Read the New Testament in 24 Weeks

Paul Encourages Timothy

1 From Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God. God sent me to tell about the promise of life that is in Christ Jesus.

² To Timothy, a dear son to me. Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

³ I always remember you in my prayers, day and night. And I thank God for you in these prayers. He is the God my ancestors served. And I serve him, doing what I know is right. ⁴ I remember that you cried for me. And I want very much to see you so that I can be filled with joy. ⁵ I remember your true faith. That kind of faith first belonged to your grandmother Lois and to your mother Eunice. And I know that you now have that same faith. ⁶ That is why I remind you to use the gift God gave you. God gave you that gift when I laid my hands on^[a] you. Now let it grow, as a small flame grows into a fire. ⁷ God did not give us a spirit that makes us afraid. He gave us a spirit of power and love and self-control.

⁸ So do not be ashamed to tell people about our Lord Jesus. And do not be ashamed of me. I am in prison for the Lord. But suffer with me for the Good News. God gives us the strength to do that. ⁹ God saved us and made us his holy people. That was not because of anything we did ourselves but because of what he wanted and because of his grace. That grace was given to us through Christ Jesus before time began. ¹⁰ It was not shown to us until our Savior Christ Jesus came. Jesus destroyed death. And through the Good News, he showed us the way to have life that cannot be destroyed. ¹¹ I was chosen to tell that Good News and to be an apostle and a teacher. ¹² And I suffer now because I tell the Good News. But I am not ashamed. I know Jesus, the One I have believed in. And I am sure that he is able to protect what he has trusted me with until that Day.^{[b] 13} Follow the true teachings you heard from me. Follow them as an example of the faith and love we have in Christ Jesus. ¹⁴ Protect the truth that you were given. Protect it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.

¹⁵ You know that everyone in Asia has left me, even Phygelus and Hermogenes. ¹⁶ I pray that the Lord will show mercy to the family of Onesiphorus. He has often helped me and was not ashamed that I was in prison. ¹⁷ When he came to Rome, he looked for me until he found me. ¹⁸ I pray that the Lord will allow Onesiphorus to have mercy from the Lord on that Day. You know how many ways Onesiphorus helped me in Ephesus.

A Loyal Soldier of Christ Jesus

2 Timothy, you are like a son to me. Be strong in the grace that we have in Christ Jesus. ² You and many others have heard what I have taught. You should teach the same thing to some people you can trust. Then they will be able to teach it to others. ³ Share in the troubles that we have. Accept them like a true soldier of Christ Jesus. ⁴ A soldier wants to please his commanding officer, so he does not waste his time doing the things that most people do. ⁵ If an athlete is running a race, he must obey all the rules in order to win. ⁶ The farmer who works hard should be the first person to get some of the food that he grew. ⁷ Think about these things that I am saying. The Lord will give you the ability to understand all these things.

⁸ Remember Jesus Christ. He is from the family of David. After Jesus died, he was raised from death. This is the Good News that I preach, ⁹ and I am suffering because of that Good News. I am even bound with chains like a criminal. But God’s teaching is not in chains. ¹⁰ So I patiently accept all these troubles. I do this so that those whom God has chosen can have the salvation that is in Christ Jesus. With that salvation comes glory that never ends.

¹¹ This teaching is true:

A Worker Pleasing to God

¹⁴ Continue teaching these things. And warn people before God not to argue about words. Arguing about words does not help anyone, and it ruins those who listen. ¹⁵ Do the best you can to be the kind of person that God will approve, and give yourself to him. Be a worker who is not ashamed of his work—a worker who uses the true teaching in the right way. ¹⁶ Stay away from those who talk about useless worldly things. That kind of talk will lead a person more and more away from God. ¹⁷ Their evil teaching will spread like a sickness inside the body. Hymenaeus and Philetus are men like that. ¹⁸ They have left the true teaching. They say that the rising from death of all men has already taken place. And those two men are destroying the faith of some people. ¹⁹ But God’s strong foundation continues to stand. These words are written on that foundation: “The Lord knows those who belong to him.”^[c] And also these words are written on that foundation, “Everyone who says that he believes in the Lord must stop doing wrong.”

²⁰ In a large house there are things made of gold and silver. But also there are things made of wood and clay. Some things are used for special purposes, and others are made for ordinary jobs. ²¹ If anyone makes himself clean from evil things, he will be used for special purposes. He will be made holy, and the Master can use him. He will be ready to do any good work.

²² Stay away from the evil desires of youth. Try hard to live right and to have faith, love, and peace. Work for these things together with those who have pure hearts and who trust in the Lord. ²³ Stay away from foolish and stupid arguments. You know that such arguments grow into bigger arguments. ²⁴ And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel! He must be kind to everyone. He must be a good teacher. He must be patient. ²⁵ The Lord’s servant must gently teach those who do not agree with him. Maybe God will let them change their hearts so that they can accept the truth. ²⁶ The devil has trapped them and causes them to do what he wants. But maybe they can wake up and free themselves from the devil’s trap.