Greeting

1Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, according to the promise of life ⁰that is in Christ Jesus, ¹

2to dear son Timothy: Grace, mercy, peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

Paul encourages Timothy

3I give thanks to God, whom I serve with a clear conscience like my forefathers did, ²as I constantly remember you in my prayers, night and day,

4longing to see you (recalling your tears), ³that I may be filled with joy;

5while I call to mind the unfeigned faith that is in you—it resided first in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, in you also.

6For this reason I am reminding you to rekindle ⁴the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands.

7Because God did not give us a spirit of cowardice, ⁵but of power and of love and of self-control.

Don't be ashamed to suffer for Christ

8So do not be ashamed to identify with our Lord or with me His prisoner, but join in suffering for the Gospel according to the power of God ⁶

9—the One who saved us and called us with a holy calling, not because of our works but because of His own purpose and grace, which ⁷was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began, ⁸

10but has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Jesus Christ, who by means of the Gospel destroyed the death ⁹and brought life and immortality to light;

11to this Gospel I was appointed as a proclaimer, an apostle and a teacher of nations. ¹⁰

12That is why I am suffering these things, yet I am not ashamed because I know in whom I have believed and am certain that He is able to guard my deposit ¹¹until that Day. ¹²

Be loyal—the example of Onesiphorus

13Hold fast the standard of sound teaching that you heard from me, through the faith and love in Christ Jesus.

14Guard the good deposit by the Holy Spirit who dwells in us. ¹³

15This you know, that all those in Asia have been turned away from me, ¹⁴including Phygellus and Hermogenes.

16May the Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, because he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chain; ¹⁵

17rather, when he arrived in Rome he searched diligently for me until he found me

18(may the Lord grant to him to find mercy from the Lord in that Day); you also know very well in how many ways he served in Ephesus.