Day 28 of 30

¹Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, to the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace.

²We always give thanks to God for all of you, mentioning you in our prayers,

³remembering without ceasing your work of faith and labor of love and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, before our God and Father.

⁴We know, brothers loved by God, that you are chosen,

⁵and that our Good News came to you not in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit, and with much assurance. You know what kind of men we showed ourselves to be among you for your sake.

⁶You became imitators of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Spirit,

⁷so that you became an example to all who believe in Macedonia and in Achaia.

⁸For from you the word of the Lord has been declared, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith toward God has gone out; so that we need not to say anything.

⁹For they themselves report concerning us what kind of a reception we had from you; and how you turned to God from idols, to serve a living and true God,

¹⁰and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead-Jesus, who delivers us from the wrath to come.

¹For you yourselves know, brothers, our visit to you was not in vain,

²but having suffered before and been shamefully treated, as you know, at Philippi, we grew bold in our God to tell you the Good News of God in much conflict.

³For our exhortation is not of error, nor of uncleanness, nor in deception.

⁴But even as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the Good News, so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, who tests our hearts.

⁵For neither were we at any time found using words of flattery, as you know, nor a cloak of covetousness (God is witness),

⁶nor seeking glory from men (neither from you nor from others), when we might have claimed authority as apostles of Christ.

⁷But we were like children among you, like a nursing mother cherishes her own children.

⁸Even so, affectionately longing for you, we were well pleased to impart to you, not the Good News of God only, but also our own souls, because you had become very dear to us.

⁹For you remember, brothers, our labor and travail; for working night and day, that we might not burden any of you, we preached to you the Good News of God.

¹⁰You are witnesses with God, how holy, righteously, and blamelessly we behaved ourselves toward you who believe.

¹¹As you know, as a father with his own children,

¹²we exhorted, comforted, and implored every one of you to lead a life worthy of God, who calls you into his own Kingdom and glory.

¹³For this cause we also thank God without ceasing, that, when you received from us the word of the message of God, you accepted it not as the word of men, but, as it is in truth, the word of God, which also works in you who believe.

¹⁴For you, brothers, became imitators of the churches of God which are in Judea in Christ Jesus; for you also suffered the same things from your own countrymen, even as they did from the Judeans;

¹⁵who killed both the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and drove us out, and did not please God, and are contrary to all men;

¹⁶forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they may be saved; to fill up their sins always. But wrath has come on them to the uttermost.

¹⁷But we, brothers, being bereaved of you for a short season, in presence, not in heart, tried even harder to see your face with great desire,

¹⁸because we wanted to come to you-indeed, I, Paul, once and again-but Satan hindered us.

¹⁹For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Is not it even you, before our Lord Jesus at his coming?

²⁰For you are our glory and our joy.

¹Therefore, when we could not stand it any longer, we thought it good to be left behind at Athens alone,

²and sent Timothy, our brother and God's fellow worker in the Good News of Christ, to establish you, and to comfort you concerning your faith;

³that no one be moved by these afflictions. For you know that we are appointed to this task.

⁴For truly, when we were with you, we told you beforehand that we are to suffer affliction, even as it happened, and you know.

⁵For this cause I also, when I could not stand it any longer, sent that I might know your faith, for fear that by any means the tempter had tempted you, and our labor would have been in vain.

⁶But when Timothy came just now to us from you, and brought us glad news of your faith and love, and that you have good memories of us always, longing to see us, even as we also long to see you;

⁷for this cause, brothers, we were comforted over you in all our distress and affliction through your faith.

⁸For now we live, since you stand firm in the Lord.

⁹For what thanksgiving can we render again to God for you, for all the joy with which we rejoice for your sakes before our God;

¹⁰night and day praying exceedingly that we may see your face, and may perfect that which is lacking in your faith?

¹¹Now may our God and Father himself, and our Lord Jesus Christ, direct our way to you;

¹²and the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we also do toward you,

¹³to the end he may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.

¹Finally then, brothers, we beg and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us how you ought to live and to please God, even as you are living, that you excel more and more.

²For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus.

³For this is the will of God: your sanctification, that you abstain from sexual immorality,

⁴that each one of you know how to possess himself of his own vessel in sanctification and honor,

⁵not in the passion of lust, even as the Gentiles who do not know God;

⁶that no one should take advantage of and wrong a brother or sister in this matter; because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as also we forewarned you and testified.

