1Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus through the will of God, according to the promise of life that is in Christ Jesus.2To Timothy, beloved child: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.3I give thanks to God, whom I serve with a clear conscience—as my ancestors did—as I remember you constantly in my prayers, night and day.4desiring to see you, remembering your tears, so that I may be filled with joy5having received a reminder of the genuine faith in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, but I am persuaded that it is also in you.6For which cause I remind you to rekindle the spiritual gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands.7For God gave us a spirit not of cowardice but of power and love and self-discipline.8Do not be ashamed, therefore, of the testimony of our Lord or of me, his prisoner. Instead, suffer hardship with the gospel according to the power of God,9the one who saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given to us in Christ Jesus before eternal times,10but now having been manifested through the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who has indeed rendered death inactive but has illuminated life and imperishability through the gospel,11for which I was appointed a herald and apostle and teacher.12For this reason I also suffer these things. But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am persuaded that he is able to guard my deposit until that day.13Hold to the pattern of sound words that you heard from me, with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.14Guard the good deposit through the Holy Spirit who dwells in us.15You know this, that all those in Asia turned away from me, including Phygelus and Hermogenes.16May the Lord give mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, because he refreshed me many times and was not ashamed of my chain.17But when he came to Rome, he sought me diligently and found—18May the Lord grant him to find mercy from the Lord on that day—and you know better all the things he served in Ephesus.
2
Chapter 2
1You therefore, my child, be strengthened in the grace that is in Christ Jesus,2And the things you heard from me through many witnesses, entrust these to faithful people who will also be adequate to teach others.3Share hardship as a good soldier of Christ Jesus.4No one serving as a soldier entangles himself with the affairs of a livelihood, so that he may please the one who enlisted him.5But even if anyone competes, he is not crowned unless he competes lawfully.6The hardworking farmer should be the first to receive a share of the crops.7Consider what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in all things.8Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, from the seed of David, according to my gospel.9in which I suffer hardship as far as bonds, as a malefactor. But the word of God has not been bound.10For this reason I endure all things for the sake of the elect, so that they also may obtain the salvation in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.11The saying is faithful; for if we died together, we will also live together.12If we endure, we will also reign with him; if we deny him, he will also deny us.13If we are unfaithful, he remains faithful; he cannot deny himself.