Paul, an apostle(A) of Christ Jesus by the will of God,(B) in keeping with the promise of life that is in Christ Jesus,(C)

To Timothy,(D) my dear son:(E)

Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.(F)

Thanksgiving

I thank God,(G) whom I serve, as my ancestors did, with a clear conscience,(H) as night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers.(I) Recalling your tears,(J) I long to see you,(K) so that I may be filled with joy. I am reminded of your sincere faith,(L) which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice(M) and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also.

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.(N) For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid,(O) but gives us power,(P) love and self-discipline. So do not be ashamed(Q) of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner.(R) Rather, join with me in suffering for the gospel,(S) by the power of God. He has saved(T) us and called(U) us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done(V) but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, 10 but it has now been revealed(W) through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus,(X) who has destroyed death(Y) and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. 11 And of this gospel(Z) I was appointed(AA) a herald and an apostle and a teacher.(AB) 12 That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet this is no cause for shame,(AC) because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard(AD) what I have entrusted to him until that day.(AE)

13 What you heard from me,(AF) keep(AG) as the pattern(AH) of sound teaching,(AI) with faith and love in Christ Jesus.(AJ) 14 Guard(AK) the good deposit that was entrusted to you—guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.(AL)

Examples of Disloyalty and Loyalty

15 You know that everyone in the province of Asia(AM) has deserted me,(AN) including Phygelus and Hermogenes.

16 May the Lord show mercy to the household of Onesiphorus,(AO) because he often refreshed me and was not ashamed(AP) of my chains.(AQ) 17 On the contrary, when he was in Rome, he searched hard for me until he found me. 18 May the Lord grant that he will find mercy from the Lord on that day!(AR) You know very well in how many ways he helped me(AS) in Ephesus.(AT)

From Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by God's will, sent to proclaim the promised life which we have in union with Christ Jesus—

(A)To Timothy, my dear son:

May God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord give you grace, mercy, and peace.

Thanksgiving and Encouragement

I give thanks to God, whom I serve with a clear conscience, as my ancestors did. I thank him as I remember you always in my prayers night and day. I remember your tears, and I want to see you very much, so that I may be filled with joy. (B)I remember the sincere faith you have, the kind of faith that your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice also had. I am sure that you have it also. For this reason I remind you to keep alive the gift that God gave you when I laid my hands on you. For the Spirit that God has given us does not make us timid; instead, his Spirit fills us with power, love, and self-control.

Do not be ashamed, then, of witnessing for our Lord; neither be ashamed of me, a prisoner for Christ's sake. Instead, take your part in suffering for the Good News, as God gives you the strength for it. He saved us and called us to be his own people, not because of what we have done, but because of his own purpose and grace. He gave us this grace by means of Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, 10 but now it has been revealed to us through the coming of our Savior, Christ Jesus. He has ended the power of death and through the gospel has revealed immortal life.

11 (C)God has appointed me as an apostle and teacher to proclaim the Good News, 12 and it is for this reason that I suffer these things. But I am still full of confidence, because I know whom I have trusted, and I am sure that he is able to keep safe until that Day what he has entrusted to me.[a] 13 Hold firmly to the true words that I taught you, as the example for you to follow, and remain in the faith and love that are ours in union with Christ Jesus. 14 Through the power of the Holy Spirit, who lives in us, keep the good things that have been entrusted to you.

15 You know that everyone in the province of Asia, including Phygelus and Hermogenes, has deserted me. 16 May the Lord show mercy to the family of Onesiphorus, because he cheered me up many times. He was not ashamed that I am in prison, 17 but as soon as he arrived in Rome, he started looking for me until he found me. 18 May the Lord grant him his mercy on that Day! And you know very well how much he did for me in Ephesus.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Timothy 1:12 what he has entrusted to me; or what I have entrusted to him.

Greeting

From Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by God’s will, to promote the promise of life that is in Christ Jesus.

To Timothy, my dear child.

Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

Thanksgiving and prayer

I’m grateful to God, whom I serve with a good conscience as my ancestors did. I constantly remember you in my prayers day and night. When I remember your tears, I long to see you so that I can be filled with happiness. I’m reminded of your authentic faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice. I’m sure that this faith is also inside you. Because of this, I’m reminding you to revive God’s gift that is in you through the laying on of my hands. God didn’t give us a spirit that is timid but one that is powerful, loving, and self-controlled.

Don’t be ashamed of the testimony

So don’t be ashamed of the testimony about the Lord or of me, his prisoner. Instead, share the suffering for the good news, depending on God’s power. God is the one who saved and called us with a holy calling. This wasn’t based on what we have done, but it was based on his own purpose and grace that he gave us in Christ Jesus before time began. 10 Now his grace is revealed through the appearance of our savior, Christ Jesus. He destroyed death and brought life and immortality into clear focus through the good news. 11 I was appointed a messenger, apostle, and teacher of this good news. 12 This is also why I’m suffering the way I do, but I’m not ashamed. I know the one in whom I’ve placed my trust. I’m convinced that God is powerful enough to protect what he has placed in my trust until that day. 13 Hold on to the pattern of sound teaching that you heard from me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. 14 Protect this good thing that has been placed in your trust through the Holy Spirit who lives in us.

15 You know that everyone in Asia has turned away from me, including Phygelus and Hermogenes. 16 May the Lord show mercy to Onesiphorus’ household, because he supported me many times and he wasn’t ashamed of my imprisonment. 17 After I arrived in Rome, he quickly looked for me and found me. 18 May the Lord allow him to find his mercy on that day (and you know very well how much he served me in Ephesus).