⁷For God called us not for uncleanness, but in sanctification.

⁸Therefore he who rejects this does not reject man, but God, who has also given his Holy Spirit to you.

⁹But concerning brotherly love, you have no need that one write to you. For you yourselves are taught by God to love one another,

¹⁰for indeed you do it toward all the brothers who are in all Macedonia. But we exhort you, brothers, that you abound more and more;

¹¹and that you make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, even as we instructed you;

¹²that you may walk properly toward those who are outside, and may have need of nothing.

¹³But we do not want you to be ignorant, brothers, concerning those who have fallen asleep, so that you do not grieve like the rest, who have no hope.

¹⁴For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus.

¹⁵For this we tell you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left to the coming of the Lord, will in no way precede those who have fallen asleep.

¹⁶For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with God's trumpet. The dead in Christ will rise first,

¹⁷then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air. So we will be with the Lord forever.

¹⁸Therefore comfort one another with these words.

¹But concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need that anything be written to you.

²For you yourselves know well that the day of the Lord comes like a thief in the night.

³For when they are saying, "Peace and safety," then sudden destruction will come on them, like birth pains on a pregnant woman; and they will in no way escape.

⁴But you, brothers, are not in darkness, that the day should overtake you like a thief.

⁵You are all children of light, and children of the day. We do not belong to the night, nor to darkness,

⁶so then let us not sleep, as the rest do, but let us watch and be sober.

⁷For those who sleep, sleep in the night, and those who are drunk are drunk in the night.

⁸But let us, since we belong to the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and, for a helmet, the hope of salvation.

⁹For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to the obtaining of salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,

¹⁰who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.

¹¹Therefore exhort one another, and build each other up, even as you also do.

¹²But we beg you, brothers, to know those who labor among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you,

¹³and to respect and honor them in love for their work's sake. Be at peace among yourselves.

¹⁴We exhort you, brothers, admonish the disorderly, encourage the fainthearted, support the weak, be patient toward all.

¹⁵See that no one returns evil for evil to anyone, but always follow after that which is good, for one another, and for all.

¹⁶Rejoice always.

¹⁷Pray without ceasing.

¹⁸In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus toward you.

¹⁹Do not quench the Spirit.

²⁰Do not despise prophesies.

²¹Test all things, and hold firmly that which is good.

²²Abstain from every form of evil.

²³May the God of peace himself sanctify you completely. May your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

²⁴He who calls you is faithful, who will also do it.

²⁵Brothers, pray for us.

²⁶Greet all the brothers with a holy kiss.

²⁷I solemnly command you by the Lord that this letter be read to all the brothers.

²⁸The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

¹Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, to the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ:

²Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

³We are bound to always give thanks to God for you, brothers, even as it is appropriate, because your faith grows exceedingly, and the love of each and every one of you towards one another abounds;

⁴so that we ourselves boast about you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and in the afflictions which you endure.

⁵This is an obvious sign of the righteous judgment of God, to the end that you may be counted worthy of the Kingdom of God, for which you also suffer.

⁶Since it is a righteous thing with God to repay affliction to those who afflict you,

⁷and to give relief to you who are afflicted with us, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire,

⁸giving vengeance to those who do not know God, and to those who do not obey the Good News of our Lord Jesus,

⁹who will pay the penalty: eternal destruction from the face of the Lord and from the glory of his might,

¹⁰when he comes to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired among all those who have believed (because our testimony to you was believed) in that day.

¹¹To this end we also pray always for you, that our God may count you worthy of your calling, and fulfill every desire of goodness and work of faith, with power;

¹²that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

¹Now, brothers, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and our gathering together to him, we ask you

²not to be quickly shaken in your mind, nor yet be troubled, either by spirit, or by word, or by letter as from us, saying that the day of the Lord had come.

³Let no one deceive you in any way. For it will not be, unless the departure comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction,

⁴he who opposes and exalts himself against all that is called God or that is worshiped; so that he sits in the temple of God, setting himself up as God.

⁵Do you not remember that, when I was still with you, I told you these things?

⁶Now you know what is restraining him, to the end that he may be revealed in his own season.

⁷For the mystery of lawlessness already works. Only there is one who restrains now, until he is taken out of the way.

