THE BOOK OF 1 Thessalonians
1 Thessalonians 1
1 Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace.
2 We give thanks to God always for you all, constantly mentioning you in our prayers,
3 remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.
4 For we know, brethren beloved by God, that he has chosen you;
5 for our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction. You know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake.
6 And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you received the word in much affliction, with joy inspired by the Holy Spirit;
7 so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia.
8 For not only has the word of the Lord sounded forth from you in Macedonia and Achaia, but your faith in God has gone forth everywhere, so that we need not say anything.
9 For they themselves report concerning us what a welcome we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols, to serve a living and true God,
10 and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.
1 Thessalonians 2
1 For you yourselves know, brethren, that our visit to you was not in vain;
2 but though we had already suffered and been shamefully treated at Philippi, as you know, we had courage in our God to declare to you the gospel of God in the face of great opposition.
3 For our appeal does not spring from error or uncleanness, nor is it made with guile;
4 but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please men, but to please God who tests our hearts.
5 For we never used either words of flattery or a cloak for greed, as God is witness;
6 nor did we seek glory from men, whether from you or from others, though we might have made demands as apostles of Christ.
7 But we were gentle among you, like a nurse taking care of her children.
8 So, being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you had become very dear to us.
9 For you remember our labor and toil, brethren; we worked night and day, that we might not burden any of you, while we preached to you the gospel of God.
10 You are witnesses, and God also, how holy and righteous and blameless was our behavior to you believers;
11 for you know how, like a father with his children, we exhorted each one of you and encouraged you and charged you
12 to lead a life worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory.
13 And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers.
14 For you, brethren, became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus which are in Judea; for you suffered the same things from your own countrymen as they did from the Jews,
15 who killed both the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and drove us out, and displease God and oppose all men
16 by hindering us from speaking to the Gentiles that they may be saved—so as always to fill up the measure of their sins. But God’s wrath has come upon them at last.
17 But since we were bereft of you, brethren, for a short time, in person not in heart, we endeavored the more eagerly and with great desire to see you face to face,
18 because we wanted to come to you—I, Paul, again and again—but Satan hindered us.
19 For what is our hope or joy or crown of boasting before our Lord Jesus at his coming? Is it not you?
20 For you are our glory and joy.
1 Thessalonians Chapter 3
1 Therefore when we could bear it no longer, we were willing to be left behind at Athens alone,
2 and we sent Timothy, our brother and God’s servant in the gospel of Christ, to establish you in your faith and to exhort you,
3 that no one be moved by these afflictions. You yourselves know that this is to be our lot.
4 For when we were with you, we told you beforehand that we were to suffer affliction; just as it has come to pass, and as you know.
5 For this reason, when I could bear it no longer, I sent that I might know your faith, for fear that somehow the tempter had tempted you and our labor would be in vain.
6 But now that Timothy has come to us from you, and has brought us the good news of your faith and love and reported that you always remember us kindly and long to see us, as we long to see you—
7 for this reason, brethren, in all our distress and affliction we have been comforted about you through your faith;
8 for now we live, if you stand fast in the Lord.
9 For what thanksgiving can we render to God for you, for all the joy which we feel for your sake before our God,
10 praying earnestly night and day that we may see you face to face, to supply what is lacking in your faith?
11 Now may our God and Father himself, and our Lord Jesus, direct our way to you;
12 and may the Lord make you increase and abound in love to one another and to all men, as we do to you,
13 so that he may establish your hearts unblamable in holiness before our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.
1 Thessalonians Chapter 4
1 Finally, brethren, we beseech and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that as you learned from us how you ought to live and please God, just as you are doing, you do so more and more.
2 For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus.
3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from immorality;
4 that each one of you know how to take a wife for himself in holiness and honor,
5 not in the passion of lust like heathen who do not know God;
6 that no man transgress, and wrong his brother in this matter, because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as we solemnly forewarned you.
7 For God has not called us for uncleanness, but in holiness.
8 Therefore whoever disregards this, disregards not man but God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you.
9 But concerning love of the brethren you have no need to have anyone write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another;
10 and indeed you do love all the brethren throughout Macedonia. But we exhort you, brethren, to do so more and more,
11 to aspire to live quietly, to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we charged you;
12 so that you may live properly, and not be in want of anything, and not be dependent on anybody.
13 But we would not have you ignorant, brethren, concerning those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope.
