3 I’ve been serving God with a clean conscience since my childhood and I’m thankful to him that night and day I haven’t stopped praying for you—4 remembering your tears and longing to see you again which will fill me with happiness. 5 I recall your faith without hypocrisy which I first noticed in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice[ref] and which I’m sure is also in you. 6 So that’s why I’m reminding you to rekindle God’s gift which you received when I placed my hands on you and prayed for you, 7 because God didn’t give us a fearful spirit, but gave us power, love, and wisdom.

8 So because of that, don’t be ashamed of the our master’s testimony, and nor of mine even though I’m a prisoner for him, but let the two of us suffer together for the sake of the good message with the help of God’s power. 9 It’s God that saved us and called us to live a godly life. His selection of us had nothing to do with anything good we might have done, but rather he has his own purposes and had given us grace via Yeshua the messiah even before time began. 10 That grace has been revealed now that our saviour Yeshua the messiah appeared and obliterated death while at the same time illuminating life and immortality through the good message 11 that I was appointed[ref] to proclaim, as well as being an missionary and teacher.

12 It for that cause that I am suffering here in prison, but I’m not ashamed because I know who it is that I trust and I’m convinced that he is powerful enough to guard my deposit of hope in him until the end of this age. 13 The style of sound messages that you heard from me, you need to retain in faith in Yeshua the messiah, and with your love for him. 14 Keep that good deposit with the help of the holy spirit who lives in us.

15 You’ve already heard that those in Asia Minor all turned their backs on me, including Phygelus and Hermogenes. 16 May the master show mercy to Onesiphorus and his family because he often cheered me up and he wasn’t ashamed of my chains. 17 When he came to Rome he actively searched for me and found me. 18 May the master show him his mercy on the judgement day, but anyway, you well know how much he helped us in Ephesus.

2 So my ‘son’, may the grace from Yeshua the messiah make you strong 2 along with everything you heard from me through many witnesses. Entrust those things to faithful people who will also be capable of teaching others.

3 Suffer together with me as a good soldier of Yeshua the messiah. 4 Soldiers stay unentangled from the affairs of daily living so that they will be dedicated to pleasing their commanding officer. 5 Similarly the athlete won’t win the competition if they don’t follow the rules. 6 It’s fair for the farmer working in the orchard to be allowed to eat the fruit. 7 You should easily understand what I’m saying because the master will be giving you insight into everything.

8 Always remember the promised descendant of King David, Yeshua the messiah who came back from the dead, which is what I preach 9 and why I’m here in chains suffering hardship as a criminal. But God’s message hasn’t been chained. 10 So I will endure everything so that the ones that God has chosen will also be able to receive their salvation in Yeshua the messiah and live with him forever. 11 There’s a reliable saying that goes,

If we died along with him,

we will live together with him.

12 [ref]If we endure with him,

we will be able to reign with him.

If we disown him,

he will also disown us.

13 If we refuse to believe him,

he will remain faithful to us,

because he isn’t able to go against his nature.

14 Keep reminding them of all that. Tell them before God not to quibble[fn] about the intricacies of words as it’s not helpful and can lead the listeners to ruin.

15 Work hard so that God will see you as someone he approves of—not ashamed of the good message but straight-talking the truth. 16 Avoid chatter about unimportant or crude topics because it will eventually led to godlessness. 17 Those kinds of talk are like rot that spreads, as happened when Hymenaeus and Philetus 18 deviated from the truth by claiming that the resurrection has already happened and have drawn some away from the faith. 19 However God’s solid foundation has stood with this inscription on it: ‘The master knew his own ones,’[ref] and ‘Let everyone who claims to follow the master avoid disobedience.’

20 An expensive home doesn’t just have gold and silver bowls, but there are wooden and pottery bowls as well. Some will contain valuable things, but others contain dishonourable things that we prefer not to display. 21 So those people who rid themselves of dishonourable thoughts and actions will become a container for honourable things, being reserved to do the special work that the master has prepared for them. 22 And run far from youthful lusts—chase instead after obedience, faith, love, and peace like all the others who follow the master with a pure heart. 23 Refuse to enter foolish and uneducated debates because they’ll just end in an argument. 24 It’s not fitting one of the master’s slaves to be argumentative, but rather to be polite to everyone and to be teaching the truth yet be tolerant of other people’s bad behaviour. 25 We should politely point out the wrongs of those opposing us and perhaps God might bring them to repentance and the knowledge of the truth. 26 After being caught in the devil’s trap just as he wanted, maybe they’ll escape and come to their senses.