⁸Then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will kill with the breath of his mouth, and destroy by the manifestation of his coming;

⁹even he whose coming is according to the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,

¹⁰and with all deception of wickedness for those who are being lost, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved.

¹¹Because of this, God sends them a working of error, that they should believe a lie;

¹²that they all might be judged who did not believe the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

¹³But we are bound to always give thanks to God for you, brothers loved by the Lord, because God chose you as first fruits for salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief in the truth;

¹⁴to which he called you through our Good News, for the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

¹⁵So then, brothers, stand firm, and hold the traditions which you were taught by us, whether by word, or by letter.

¹⁶Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace,

¹⁷comfort your hearts and establish you in every good work and word.

¹Finally, brothers, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may spread rapidly and be glorified, even as also with you;

²and that we may be delivered from unreasonable and evil men; for not all have faith.

³But the Lord is faithful, who will establish you, and guard you from the evil one.

⁴We have confidence in the Lord concerning you, that you both do and will do the things we command.

⁵May the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patience of Christ.

⁶Now we command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw yourselves from every brother who walks in rebellion, and not after the tradition which they received from us.

⁷For you know how you ought to imitate us. For we did not behave ourselves rebelliously among you,

⁸neither did we eat bread from anyone's hand without paying for it, but in labor and travail worked night and day, that we might not burden any of you;

⁹not because we do not have the right, but to make ourselves an example to you, that you should imitate us.

¹⁰For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: "If anyone will not work, neither let him eat."

¹¹For we hear of some who walk among you in rebellion, who do not work at all, but are busybodies.

¹²Now those who are that way, we command and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread.

¹³But you, brothers, do not be weary in doing well.

¹⁴If any man does not obey our word in this letter, note that man, that you have no company with him, to the end that he may be ashamed.

¹⁵Do not count him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.

¹⁶Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in all ways. The Lord be with you all.

¹⁷The greeting of me, Paul, with my own hand, which is the sign in every letter: this is how I write.

¹⁸The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.

¹Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus according to the commandment of God our Savior, and Christ Jesus our hope;

²to Timothy, my true child in faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

³As I urged you when I was going into Macedonia, stay at Ephesus that you might command certain men not to teach a different doctrine,

⁴neither to pay attention to myths and endless genealogies, which cause speculation, rather than God's stewardship, which is in faith-

⁵but the goal of this command is love, out of a pure heart and a good conscience and unfeigned faith;

⁶from which things some, having missed the mark, have turned aside to vain talking;

⁷desiring to be teachers of the law, though they understand neither what they say, nor about what they strongly affirm.

⁸But we know that the law is good, if a man uses it lawfully,

⁹as knowing this, that law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and insubordinate, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers,

¹⁰for the sexually immoral, nor men who practice sexual relations with men, for slave-traders, for liars, for perjurers, and for any other thing contrary to the sound doctrine;

¹¹according to the Good News of the glory of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust.

¹²And I thank him who enabled me, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he counted me faithful, appointing me to service;

¹³although I was before a blasphemer, a persecutor, and insolent. However, I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.

¹⁴The grace of our Lord abounded exceedingly with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.

¹⁵The saying is faithful and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.

¹⁶However, for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first, Jesus Christ might display all his patience, for an example of those who were going to believe in him for eternal life.

¹⁷Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.

¹⁸This instruction I commit to you, my child Timothy, according to the prophecies which led the way to you, that by them you may wage the good warfare;

¹⁹holding faith and a good conscience; which some having thrust away made a shipwreck concerning the faith;

²⁰of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander; whom I delivered to Satan, that they might be taught not to blaspheme.

¹I exhort therefore, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and givings of thanks, be made for all men:

²for kings and all who are in high places; that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and reverence.

³For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior;

⁴who desires all people to be saved and come to full knowledge of the truth.

⁵For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,

⁶who gave himself as a ransom for all; the testimony in its own times;

⁷to which I was appointed a proclaimer and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying), a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.

⁸I desire therefore that the men in every place pray, lifting up holy hands without anger and doubting.

⁹In the same way, that women also adorn themselves in decent clothing, with modesty and propriety; not just with braided hair, gold, pearls, or expensive clothing;

¹⁰but (which becomes women professing godliness) with good works.

¹¹Let a woman learn in quietness with all subjection.

