2 Timothy 1
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- Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, according to the
promise of life that is in Christ Jesus,
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- To Timothy, my dear son: Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and
Christ Jesus our Lord.
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- I thank God, whom I serve, as my forefathers did, with a clear conscience,
as night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers.
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- Recalling your tears, I long to see you, so that I may be filled with joy.
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- I have been reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your
grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in
you also.
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- 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.
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- For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of
love and of self-discipline.
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- So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, or ashamed of me his
prisoner. But join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God,
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- who has saved us and called us to a holy life--not because of anything we
have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us
in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time,
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- but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ
Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light
through the gospel.
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- And of this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher.
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- That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet I am not ashamed, because I know
whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have
entrusted to him for that day.
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- What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith
and love in Christ Jesus.
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- Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you--guard it with the help
of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.
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- You know that everyone in the province of Asia has deserted me, including
Phygelus and Hermogenes.
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- May the Lord show mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, because he often
refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains.
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- On the contrary, when he was in Rome, he searched hard for me until he
found me.
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- May the Lord grant that he will find mercy from the Lord on that day! You
know very well in how many ways he helped me in Ephesus.
2 Timothy 2
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- You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.
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- And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses
entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others.
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- Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus.
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- No one serving as a soldier gets involved in civilian affairs--he wants to
please his commanding officer.
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- Similarly, if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not receive the
victor's crown unless he competes according to the rules.
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- The hardworking farmer should be the first to receive a share of the
crops.
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- Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all
this.
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- Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, descended from David. This is
my gospel,
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- for which I am suffering even to the point of being chained like a
criminal. But God's word is not chained.
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- Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they too may
obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory.
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- Here is a trustworthy saying: If we died with him, we will also live with
him;
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- if we endure, we will also reign with him. If we disown him, he will also
disown us;
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- if we are faithless, he will remain faithful, for he cannot disown
himself.
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- Keep reminding them of these things. Warn them before God against
quarreling about words; it is of no value, and only ruins those who listen.
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- Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who
does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.
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- Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more
and more ungodly.
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- Their teaching will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and
Philetus,
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- who have wandered away from the truth. They say that the resurrection has
already taken place, and they destroy the faith of some.
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- Nevertheless, God's solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this
inscription: "The Lord knows those who are his," and,
"Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from
wickedness."
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- In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also
of wood and clay; some are for noble purposes and some for ignoble.
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- If a man cleanses himself from the latter, he will be an instrument for
noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good
work.
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- Flee the evil desires of youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and
peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.
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- Don't have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you
know they produce quarrels.
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- And the Lord's servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to
everyone, able to teach, not resentful.
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- Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will
grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth,
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- and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the
devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.
2 Timothy 3
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- But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days.
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- People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud,
abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy,
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- without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not
lovers of the good,
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- treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of
God--
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- having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with
them.
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- They are the kind who worm their way into homes and gain control over
weak-willed women, who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds
of evil desires,
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- always learning but never able to acknowledge the truth.
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- Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so also these men oppose the
truth--men of depraved minds, who, as far as the faith is concerned, are
rejected.
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- But they will not get very far because, as in the case of those men, their
folly will be clear to everyone.
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- You, however, know all about my teaching, my way of life, my purpose,
faith, patience, love, endurance,
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- persecutions, sufferings--what kinds of things happened to me in Antioch,
Iconium and Lystra, the persecutions I endured. Yet the Lord rescued me from
all of them.
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- In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be
persecuted,
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- while evil men and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and
being deceived.
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- But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become
convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it,
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- and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to
make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.
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- All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking,
correcting and training in righteousness,
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- so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
2 Timothy 4
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- In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and
the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this
charge:
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- Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke
and encourage--with great patience and careful instruction.
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- For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine.
Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great
number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.
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- They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.
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- But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of
an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.
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- For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has
come for my departure.
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- I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the
faith.
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- Now there is in store 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 longed for his appearing.
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- Do your best to come to me quickly,
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- for Demas, because he loved this world, has deserted me and has gone to
Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, and Titus to Dalmatia.
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- Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is
helpful to me in my ministry.
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- I sent Tychicus to Ephesus.
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- When you come, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas, and my
scrolls, especially the parchments.
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- Alexander the metalworker did me a great deal of harm. The Lord will repay
him for what he has done.
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- You too should be on your guard against him, because he strongly opposed
our message.
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- At my first defense, no one came to my support, but everyone deserted me.
May it not be held against them.
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- But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength, so that through me the
message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. And I
was delivered from the lion's mouth.
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- The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to
his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
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- Greet Priscilla and Aquila and the household of Onesiphorus.
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- Erastus stayed in Corinth, and I left Trophimus sick in Miletus.
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- Do your best to get here before winter. Eubulus greets you, and so do
Pudens, Linus, Claudia and all the brothers.
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- The Lord be with your spirit. Grace be with you.