3 It’s important to know that dangerous times will be coming in the last days of this era. 2 People will become selfish, greedy for money, braggers, proud, slanderous, refusing to listen to sense from their parents, ungrateful, ungodly, 3 unloving, unwilling to reconcile, diabolical, angry, wild, and without morals. 4 They will be betrayers, reckless and conceited, loving pleasure instead of loving God, 5 appearing to be godly on the surface yet denying that God is real, and turning from the truth. 6 Some of these will quietly enter houses and captivate gullible women. Despite being known for their sins, they’re led by various lusts—7 always ‘learning’ yet never actually confronting the reality of the truth. 8 This is just like how Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses,[ref] and similarly these people, having depraved minds and who are unqualified concerning the faith, oppose the truth. 9 But they won’t be advancing in the faith because their foolishness will eventually become evident to everyone, just as happened with Jannes and Jambres.

10 However Timothy, you followed me in your teaching, your conduct, your purpose and your faith, in patience, love, endurance, 11 and even through persecution and suffering like I endured in Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra[ref]—yet the master rescued me in each case. 12 Anyway, everyone who wants to seriously follow Yeshua the messiah should expect to be persecuted.

13 Meanwhile evil people and scammers will get worse and worse—deceiving others and then being deceived themselves. 14 Hold on to the things that you learnt and were convinced was true, because you know you can trust those who taught them to you. 15 You’ve known the sacred scriptures since you were a young child, and the wisdom contained in them is able to lead you to salvation through faith in Yeshua the messiah. 16 All scripture is inspired by God and useful for teaching, for scolding and correction, and for teaching discipline and obedience 17 so that the person following God can be trained in doing every kind of good deed.

42 1-2I am proclaiming these truths before God and before Yeshua the messiah who will judge both the living and the dead. Proclaim his appearance on earth[fn] and his kingdom, stand by the message whether it’s convenient or seems out of place, rebuke and scold those who need it, but also encourage with complete patience and teaching. 3 A time will come when people will no longer be tolerating scriptural teaching, but will prefer their own doctrines so they’ll find teachers to teach what they want to hear, 4 so not only will they avoid hearing the truth, they’ll be following myths instead. 5 However Timothy, you stay sensible about everything, endure hardship, tell people the good message, and do all your duties well.

6 As for me, I’ve already done all I can and the time of my departure is approaching. 7 I’ve fought the fight for goodness. I’ve finished the race. I’ve kept the faith. 8 I know that a crown has been reserved for me due to my obedience, and the master serving as the impartial judge will award it to me, and not just to me, but will also award them to others who appreciated his coming.[fn]

9 Try to come to me as soon as possible 10 because Demas was attracted back to worldly things and so he left me and went to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, and Titos went to Dalmatia.[ref] 11 Only Luke stayed with me. Fetch Mark on your way and bring him to me also because he’s always very helpful.[ref] 12 I sent Tychicus to Ephesus.[ref] 13 When you come, bring the coat that I left with Carpas in Troas,[ref] along with the scrolls and most of the parchments.[fn]

14 Alexander the coppersmith did a lot of harm to me[ref] but the master will ‘reward’ him for what he’s done. 15 You also should watch out for him, because he was very strongly opposed to our teaching.

16 At my first defense in the courts here in Rome, no one stood with me. Everyone deserted me but that shouldn’t be held against them. 17 But the master stood by me and strengthened me to ensure that the good message was proclaimed and all the pagans heard it, and I was rescued out of the lion’s mouth so to speak. 18 The master will rescue me from every evil plot and he will bring me into his heavenly kingdom. He should be praised for ever. May it be so.

19 Greet Priscilla and Aquila for me, and Onesiphorus’ household.[ref] 20 Erastus stayed in Corinth, and I left Trophimus in Miletus because he was sick.[ref] 21 Make sure you come before the winter. Eubulus greets you, as do Pudens, Linus, Claudia, and all the believers.

22 May you always know inside that the master is with you, and may all of you there experience God’s grace.