Paul’s 2nd Epistle to Timothy

Chapter One ¶ PAUL, an apostle of ⟨Jesus⟩ ⟨Christ⟩ by the will of ⟨God⟩, according to the promise of life which is in ⟨Christ⟩ ⟨Jesus⟩. To Timothy, my dearly beloved son: Grace, mercy, and peace, from ⟨God⟩ the Father and ⟨Christ⟩ ⟨Jesus⟩ our ⟨Lord⟩. I thank ⟨God⟩, whom I serve from my fore­fath­ers with pure con­science, that with­out ceas­ing I have re­mem­brance of thee in my prayers, night and day; Greatly desiring to see thee, being mind­ful of thy tears, that I may be filled with joy; When I call to re­mem­brance the un­feigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grand­mother Lo′-‍is, and thy mother Eu-‍ni′-‍ce; and I am per­suad­ed that in thee also. Wherefore I put thee in re­mem­brance that thou stir up the gift of ⟨God⟩, which is in thee by the put­ting on of my hands. For •⟨God⟩ hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.• Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testi­mony of our ⟨Lord⟩, nor of me his pris­on­er: but be thou par­taker of the af­flic­tions of the gos­pel ac­cord­ing to the pow­er of ⟨God⟩; Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not ac­cord­ing to our works, but ac­cord­ing to his own pur­pose and grace, which was given us in ⟨Christ⟩ ⟨Jesus⟩ before the world began. But is now made manifest by the ap­pear­ing of our Saviour ⟨Jesus⟩ ⟨Christ⟩, who hath abol­ished death, and hath brought life and im­mor­tal­ity to light through the gospel: Whereunto I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles. For the which cause I also suffer these things: never­the­less I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have be­lieved, and am per­suad­ed that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day. Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in ⟨Christ⟩ ⟨Jesus⟩. That good thing which was com­mit­ed unto thee keep by the Holy ⟨Ghost⟩ which dwell­eth in us. This thou knowest, that all they which are in Asia be turned away from me; of whom are Phy-‍gel′-‍lus and Her-‍mog′-‍e-‍nes. The ⟨Lord⟩ give mercy unto the house of On-‍e-‍siph′-‍o-‍rus; for he oft re­freshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain: But, when he was in Rome, he sought me out very dil­i­gent­ly, and found me. The ⟨Lord⟩ grant unto him that he may find mercy of the ⟨Lord⟩ in that day: and in how many things he min­is­tered unto me at Eph′-‍e-‍sus, thou know­est very well. Chapter Two ¶THOU therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in ⟨Christ⟩ ⟨Jesus⟩. And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faith­ful men, who shall be able to teach others also. Thou therefore endure hard­ness, as a good sol­dier of ⟨Jesus⟩ ⟨Christ⟩. No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier. And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully. The husbandman that laboureth must be first par­taker of the fruits. Consider what I say; and the ⟨Lord⟩ give thee under­stand­ing in all things. Remember that ⟨Jesus⟩ ⟨Christ⟩ of the seed of David was raised from the dead ac­cord­ing to my gospel: Wherein I suffer trouble, as an evil doer, even unto bonds; but the word of ⟨God⟩ is not bound. Therefore I endure all things for the elect’s sakes, that they may also obtain the sal­va­tion which is in ⟨Christ⟩ ⟨Jesus⟩ with eternal glory. It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him: If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us: If we believe not, yet he abid­eth faith­ful: he cannot deny himself. Of these things put them in re­mem­brance, charg­ing them before the ⟨Lord⟩ that they strive not about words to no profit, but to the sub­vert­ing of the hearers. Study to shew thyself approved unto ⟨God⟩, a work­man that need­eth not to be ashamed, right­ly divid­ing the word of truth. But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness. And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hy-‍me-‍næ′-‍us and Phi-‍le′-‍tus; Who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the re­sur­rec­tion is past already; and over­throw the faith of some. Nevertheless the foundation of ⟨God⟩ stand­eth sure, hav­ing this seal, The ⟨Lord⟩ know­eth them that are his. And, Let every one that nam­eth the name of ⟨Christ⟩ de­part from iniquity. But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour. If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto hon­our, sanc­ti­fied, and meet for the mas­ter’s use, and pre­pared unto every good work. Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righ­teous­ness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the ⟨Lord⟩ out of a pure heart.