14 For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep.
15 For this we declare to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep.
16 For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the archangel’s call, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first;
17 then we who are alive, who are left, shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord.
18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.
1 Thessalonians Chapter 5
1 But as to the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need to have anything written to you.
2 For you yourselves know well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.
3 When people say, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them as travail comes upon a woman with child, and there will be no escape.
4 But you are not in darkness, brethren, for that day to surprise you like a thief.
5 For you are all sons of light and sons of the day; we are not of the night or of darkness.
6 So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober.
7 For those who sleep sleep at night, and those who get drunk get drunk at night.
8 But, since we belong to the day, let us be sober, and put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation.
9 For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,
10 who died for us so that whether we wake or sleep we might live with him.
11 Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.
12 But we beseech you, brethren, to respect those who labor among you, who are over you in the Lord and who admonish you,
13 and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves.
14 And we exhort you, brethren, admonish the idlers, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all.
15 See that none of you repays evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to all.
16 Rejoice always,
17 pray constantly,
18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
19 Do not quench the Spirit,
20 do not despise prophesying,
21 but test everything; hold fast what is good,
22 abstain from every form of evil.
23 May the God of peace himself sanctify you wholly; and may your spirit and soul and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
24 He who calls you is faithful, and he will do it.
25 Brethren, pray for us.
26 Greet all the brethren with a holy kiss.
27 I adjure you by the Lord that this letter be read to all the brethren.
28 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
THE SECOND BOOK OF THESSALONIANS
2 Thessalonians Chapter 1
1 Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:
2 Grace to you and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
3 We are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren, as is fitting, because your faith is growing abundantly, and the love of every one of you for one another is increasing.
4 Therefore we ourselves boast of you in the churches of God for your steadfastness and faith in all your persecutions and in the afflictions which you are enduring.
5 This is evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be made worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are suffering—
6 since indeed God deems it just to repay with affliction those who afflict you,
7 and to grant rest with us to you who are afflicted, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels
8 in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance upon those who do not know God and upon those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.
9 They shall suffer the punishment of eternal destruction and exclusion from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might,
10 when he comes on that day to be glorified in his saints, and to be marveled at among all who have believed, because our testimony to you was believed.
11 To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his call, and may fulfill every good resolve and work of faith by his power,
12 so that 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.
2 Thessalonians Chapter 2
1 Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our assembling to meet him, we beg you, brethren,
2 not to be quickly shaken in mind or excited, either by spirit or by word, or by letter purporting to be from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come.
3 Let no one deceive you in any way; for that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of perdition,
4 who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God.
5 Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you this?
6 And you know what is restraining him now so that he may be revealed in his time.
7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only he who now restrains it will do so until he is out of the way.
8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, and the Lord Jesus will slay him with the breath of his mouth and destroy him by his appearing and his coming.
9 The coming of the lawless one by the activity of Satan will be with all power and with pretended signs and wonders,
10 and with all wicked deception for those who are to perish, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.
11 Therefore God sends upon them a strong delusion, to make them believe what is false,
12 so that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
13 But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God chose you from the beginning to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth.
14 To this he called you through our gospel, so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
15 So then, brethren, stand firm and hold to the traditions which you were taught by us, either by word of mouth or by letter.
16 Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace,
17 comfort your hearts and establish them in every good work and word.
2 Thessalonians Chapter 3
1 Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may speed on and triumph, as it did among you,
2 and that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men; for not all have faith.
3 But the Lord is faithful; he will strengthen you and guard you from evil.
4 And we have confidence in the Lord about you, that you are doing and will do the things which we command.
5 May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ.
6 Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from any brother who is living in idleness and not in accord with the tradition that you received from us.
7 For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us; we were not idle when we were with you,
8 we did not eat any one’s bread without paying, but with toil and labor we worked night and day, that we might not burden any of you.
9 It was not because we have not that right, but to give you in our conduct an example to imitate.
10 For even when we were with you, we gave you this command: If any one will not work, let him not eat.
11 For we hear that some of you are living in idleness, mere busybodies, not doing any work.
12 Now such persons we command and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work in quietness and to earn their own living.
13 Brethren, do not be weary in doing good.
14 If any one refuses to obey what we say in this letter, note that man, and have nothing to do with him, that he may be ashamed.
15 Do not look on him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother.
16 Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in all ways. The Lord be with you all.
