2 Timothy 2–4 · Titus 1

1You therefore, my child, be strengthened in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.

2The things which you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit the same things to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.

3You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Christ Jesus.

4No soldier on duty entangles himself in the affairs of life, that he may please him who enrolled him as a soldier.

5Also, if anyone competes in athletics, he isn’t crowned unless he has competed by the rules.

6The farmer who labors must be the first to get a share of the crops.

7Consider what I say, and may the Lord give you understanding in all things.

8Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, of the offspring of David, according to my Good News,

9in which I suffer hardship to the point of chains as a criminal. But God’s word isn’t chained.

10Therefore I endure all things for the chosen ones’ sake, that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.

11This saying is trustworthy: “For if we died with him, we will also live with him.

12If we endure, we will also reign with him. If we deny him, he also will deny us.

13If we are faithless, he remains faithful; for he can’t deny himself.”

14Remind them of these things, charging them in the sight of the Lord that they don’t argue about words to no profit, to the subverting of those who hear.

15Give diligence to present yourself approved by God, a workman who doesn’t need to be ashamed, properly handling the Word of Truth.

16But shun empty chatter, for it will go further in ungodliness,

17and those words will consume like gangrene, of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus:

18men who have erred concerning the truth, saying that the resurrection is already past, and overthrowing the faith of some.

19However, God’s firm foundation stands, having this seal: “The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Let every one who names the name of the Lord depart from unrighteousness.”

20Now in a large house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of clay. Some are for honor and some for dishonor.

21If anyone therefore purges himself from these, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified, and suitable for the master’s use, prepared for every good work.

22Flee from youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

23But refuse foolish and ignorant questionings, knowing that they generate strife.

24The Lord’s servant must not quarrel, but be gentle toward all, able to teach, patient,

25in gentleness correcting those who oppose him. Perhaps God may give them repentance leading to a full knowledge of the truth,

26and they may recover themselves out of the devil’s snare, having been taken captive by him to do his will.

1But know this: that in the last days, grievous times will come.

2For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,

3without natural affection, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, fierce, not lovers of good,

4traitors, headstrong, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,

5holding a form of godliness but having denied its power. Turn away from these, also.

6For some of these are people who creep into houses and take captive gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts,

7always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.

8Even as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these also oppose the truth, men corrupted in mind, who concerning the faith are rejected.

9But they will proceed no further. For their folly will be evident to all men, as theirs also came to be.

10But you followed my teaching, conduct, purpose, faith, patience, love, steadfastness,

11persecutions, and sufferings—those things that happened to me at Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra. I endured those persecutions. The Lord delivered me out of them all.

12Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.

13But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.

14But you remain in the things which you have learned and have been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them.

15From infancy, you have known the holy Scriptures which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

16Every Scripture is God-breathed and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness,

17that each person who belongs to God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

1I command you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at his appearing and his Kingdom:

2preach the word; be urgent in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort with all patience and teaching.

3For the time will come when they will not listen to the sound doctrine, but having itching ears, will heap up for themselves teachers after their own lusts,

4and will turn away their ears from the truth, and turn away to fables.

5But you be sober in all things, suffer hardship, do the work of an evangelist, and fulfill your ministry.

6For I am already being offered, and the time of my departure has come.

7I have fought the good fight. I have finished the course. I have kept the faith.

8From now on, the crown of righteousness is stored up for me, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give to me on that day; and not to me only, but also to all those who have loved his appearing.

9Be diligent to come to me soon,

10for Demas left me, having loved this present world, and went to Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia; and Titus to Dalmatia.

11Only Luke is with me. Take Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for service.

12But I sent Tychicus to Ephesus.

13Bring the cloak that I left at Troas with Carpus when you come—and the books, especially the parchments.

14Alexander the coppersmith did much evil to me. The Lord will repay him according to his deeds.

15Beware of him, for he greatly opposed our words.

16At my first defense, no one came to help me, but all left me. May it not be held against them.

17But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, that through me the message might be fully proclaimed, and that all the Gentiles might hear. So I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion.

18And the Lord will deliver me from every evil work and will preserve me for his heavenly Kingdom. To him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

19Greet Prisca and Aquila, and the house of Onesiphorus.

20Erastus remained at Corinth, but I left Trophimus at Miletus sick.

21Be diligent to come before winter. Eubulus salutes you, as do Pudens, Linus, Claudia, and all the brothers.

22The Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Grace be with you. Amen.

1Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God’s chosen ones and the knowledge of the truth which is according to godliness,

2in hope of eternal life, which God, who can’t lie, promised before time began;

3but in his own time revealed his word in the message with which I was entrusted according to the commandment of God our Savior,

4to Titus, my true child according to a common faith: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Savior.

5I left you in Crete for this reason, that you would set in order the things that were lacking and appoint elders in every city, as I directed you—

6if anyone is blameless, the husband of one wife, having children who believe, who are not accused of loose or unruly behavior.

7For the overseer must be blameless, as God’s steward, not self-pleasing, not easily angered, not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for dishonest gain;

8but given to hospitality, a lover of good, sober minded, fair, holy, self-controlled,

9holding to the faithful word which is according to the teaching, that he may be able to exhort in the sound doctrine, and to convict those who contradict him.

10For there are also many unruly men, vain talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision,

11whose mouths must be stopped: men who overthrow whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for dishonest gain’s sake.

12One of them, a prophet of their own, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, and idle gluttons.”

13This testimony is true. For this cause, reprove them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith,

14not paying attention to Jewish fables and commandments of men who turn away from the truth.

15To the pure, all things are pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure; but both their mind and their conscience are defiled.

16They profess that they know God, but by their deeds they deny him, being abominable, disobedient, and unfit for any good work.