2 Timothy 2
GOD’S WORD Translation
Remain Focused on Jesus
2 My child, find your source of strength in the kindness [a] of Christ Jesus. 2 You’ve heard my message, and it’s been confirmed by many witnesses. Entrust this message to faithful individuals who will be competent to teach others.
3 Join me in suffering like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. 4 Whoever serves in the military doesn’t get mixed up in non-military activities. This pleases his commanding officer. 5 Whoever enters an athletic competition wins the prize only when playing by the rules. 6 A hard-working farmer should have the first share of the crops. 7 Understand what I’m saying. The Lord will help you understand all these things.
8 Always think about Jesus Christ. He was brought back to life and is a descendant of David. This is the Good News that I tell others. 9 I’m suffering disgrace for spreading this Good News. I have even been put into prison like a criminal. However, God’s word is not imprisoned. 10 For that reason, I endure everything for the sake of those who have been chosen so that they, too, may receive salvation from Christ Jesus with glory that lasts forever. 11 This is a statement that can be trusted:
If we have died with him, we will live with him.
12 If we endure, we will rule with him.
If we disown him, he will disown us.
13 If we are unfaithful, he remains faithful
because he cannot be untrue to himself.
14 Remind believers about these things, and warn them in the sight of God not to quarrel over words. Quarreling doesn’t do any good but only destroys those who are listening.
15 Do your best to present yourself to God as a tried-and-true worker who isn’t ashamed to teach the word of truth correctly. 16 Avoid pointless discussions. People who ⌞pay attention to these pointless discussions⌟ will become more ungodly, 17 and what they say will spread like cancer. Hymenaeus and Philetus are like that. 18 They have abandoned the truth. They are destroying the faith of others by saying that people who have died have already come back to life.
19 In spite of all that, God’s ⌞people⌟ have a solid foundation. These words are engraved on it: “The Lord knows those who belong to him,” and “Whoever worships the Lord must give up doing wrong.”
20 In a large house there are not only objects made of gold and silver, but also those made of wood and clay. Some objects are honored when they are used; others aren’t. 21 Those who stop associating with dishonorable people will be honored. They will be set apart for the master’s use, prepared to do good things.
22 Stay away from lusts which tempt young people. Pursue what has God’s approval. Pursue faith, love, and peace together with those who worship the Lord with a pure heart. 23 Don’t have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments. You know they cause quarrels. 24 A servant of the Lord must not quarrel. Instead, he must be kind to everyone. He must be a good teacher. He must be willing to suffer wrong. 25 He must be gentle in correcting those who oppose the Good News. Maybe God will allow them to change the way they think and act and lead them to know the truth. 26 Then they might come back to their senses and God will free them from the devil’s snare so that they can do his will.
Footnotes
- 2:1 Or “grace.”
2 Timothy 2
King James Version
2 Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.
2 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.
3 Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
4 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.
5 And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully.
6 The husbandman that laboureth must be first partaker of the fruits.
7 Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things.
8 Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my gospel:
9 Wherein I suffer trouble, as an evil doer, even unto bonds; but the word of God is not bound.
10 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.
11 It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him:
12 If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us:
13 If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself.
14 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.
15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
16 But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.
17 And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus;
18 Who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of some.
19 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.
20 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.
21 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.
22 Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.
23 But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes.
24 And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient,
25 In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;
26 And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.
2 Timothy 2
English Standard Version
A Good Soldier of Christ Jesus
2 You then, (A)my child, (B)be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus, 2 and (C)what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses (D)entrust to faithful men,[a] (E)who will be able to teach others also. 3 (F)Share in suffering as (G)a good soldier of Christ Jesus. 4 No soldier (H)gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him. 5 (I)An athlete is not (J)crowned unless he competes according to the rules. 6 It is (K)the hard-working farmer who ought to have the first share of the crops. 7 Think over what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything.
8 Remember Jesus Christ, (L)risen from the dead, the (M)offspring of David, (N)as preached in my gospel, 9 (O)for which I am suffering, (P)bound with chains as a criminal. But (Q)the word of God is not bound! 10 Therefore (R)I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain (S)the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with (T)eternal glory. 11 The saying is (U)trustworthy, for:
(V)If we have died with him, we will also (W)live with him;
12 (X)if we endure, we will also reign with him;
(Y)if we deny him, he also will deny us;
13 (Z)if we are faithless, (AA)he remains faithful—
for (AB)he cannot deny himself.
A Worker Approved by God
14 Remind them of these things, and (AC)charge them before God[b] (AD)not to quarrel about words, (AE)which does no good, but only ruins the hearers. 15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved,[c] a worker (AF)who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth. 16 But (AG)avoid (AH)irreverent babble, for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness, 17 and their talk will spread like gangrene. Among them are (AI)Hymenaeus and Philetus, 18 who have swerved from the truth, (AJ)saying that the resurrection has already happened. They are upsetting the faith of some. 19 But God's firm foundation stands, bearing this seal: (AK)“The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Let everyone (AL)who names the name of the Lord depart from iniquity.”
20 Now in (AM)a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver but also of wood and clay, (AN)some for honorable use, some for dishonorable. 21 Therefore, (AO)if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable,[d] he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, (AP)ready for every good work.
22 So (AQ)flee (AR)youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with (AS)those who call on the Lord (AT)from a pure heart. 23 Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant (AU)controversies; you know that they breed quarrels. 24 And (AV)the Lord's servant[e] must not be quarrelsome but (AW)kind to everyone, (AX)able to teach, patiently enduring evil, 25 correcting his opponents (AY)with gentleness. God (AZ)may perhaps grant them repentance (BA)leading to a knowledge of the truth, 26 and they may come to their senses and escape from (BB)the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.
Footnotes
- 2 Timothy 2:2 The Greek word anthropoi can refer to both men and women, depending on the context
- 2 Timothy 2:14 Some manuscripts the Lord
- 2 Timothy 2:15 That is, one approved after being tested
- 2 Timothy 2:21 Greek from these things
- 2 Timothy 2:24 For the contextual rendering of the Greek word doulos, see Preface
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