17 I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. This is the mark in every letter of mine; it is the way I write.
18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.
THE BOOK OF FIRST TIMOTHY
1 Timothy Chapter 1
1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by command of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus our hope,
2 To Timothy, my true child in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
3 As I urged you when I was going to Macedonia, remain at Ephesus that you may charge certain persons not to teach any different doctrine,
4 nor to occupy themselves with myths and endless genealogies which promote speculations rather than the divine training that is in faith;
5 whereas the aim of such instruction is love that issues from a pure heart, a good conscience, and sincere faith.
6 Some persons, by swerving aside from these, have wandered away into vain discussion,
7 desiring to be teachers of the law, without understanding either what they are saying or the things about which they make assertions.
8 Now we know that the law is good, if any one uses it lawfully,
9 understanding this, that the law is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers,
10 the immoral, sodomites, kidnapers, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine,
11 in accordance with the glorious gospel of the blessed God with which I have been entrusted.
12 I thank him who has given me strength for this, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful by appointing me to his service,
13 though I formerly blasphemed and persecuted and insulted him; but I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief,
14 and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.
15 The saying is sure and worthy of acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. And I am the foremost of sinners;
16 but I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience for an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life.
17 To the King of ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.
18 This charge I commit to you, Timothy, my child, in accordance with the prophecies made about you, that by them you may wage the good warfare,
19 holding faith and a good conscience. By rejecting conscience, certain persons have made shipwreck of their faith,
20 among them Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have delivered to Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme.
1 Timothy Chapter 2
1 First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all men,
2 for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life, godly and respectful in every way.
3 This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior,
4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
5 For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,
6 who gave himself as a ransom for all, the testimony to which was borne at the proper time.
7 For this I was appointed a preacher and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying), a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.
8 I desire then that in every place the men should pray, lifting holy hands without anger or quarreling;
9 also that women should adorn themselves modestly and sensibly in decent behavior, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or costly attire,
10 but by good deeds, as befits women who profess religion.
11 Let a woman learn in silence with all submissiveness.
12 I permit no woman to teach or to have authority over men; she is to keep silent.
13 For Adam was formed first, then Eve;
14 and Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor.
15 Yet woman will be saved through bearing children, if she continues in faith and love and holiness, with modesty.
1 Timothy Chapter 3
1 The saying is sure: If any one aspires to the office of bishop, he desires a noble task.
2 Now a bishop must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, sensible, dignified, hospitable, an apt teacher,
3 no drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, and no lover of money.
4 He must manage his own household well, keeping his children submissive and respectful in every way;
5 for if a man does not know how to manage his own household, how can he care for God’s church?
6 He must not be a recent convert, or he may be puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil.
7 Moreover he must be well thought of by outsiders, or he may fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.
8 Deacons likewise must be men of good standing, filled with the Spirit and with wisdom, men of honest report, not double-tongued,
9 and not given to much wine, not greedy for gain,
10 and they must hold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience.
11 And let them also be tested first; then if they prove themselves blameless, let them serve as deacons.
12 Deacons must be the husbands of one wife, and must manage their children and their households well.
13 For those who serve well as deacons gain a good standing for themselves and also great confidence in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.
14 I hope to come to you soon, but I am writing these instructions to you so that,
15 if I delay, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and bulwark of the truth.
16 Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of our religion: He was manifested in the flesh, vindicated in the Spirit, seen by angels, preached among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory.
1 Timothy Chapter 4
1 Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by giving heed to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons,
2 through the pretensions of liars whose consciences are seared,
3 who forbid marriage and enjoin abstinence from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.
4 For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving;
5 for then it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer.
6 If you put these instructions before the brethren, you will be a good minister of Christ Jesus, nourished on the words of the faith and of the good doctrine which you have followed.
7 Have nothing to do with godless and silly myths. Train yourself in godliness;
8 for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.
9 The saying is sure and worthy of acceptance.
10 For to this end we toil and strive, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of those who believe.
11 Command and teach these things.
12 Let no one despise your youth, but set the believers an example in speech and conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.
13 Till I come, attend to the public reading of scripture, to preaching, to teaching.
14 Do not neglect the gift you have, which was given you by prophetic utterance when the council of elders laid their hands upon you.
15 Practice these duties, devote yourself to them, so that all may see your progress.
16 Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers.