¹²But I do not permit a woman to teach, nor to exercise authority over a man, but to be in quietness.

¹³For Adam was first formed, then Eve.

¹⁴Adam was not deceived, but the woman, being deceived, has fallen into disobedience;

¹⁵but she will be saved through her childbearing, if they continue in faith, love, and sanctification with sobriety.

¹This is a faithful saying: if a man seeks the office of an overseer, he desires a good work.

²The overseer therefore must be without reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, sensible, modest, hospitable, good at teaching;

³not a drunkard, not violent, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money;

⁴one who rules his own house well, having children in subjection with all reverence;

⁵(but if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?)

⁶not a new convert, lest being puffed up he fall into the same condemnation as the devil.

⁷Moreover he must have good testimony from those who are outside, to avoid falling into reproach and the snare of the devil.

⁸Servants, in the same way, must be reverent, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for money;

⁹holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.

¹⁰Let them also first be tested; then let them serve if they are blameless.

¹¹Their wives in the same way must be reverent, not slanderers, temperate, faithful in all things.

¹²Let servants be husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.

¹³For those who have served well gain for themselves a good standing, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.

¹⁴These things I write to you, hoping to come to you shortly;

¹⁵but if I wait long, that you may know how men ought to behave themselves in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.

¹⁶Without controversy, the mystery of godliness is great: He was revealed in the flesh, justified in the spirit, seen by angels, preached among the nations, believed on in the world, and received up in glory.

¹But the Spirit says expressly that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to seducing spirits and doctrines of demons,

²through the hypocrisy of men who speak lies, branded in their own conscience as with a hot iron;

³forbidding marriage and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.

⁴For every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be rejected, if it is received with thanksgiving.

⁵For it is sanctified through the word of God and prayer.

⁶If you instruct the brothers of these things, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, nourished in the words of the faith, and of the good doctrine which you have followed.

⁷But refuse profane and old wives' tales. Exercise yourself toward godliness.

⁸For bodily exercise has some value, but godliness has value in all things, having the promise of the life which is now, and of that which is to come.

⁹This saying is faithful and worthy of all acceptance.

¹⁰For to this end we both labor and strive, because we have set our trust in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of those who believe.

¹¹Command and teach these things.

¹²Let no man despise your youth; but be an example to those who believe, in word, in your way of life, in love, in faith, and in purity.

¹³Until I come, pay attention to reading, to exhortation, and to teaching.

¹⁴Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the elders.

¹⁵Be diligent in these things. Give yourself wholly to them, that your progress may be revealed to all.

¹⁶Pay attention to yourself, and to your teaching. Continue in these things, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you.

¹Do not rebuke an older man, but exhort him as a father; the younger men as brothers;

²the elder women as mothers; the younger as sisters, in all purity.

³Honor widows who are widows indeed.

⁴But if any widow has children or grandchildren, let them learn first to show piety towards their own family, and to repay their parents, for this is acceptable in the sight of God.

⁵Now she who is a widow indeed, and desolate, has her hope set on God, and continues in petitions and prayers night and day.

⁶But she who gives herself to pleasure is dead while she lives.

⁷Also command these things, that they may be without reproach.

⁸But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially his own household, he has denied the faith, and is worse than an unbeliever.

⁹Let no one be enrolled as a widow under sixty years old, having been the wife of one man,

¹⁰being approved by good works, if she has brought up children, if she has been hospitable to strangers, if she has washed the saints' feet, if she has relieved the afflicted, and if she has diligently followed every good work.

¹¹But refuse younger widows, for when they have grown wanton against Christ, they desire to marry;

¹²having condemnation, because they have rejected their first pledge.

¹³Besides, they also learn to be idle, going about from house to house. Not only idle, but also gossips and busybodies, saying things which they ought not.

¹⁴I desire therefore that the younger widows marry, bear children, rule the household, and give no occasion to the adversary for reviling.

¹⁵For already some have turned aside after Satan.

¹⁶If any woman who believes has widows, let her assist them, and do not let the church be burdened; that it might help those widows who are truly in need.

¹⁷Let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and in teaching.

¹⁸For the Scripture says, "You shall not muzzle the ox when it treads out the grain." And, "The laborer is worthy of his wages."

¹⁹Do not receive an accusation against an elder, except at the word of two or three witnesses.