But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes. And the servant of the ⟨Lord⟩ must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, In meek­ness instructing those that oppose them­selves; if ⟨God⟩ per­ad­ven­ture will give them re­pent­ance to the ac­knowl­edg­ing of the truth; And that they may recover them­selves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken cap­tive by him at his will. Chapter Three ¶THIS know also, that in the last days per­i­lous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covet­ous, boast­ers, proud, blas­phem­ers, dis­o­be­dient to par­ents, un­thankful, unholy, Without natural affection, truce­breakers, false accusers, in­con­ti­nent, fierce, de­spisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, high­mind­ed, lovers of pleas­ures more than lovers of ⟨God⟩; Having a form of god­li­ness, but de­ny­ing the power there­of: from such turn away. For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead cap­tive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowl­edge of the truth. Now as Jan′-nes and Jam′-bres with­stood Moses, so do these also re­sist the truth: men of cor­rupt minds, rep­ro­bate concerning the faith. But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as their’s also was. But thou hast fully known my doc­trine, man­ner of life, pur­pose, faith, long­suf­fer­ing, charity, patience, Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at An′-‍ti-‍och, at I-‍co′-‍ni-‍um, at Lys′-‍tra; what per­se­cu­tions I en­dured: but out of them all the ⟨Lord⟩ delivered me. Yea, and all that will live godly in ⟨Christ⟩ ⟨Jesus⟩ shall suffer persecution. But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been as­sured of, know­ing of whom thou hast learned them; And that from a child thou hast known the holy scrip­tures, which are able t o make thee wise unto sal­va­tion through faith which is in ⟨Christ⟩ ⟨Jesus⟩. All scripture is given by in­spi­ra­tion of ⟨God⟩, and is prof­it­able for doc­trine, for re­proof, for cor­rec­tion, for in­struc­tion in righteousness: That the man of ⟨God⟩ may be per­fect, throughly fur­nished un­to all good works. Chapter Four ¶ I CHARGE thee therefore before ⟨God⟩, and the ⟨Lord⟩ ⟨Jesus⟩ ⟨Christ⟩, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long­suf­fer­ing and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to them­selves tea­chers, hav­ing itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. But watch thou in all things, en­dure af­flic­tions, do the work of an evan­ge­list, make full proof of thy ministry. For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my de­par­ture is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have fin­ished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righ­teous­ness, which the ⟨Lord⟩, the righ­teous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing. Do thy dil­i­gence to come shortly unto me: For De′-mas hath for­sak­en me, hav­ing loved this pres­ent world, and is de­part­ed unto Thes-sa-lo-ni′-ca; Cres′-cens to Ga-la′-ti-a, Titus unto Dal-ma′-ti-a. Only Luke is with me. Take Mark, and bring him with thee: for he is prof­it­able to me for the ministry. And Tych′-i-cus have I sent to Eph′-e-sus. The cloke that I left at Tro′-as with Carpus, when thou com­est, bring with thee, and the books, but es­pe­cially the parchments. Alexander the copper­smith did me much evil: the ⟨Lord⟩ re­ward him ac­cord­ing to his works: Of whom be thou ware also; for he hath great­ly with­stood our words. At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men for­sook me: I pray ⟨God⟩ that it may not be laid to their charge. Notwithstanding the ⟨Lord⟩ stood with me, and streng­thened me; that by me the preach­ing might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was de­liv­ered out of the mouth of the lion. And the ⟨Lord⟩ shall de­liv­er me from every evil work, and will pre­serve me unto his heavenly king­dom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. A-men′. Salute Pris′-ca and Aq′-ui-la, and the house­hold of On-e-siph′-o-rus. E-ras′-tus abode at Corinth: but Troph′-i-mus have I left at Mi-le′-tum sick. Do thy diligence to come before winter. Eu-bu′-lus greet­eth thee, and Pu′-dens, and Li′-nus and Claudia, and all the brethren. The ⟨Lord⟩ ⟨Jesus⟩ ⟨Christ⟩ be with thy spirit. Grace be with you. A-men′.

“Line upon line, precept upon precept”…
for knowledge shall cease and wisdom fail,
but understanding remains (if gained from the former).