1 Timothy Chapter 5
1 Do not rebuke an older man but exhort him as you would a father; treat younger men like brothers,
2 older women like mothers, younger women like sisters, in all purity.
3 Honor widows who are real widows.
4 If a widow has children or grandchildren, let them first learn their religious duty to their own family and make some return to their parents; for this is acceptable in the sight of God.
5 She who is a real widow, and is left all alone, has set her hope on God and continues in supplications and prayers night and day;
6 whereas she who is self-indulgent is dead even while she lives.
7 Command this, so that they may be above reproach.
8 If any one does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his own family, he has disowned the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
9 Let a widow be enrolled if she is not less than sixty years of age, having been the wife of one husband,
10 and well attested for her good deeds, as one who has brought up children, shown hospitality, washed the feet of the saints, relieved the afflicted, and devoted herself to all kinds of good deeds.
11 But refuse to enrol younger widows; for when they grow wanton against Christ they desire to marry,
12 and so they incur condemnation for having violated their first pledge.
13 Besides that, they learn to be idlers, going about from house to house, and not only idlers but gossips and busybodies, saying what they should not.
14 So I would have younger widows marry, bear children, rule their households, and give the enemy no occasion to revile us.
15 For some have already turned away from the faith. Follow the pattern of the sound words which you have heard from me, in the faith and love which are in Christ Jesus;
16 and keep the good deposit entrusted to you, guarding it with the help of the Holy Spirit which dwells in us.
17 Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching;
18 for the scripture says, “You shall not muzzle an ox when it is treading out the grain,” and, “The laborer deserves his wages.”
19 Never admit any charge against an elder except on the evidence of two or three witnesses.
20 As for those who persist in sin, rebuke them in the presence of all, so that the rest may stand in fear.
21 In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of the elect angels I charge you to keep these rules without prejudging, doing nothing from partiality.
22 Do not be hasty in the laying on of hands, nor participate in another man’s sins; keep yourself pure.
23 No longer drink only water, but use a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments.
24 The sins of some men are conspicuous, pointing to judgment, but the sins of others appear later.
25 So also good deeds are conspicuous; and even when they are not, they cannot remain hidden.
1 Timothy Chapter 6
1 Let all who are under the yoke of slavery regard their masters as worthy of all honor, so that the name of God and the teaching may not be defamed.
2 Those who have believing masters must not be disobedient to them on the ground that they are brethren; rather they must serve all the better since those who benefit by their service are believers and beloved. Teach and urge these duties.
3 If any one teaches otherwise and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching which accords with godliness,
4 he is puffed up with conceit, he knows nothing; he has a morbid craving for controversy and disputes about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, base suspicions,
5 and wrangling among men who are depraved in mind and bereft of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain.
6 There is great gain in godliness with contentment;
7 for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world;
8 but if we have food and clothing, with these we shall be content.
9 But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and hurtful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction.
10 For the love of money is the root of all evils; it is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and have pierced their hearts with many pangs.
11 But as for you, man of God, shun all this; aim at righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness.
12 Fight the good fight of the faith; take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.
13 In the presence of God who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus who in his testimony before Pontius Pilate made the good confession,
14 I charge you to keep the commandment unstained and free from reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ;
15 which he will display at the proper time—the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords,
16 who alone has immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no human being has ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen.
17 As for the rich in this world, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on uncertain riches but on God who richly furnishes us with everything to enjoy.
18 They are to do good, to be rich in good deeds, liberal and generous,
19 thus laying up for themselves a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of the life which is life indeed.
20 O Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to you. Avoid the godless chatter and contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge,
21 for by professing it some have missed the mark as regards the faith. Grace be with you.
