2 Timothy 4 - Hebrews 2

New King James Version

Preach the Word

4 I ^(A)charge you ^[a]therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, ^(B)who will judge the living and the dead ^[b]at His appearing and His kingdom: ² Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. ^(C)Convince, ^(D)rebuke, ^(E)exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. ^3 (F)For the time will come when they will not endure ^(G)sound doctrine, ^(H)but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; ⁴ and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and ^(I)be turned aside to fables. ⁵ But you be watchful in all things, ^(J)endure afflictions, do the work of ^(K)an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

Paul’s Valedictory

⁶ For ^(L)I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of ^(M)my departure is at hand. ^7 (N)I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. ⁸ Finally, there is laid up for me ^(O)the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous ^(P)Judge, will give to me ^(Q)on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.

The Abandoned Apostle

⁹ Be diligent to come to me quickly; ¹⁰ for ^(R)Demas has forsaken me, ^(S)having loved this present world, and has departed for Thessalonica—Crescens for Galatia, Titus for Dalmatia. ¹¹ Only Luke is with me. Get ^(T)Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for ministry. ¹² And ^(U)Tychicus I have sent to Ephesus. ¹³ Bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas when you come—and the books, especially the parchments.

^14 (V)Alexander the coppersmith did me much harm. May the Lord repay him according to his works. ¹⁵ You also must beware of him, for he has greatly resisted our words.

¹⁶ At my first defense no one stood with me, but all forsook me. ^(W)May it not be charged against them.

The Lord Is Faithful

^17 (X)But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me, ^(Y)so that the message might be preached fully through me, and that all the Gentiles might hear. Also I was delivered ^(Z)out of the mouth of the lion. ^18 (AA)And the Lord will deliver me from every evil work and preserve me for His heavenly kingdom. ^(AB)To Him be glory forever and ever. Amen!

Come Before Winter

¹⁹ Greet ^(AC)Prisca and Aquila, and the household of ^(AD)Onesiphorus. ^20 (AE)Erastus stayed in Corinth, but ^(AF)Trophimus I have left in Miletus sick.

²¹ Do your utmost to come before winter.

Eubulus greets you, as well as Pudens, Linus, Claudia, and all the brethren.

Farewell

²² The Lord ^[c]Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Grace be with you. Amen.

Greeting

1 Paul, a bondservant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God’s elect and ^(AG)the acknowledgment of the truth ^(AH)which accords with godliness, ² in hope of eternal life which God, who ^(AI)cannot lie, promised before time began, ³ but has in due time manifested His word through preaching, which was committed to me according to the commandment of God our Savior;

⁴ To ^(AJ)Titus, a true son in our common faith:

Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and ^[d]the Lord Jesus Christ our Savior.

Qualified Elders

⁵ For this reason I left you in Crete, that you should ^(AK)set in order the things that are lacking, and appoint elders in every city as I commanded you— ⁶ if a man is blameless, the husband of one wife, ^(AL)having faithful children not accused of ^[e]dissipation or insubordination. ⁷ For a ^[f]bishop must be blameless, as a steward of God, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, ^(AM)not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, ⁸ but hospitable, a lover of what is good, sober-minded, just, holy, self-controlled, ⁹ holding fast the faithful word as he has been taught, that he may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and convict those who contradict.

The Elders’ Task

¹⁰ For there are many insubordinate, both idle ^(AN)talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision, ¹¹ whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole households, teaching things which they ought not, ^(AO)for the sake of dishonest gain. ^12 (AP)One of them, a prophet of their own, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.” ¹³ This testimony is true. ^(AQ)Therefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith, ¹⁴ not giving heed to Jewish fables and ^(AR)commandments of men who turn from the truth. ^15 (AS)To the pure all things are pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure; but even their mind and conscience are defiled. ¹⁶ They profess to ^(AT)know God, but ^(AU)in works they deny Him, being ^[g]abominable, disobedient, ^(AV)and disqualified for every good work.

Qualities of a Sound Church

2 But as for you, speak the things which are proper for sound doctrine: ² that the older men be sober, reverent, temperate, sound in faith, in love, in patience; ³ the older women likewise, that they be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things— ⁴ that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, ⁵ to be discreet, chaste, ^(AW)homemakers, good, ^(AX)obedient to their own husbands, ^(AY)that the word of God may not be blasphemed.

⁶ Likewise, exhort the young men to be sober-minded, ⁷ in all things showing yourself to be ^(AZ)a pattern of good works; in doctrine showing integrity, reverence, ^(BA)incorruptibility,^{[h] 8} sound speech that cannot be condemned, that one who is an opponent may be ashamed, having nothing evil to say of ^[i]you.

⁹ Exhort ^(BB)bondservants to be obedient to their own masters, to be well pleasing in all things, not answering back, ¹⁰ not ^[j]pilfering, but showing all good ^[k]fidelity, that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in all things.

Trained by Saving Grace

¹¹ For ^(BC)the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, ¹² teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, ^13 (BD)looking for the blessed ^(BE)hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, ^14 (BF)who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed ^(BG)and purify for Himself ^(BH)His own special people, zealous for good works.

¹⁵ Speak these things, ^(BI)exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no one despise you.

Graces of the Heirs of Grace

3 Remind them ^(BJ)to be subject to rulers and authorities, to obey, ^(BK)to be ready for every good work, ² to speak evil of no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing all humility to all men. ³ For ^(BL)we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another. ⁴ But when ^(BM)the kindness and the love of ^(BN)God our Savior toward man appeared, ^5 (BO)not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through ^(BP)the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, ^6 (BQ)whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, ⁷ that having been justified by His grace ^(BR)we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

^8 (BS)This is a faithful saying, and these things I want you to affirm constantly, that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable to men.

