Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, for the sake of the promise of life that is in Christ Jesus,
To Timothy, my beloved child: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
I am grateful to God—whom I worship with a clear conscience, as my ancestors did—when I remember you constantly in my prayers night and day.
Recalling your tears, I long to see you so that I may be filled with joy.
For I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that lived first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, lives in you.
For this reason I remind you to rekindle the gift of God that is within you through the laying on of my hands.
For God did not give us a spirit of cowardice, but rather a spirit of power and of love and of self-discipline.
Do not be ashamed, then, of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner, but join with me in suffering for the gospel, relying on the power of God,
who saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works but according to his own purpose and grace. This grace was given to us in Christ Jesus before the ages began,
but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.
For this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher.
For this reason I suffer as I do, but I am not ashamed; indeed, I am willing to suffer for the sake of the gospel, since I know the one in whom I have put my trust, and I am sure that he is able to guard until that day what I have entrusted to him.
Put to silence all who are opposed and shame them; may they be treated as enemies of the cross of Christ.
They are destined for destruction; their god is the belly; and their glory is in their shame; their minds are set on earthly things.
But our citizenship is in heaven, and it is from there that we are expecting a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.
He will transform the body of our humiliation so that it may be conformed to the body of his glory, by the power that also enables him to make all things subject to himself.
Do your best to come to me soon.
For Demas, in love with this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica.
Crescens has gone to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia.
Only Luke is with me.
Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful in the ministry.
I have sent Tychicus to Ephesus.
When you come, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas, also the books, and above all the parchments.
Alexander the coppersmith did me great harm; the Lord will repay him according to his deeds.
Beware of him yourself, for he strongly opposed our message.
At my first defense no one came to my support, but all deserted me. May it not be held against them.
But the Lord stood by me and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it.
So I was rescued from the lion’s mouth.
The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and save me for his heavenly kingdom. To him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.
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