²⁰Those who sin, reprove in the sight of all, that the rest also may be in fear.

²¹I command you in the sight of God, and Christ Jesus, and the chosen angels, that you observe these things without prejudice, doing nothing by partiality.

²²Lay hands hastily on no one, neither be a participant in other men's sins. Keep yourself pure.

²³Be no longer a drinker of water only, but use a little wine for your stomach's sake and your frequent infirmities.

²⁴Some men's sins are evident, preceding them to judgment, and some also follow later.

²⁵In the same way also there are good works that are obvious, and those that are otherwise cannot be hidden.

¹Let as many as are bondservants under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honor, that the name of God and the doctrine not be blasphemed.

²Those who have believing masters, let them not despise them, because they are brothers, but rather let them serve them, because those who partake of the benefit are believing and beloved. Teach and exhort these things.

³If anyone teaches a different doctrine, and does not consent to sound words, the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness,

⁴he is conceited, knowing nothing, but obsessed with arguments, disputes, and word battles, from which come envy, strife, reviling, evil suspicions,

⁵constant friction of people of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain.

⁶But godliness with contentment is great gain.

⁷For we brought nothing into the world, so neither can we carry anything out.

⁸But having food and clothing, we will be content with that.

⁹But those who are determined to be rich fall into a temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful lusts, such as drown men in ruin and destruction.

¹⁰For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some have been led astray from the faith in their greed, and have pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

¹¹But you, man of God, flee these things, and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, and gentleness.

¹²Fight the good fight of faith. Lay hold of the eternal life to which you were called, and you confessed the good confession in the sight of many witnesses.

¹³I command you before God, who gives life to all things, and before Christ Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate testified the good confession,

¹⁴that you keep the commandment without spot, blameless, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ;

¹⁵which in its own times he will show, who is the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings, and Lord of lords;

¹⁶who alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light; whom no man has seen, nor can see: to whom be honor and eternal power. Amen.

¹⁷Charge those who are rich in this present world that they not be haughty, nor have their hope set on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy;

¹⁸that they do good, that they be rich in good works, that they be ready to distribute, willing to communicate;

¹⁹laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold of that which is truly life.

²⁰Timothy, guard that which is committed to you, turning away from the empty chatter and oppositions of the knowledge which is falsely so called;

²¹which some professing have erred concerning the faith. Grace be with you.

¹Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, according to the promise of the life which is in Christ Jesus,

²to Timothy, my beloved child: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

³I thank God, whom I serve as my forefathers did, with a pure conscience. How unceasing is my memory of you in my petitions, night and day

⁴longing to see you, remembering your tears, that I may be filled with joy;

⁵having been reminded of the unfeigned faith that is in you; which lived first in your grandmother Lois, and your mother Eunice, and, I am persuaded, in you also.

⁶For this cause, I remind you that you should stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands.

⁷For God did not give us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control.

⁸Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner; but endure hardship for the Good News according to the power of God,

⁹who saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given to us in Christ Jesus before times eternal,

¹⁰but has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who abolished death, and brought life and immortality to light through the Good News.

¹¹For this, I was appointed as a proclaimer, an apostle, and a teacher.

¹²For this cause I also suffer these things. Yet I am not ashamed, for I know him whom I have believed, and I am persuaded that he is able to guard that which I have committed to him against that day.

¹³Hold the pattern of sound words which you have heard from me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.

¹⁴That good thing which was committed to you, guard through the Holy Spirit who dwells in us.

¹⁵This you know, that all who are in Asia turned away from me; of whom are Phygelus and Hermogenes.

¹⁶May the Lord grant mercy to the house of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain,

¹⁷but when he was in Rome, he sought me diligently, and found me

¹⁸(the Lord grant to him to find the Lord's mercy in that day); and in how many things he served at Ephesus, you know very well.

¹You therefore, my child, be strengthened in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.

²The things which you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit the same to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also.

³You therefore must share in hardship, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus.

⁴No soldier on duty entangles himself in the affairs of life, that he may please him who enrolled him as a soldier.

⁵Also, if anyone competes in athletics, he is not crowned unless he has competed by the rules.

⁶The farmers who labor must be the first to get a share of the crops.

⁷Consider what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in all things.