Avoid Dissension

⁹ But ^(BT)avoid foolish disputes, genealogies, contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and useless. ^10 (BU)Reject a divisive man after the first and second ^[l]admonition, ¹¹ knowing that such a person is warped and sinning, being self-condemned.

Final Messages

¹² When I send Artemas to you, or ^(BV)Tychicus, be diligent to come to me at Nicopolis, for I have decided to spend the winter there. ¹³ Send Zenas the lawyer and ^(BW)Apollos on their journey with haste, that they may lack nothing. ¹⁴ And let our people also learn to maintain good works, to meet urgent needs, that they may not be unfruitful.

Farewell

¹⁵ All who are with me greet you. Greet those who love us in the faith.

Grace be with you all. Amen.

Greeting

¹ Paul, a ^(BX)prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother,

To Philemon our beloved friend and fellow laborer, ² to ^[m]the beloved Apphia, ^(BY)Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church in your house:

³ Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Philemon’s Love and Faith

^4 (BZ)I thank my God, making mention of you always in my prayers, ^5 (CA)hearing of your love and faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus and toward all the saints, ⁶ that the sharing of your faith may become effective ^(CB)by the acknowledgment of ^(CC)every good thing which is in ^[n]you in Christ Jesus. ⁷ For we ^[o]have great ^[p]joy and ^[q]consolation in your love, because the ^[r]hearts of the saints have been refreshed by you, brother.

The Plea for Onesimus

⁸ Therefore, though I might be very bold in Christ to command you what is fitting, ⁹ yet for love’s sake I rather appeal to you—being such a one as Paul, the aged, and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ— ¹⁰ I appeal to you for my son ^(CD)Onesimus, whom I have begotten while in my chains, ¹¹ who once was unprofitable to you, but now is profitable to you and to me.

¹² I am sending him ^[s]back. You therefore receive him, that is, my own ^[t]heart, ¹³ whom I wished to keep with me, that on your behalf he might minister to me in my chains for the gospel. ¹⁴ But without your consent I wanted to do nothing, ^(CE)that your good deed might not be by compulsion, as it were, but voluntary.

¹⁵ For perhaps he departed for a while for this purpose, that you might receive him forever, ¹⁶ no longer as a slave but more than a slave—a beloved brother, especially to me but how much more to you, both in the ^(CF)flesh and in the Lord.

Philemon’s Obedience Encouraged

¹⁷ If then you count me as a partner, receive him as you would me. ¹⁸ But if he has wronged you or owes anything, put that on my account. ¹⁹ I, Paul, am writing with my own ^(CG)hand. I will repay—not to mention to you that you owe me even your own self besides. ²⁰ Yes, brother, let me have joy from you in the Lord; refresh my heart in the Lord.

^21 (CH)Having confidence in your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I say. ²² But, meanwhile, also prepare a guest room for me, for ^(CI)I trust that ^(CJ)through your prayers I shall be granted to you.

Farewell

^23 (CK)Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, greets you, ²⁴ as do ^(CL)Mark, ^(CM)Aristarchus, ^(CN)Demas, ^(CO)Luke, my fellow laborers.

^25 (CP)The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.

God’s Supreme Revelation^(CQ)

1 God, who ^[u]at various times and ^(CR)in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, ² has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the ^[v]worlds; ^3 (CS)who being the brightness of His glory and the express ^(CT)image of His person, and ^(CU)upholding all things by the word of His power, ^(CV)when He had ^[w]by Himself ^[x]purged ^[y]our sins, ^(CW)sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, ⁴ having become so much better than the angels, as ^(CX)He has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.

The Son Exalted Above Angels

⁵ For to which of the angels did He ever say:

And again:

⁶ But when He again brings ^(DA)the firstborn into the world, He says:

⁷ And of the angels He says:

⁸ But to the Son He says:

¹⁰ And:

¹³ But to which of the angels has He ever said:

^14 (DK)Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will ^(DL)inherit salvation?

Do Not Neglect Salvation

2 Therefore we must give ^[aa]the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away. ² For if the word ^(DM)spoken through angels proved steadfast, and ^(DN)every transgression and disobedience received a just ^[ab]reward, ^3 (DO)how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, ^(DP)which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was ^(DQ)confirmed to us by those who heard Him, ^4 (DR)God also bearing witness ^(DS)both with signs and wonders, with various miracles, and ^(DT)gifts^[ac] of the Holy Spirit, ^(DU)according to His own will?

The Son Made Lower than Angels^(DV)

⁵ For He has not put ^(DW)the world to come, of which we speak, in subjection to angels. ⁶ But one testified in a certain place, saying:

For in that He put all in subjection under him, He left nothing that is not put under him. But now ^(DZ)we do not yet see all things put under him. ⁹ But we see Jesus, ^(EA)who was made ^[af]a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death ^(EB)crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death ^(EC)for everyone.

Bringing Many Sons to Glory

¹⁰ For it was fitting for Him, ^(ED)for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation ^(EE)perfect through sufferings. ¹¹ For ^(EF)both He who ^[ag]sanctifies and those who are being sanctified ^(EG)are all of one, for which reason ^(EH)He is not ashamed to call them brethren, ¹² saying:

¹³ And again:

And again:

¹⁴ Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He ^(EL)Himself likewise shared in the same, ^(EM)that through death He might destroy him who had the power of ^(EN)death, that is, the devil, ¹⁵ and release those who ^(EO)through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. ¹⁶ For indeed He does not ^[ah]give aid to angels, but He does ^[ai]give aid to the seed of Abraham. ¹⁷ Therefore, in all things He had ^(EP)to be made like His brethren, that He might be ^(EQ)a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. ^18 (ER)For in that He Himself has suffered, being ^[aj]tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted.