one who’s able to save me from any threat, and in the end He’ll bring me safely into His kingdom in heaven. To Him be glory forever. Amen!
Final greetings
19 Give my greetings to Priscilla and Aquila and to the family of Onesiphorus. 20 On the way here Erastus decided to stay in Corinth. And I left Trophimus in Miletus because he was sick. 21 Try as hard as possible to come here before winter.
Eubulus and also Pudens, Linus, Claudia and all the brothers and sisters in the faith here send you greetings.
22 Timothy, my prayer is that the Lord will always be with you. And to all who read this letter, I pray that the kindness of God will always be with each of you.