⁸Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, of the seed of David, according to my Good News,

⁹in which I suffer hardship to the point of chains as a criminal. But God's word is not chained.

¹⁰Therefore I endure all things for the chosen ones' sake, that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.

¹¹This saying is faithful: "For if we died with him, we will also live with him.

¹²If we endure, we will also reign with him. If we deny him, he also will deny us.

¹³If we are faithless, he remains faithful, for he cannot deny himself."

¹⁴Remind them of these things, charging them in the presence of God, that they do not argue about words, to no profit, to the subverting of those who hear.

¹⁵Give diligence to present yourself approved by God, a workman who does not need to be ashamed, properly handling the Word of Truth.

¹⁶But shun empty chatter, for they will proceed further in ungodliness,

¹⁷and their word will consume like gangrene, of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus;

¹⁸men who have erred concerning the truth, saying that the resurrection is already past, and overthrowing the faith of some.

¹⁹However God's firm foundation stands, having this seal, "The Lord knows those who are his," and, "Let every one who names the name of the Lord depart from unrighteousness."

²⁰Now in a large house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of clay. Some are for honor, and some for dishonor.

²¹If anyone therefore purges himself from these, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified, and suitable for the master's use, prepared for every good work.

²²Flee from youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

²³But refuse foolish and ignorant questionings, knowing that they generate strife.

²⁴The Lord's servant must not quarrel, but be gentle towards all, able to teach, patient,

²⁵in gentleness correcting those who oppose him: perhaps God may give them repentance leading to a full knowledge of the truth,

²⁶and they may recover themselves out of the devil's snare, having been taken captive by him to his will.

¹But know this, that in the last days, grievous times will come.

²For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,

³without natural affection, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, fierce, no lovers of good,

⁴traitors, headstrong, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God;

⁵holding a form of godliness, but having denied the power thereof. Turn away from these, also.

⁶For of these are those who creep into houses, and take captive gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts,

⁷always learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.

⁸Even as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so do these also oppose the truth; men corrupted in mind, reprobate concerning the faith.

⁹But they will proceed no further. For their folly will be evident to all men, as theirs also came to be.

¹⁰But you did follow my teaching, conduct, purpose, faith, patience, love, steadfastness,

¹¹persecutions, and sufferings: those things that happened to me at Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra. I endured those persecutions. Out of them all the Lord delivered me.

¹²Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.

¹³But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.

¹⁴But you remain in the things which you have learned and have been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them.

¹⁵From infancy, you have known the holy Scriptures which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith, which is in Christ Jesus.

¹⁶Every Scripture is God-breathed and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness,

¹⁷that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

¹I command you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his Kingdom:

²proclaim the word; be urgent in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with all patience and teaching.

³For the time will come when they will not listen to the sound doctrine, but, having itching ears, will heap up for themselves teachers after their own lusts;

⁴and will turn away their ears from the truth, and turn aside to myths.

⁵But you be sober in all things, suffer hardship, do the work of an evangelist, and fulfill your ministry.

⁶For I am already being offered, and the time of my departure has come.

⁷I have fought the good fight. I have finished the course. I have kept the faith.

⁸From now on, there is stored up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give to me on that day; and not to me only, but also to all those who have loved his appearing.

⁹Be diligent to come to me soon,

¹⁰for Demas left me, having loved this present world, and went to Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, and Titus to Dalmatia.

¹¹Only Luke is with me. Take Mark, and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for service.

¹²But I sent Tychicus to Ephesus.

¹³Bring the cloak that I left at Troas with Carpus when you come, and the books, especially the parchments.

¹⁴Alexander, the coppersmith, did much evil to me. The Lord will repay him according to his works,

¹⁵of whom you also must beware; for he greatly opposed our words.

¹⁶At my first defense, no one came to help me, but all left me. May it not be held against them.

¹⁷But the Lord stood by me, and strengthened me, that through me the message might be fully proclaimed, and that all the Gentiles might hear; and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion.

¹⁸And the Lord will deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me for his heavenly Kingdom; to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

¹⁹Greet Prisca and Aquila, and the house of Onesiphorus.

²⁰Erastus remained at Corinth, but I left Trophimus at Miletus sick.

²¹Be diligent to come before winter. Eubulus salutes you, as do Pudens, Linus, Claudia, and all the brothers.

²²The Lord be with your spirit. Grace be with you.