THE BOOK OF SECOND TIMOTHY 2 Timothy Chapter 11 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God according to the promise of the life which is in Christ Jesus,2 To Timothy, my beloved child: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.3 I thank God whom I serve with a clear conscience, as did my fathers, when I remember you constantly in my prayers.4 As I remember your tears, I long night and day to see you, that I may be filled with joy.5 I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you.6 Hence I remind you to rekindle the gift of God that is within you through the laying on of my hands;7 for God did not give us a spirit of timidity but a spirit of power and love and self-control.8 Do not be ashamed then of testifying to our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but take your share of suffering for the gospel in the power of God,9 who saved us and called us with a holy calling, not in virtue of our works but in virtue of his own purpose and the grace which he gave us in Christ Jesus ages ago,10 and now has manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.11 For this gospel I was appointed a preacher and apostle and teacher,12 and for this reason I suffer as I do; but I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am sure that he is able to guard until that Day what has been entrusted to me.13 Follow the pattern of the sound words which you have heard from me, in the faith and love which are in Christ Jesus;14 guard the truth that has been entrusted to you by the Holy Spirit who dwells within us.15 You are aware that all who are in Asia turned away from me, and among them Phygelus and Hermogenes.16 May the Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me; he was not ashamed of my chains,17 but when he arrived in Rome he searched for me eagerly and found me—18 may the Lord grant him to find mercy from the Lord on that Day—and you well know all the service he rendered at Ephesus.2 Timothy Chapter 21 You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus,2 and what you have heard from me before many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.3 Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus.4 No soldier on service gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to satisfy the one who enlisted him.5 An athlete is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules.6 It is the hard-working farmer who ought to have the first share of the crops.7 Think over what I say, for the Lord will grant you understanding in everything.8 Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, descended from David, as preached in my gospel,9 the gospel for which I am suffering and wearing fetters like a criminal. But the word of God is not fettered.10 Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain salvation in Christ Jesus with its eternal glory.11 This saying is sure: If we have died with him, we shall also live with him;12 if we endure, we shall also reign with him; if we deny him, he also will deny us;13 if we are faithless, he remains faithful—for he cannot deny himself.14 Remind them of this, and charge them before the Lord to avoid disputing about words, which does no good, but only ruins the hearers.15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.16 Avoid such godless chatter, for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness,17 and their talk will eat its way like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus,18 who have swerved from the truth by holding that the resurrection is past already, and they upset the faith of some.19 But God’s firm foundation stands, bearing this seal: “The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Let every one who names the name of the Lord depart from iniquity.”20 In a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver but also of wood and earthenware, and some for noble use, some for ignoble.21 If any one purifies himself from what is ignoble, then he will be a vessel for noble use, consecrated and useful to the master of the house, ready for any good work.22 So shun youthful passions and aim at righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call upon the Lord from a pure heart.23 Have nothing to do with stupid, senseless controversies; you know that they breed quarrels.24 And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kindly to every one, an apt teacher, forbearing,25 correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant that they will repent and come to know the truth,26 and they may escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.2 Timothy Chapter 31 But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of stress.2 For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy,3 inhuman, implacable, slanderers, profligates, fierce, haters of good,4 treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,5 holding the form of religion but denying the power of it. Avoid such people.6 For among them are those who make their way into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and swayed by various impulses,7 who will listen to anybody and can never arrive at a knowledge of the truth.8 As Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men of corrupt mind and counterfeit faith;9 but they will not get very far, for their folly will be plain to all, as was that of those two men.10 You have observed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness,11 my persecutions, my sufferings, what befell me at Antioch, at Iconium, and at Lystra, what persecutions I endured; yet from them all the Lord rescued me.12 Indeed all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,13 while evil men and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceivers and deceived.14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it15 and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings which are able to instruct you for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.16 All scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work
.2 Timothy Chapter 4
1 I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom:2 preach the word, be urgent in season and out of season, convince, rebuke, and exhort, be unfailing in patience and in teaching.3 For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own likings,4 and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander into myths.5 As for you, always be steady, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.6 For I am already on the point of being sacrificed; the time of my departure has come.7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith.8 Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.9 Do your best to come to me soon.10 For Demas, in love with this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica; Crescens has gone to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia.11 Luke alone is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you; for he is very useful in serving me.12 Tychicus I have sent to Ephesus.13 When you come, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas, also the books, and above all the parchments.14 Alexander the coppersmith did me great harm; the Lord will requite him for his deeds.15 Beware of him yourself, for he strongly opposed our message.16 At my first defense no one took my part; all deserted me. May it not be charged against them!17 But the Lord stood by me and gave me strength to proclaim the message fully, that all the Gentiles might hear it. So I was rescued from the lion’s mouth.18 The Lord will rescue me from every evil and save me for his heavenly kingdom. To him be the glory for ever and ever. Amen.19 Greet Prisca and Aquila, and the household of Onesiphorus.20 Erastus remained at Corinth; Trophimus I left ill at Miletus.21 Do your best to come before winter. Eubulus sends greetings to you, as do Pudens and Linus and Claudia and all the brethren.22 The Lord be with your spirit. Grace be with you.