Salutation

11 Paul, an Apostle of Jesus Christ by the purpose of God, in the hope of the life which is in Christ Jesus, 2 To Timothy, my well-loved child: Grace, mercy, peace, from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

Be Not Ashamed

3 I give praise to God, whose servant I have been, with a heart free from sin, from the time of my fathers, because in my prayers at all times the thought of you is with me, night and day 4 Desiring to see you, keeping in my memory your weeping, so that I may be full of joy; 5 Having in mind your true faith, which first was in your mother's mother Lois, and in your mother Eunice, and, I am certain, is now in you.

6 For this reason I say to you, Let that grace of God which is in you, given to you by my hands, have living power. 7 For God did not give us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of self-control. 8 Have no feeling of shame, then, for the witness of our Lord or for me, his prisoner: but undergo all things for the good news in the measure of the power of God; 9 Who gave us salvation, marking us out for his purpose, not on account of our works, but in the measure of his purpose and his grace, which was given to us in Christ Jesus before times eternal, 10 But has now been made clear by the revelation of our Saviour Christ Jesus, who put an end to death and made life unending come to light through the good news, 11 Of which I was made a preacher and an Apostle and a teacher; 12 And for which I undergo these things: but I have no feeling of shame. For I have knowledge of him in whom I have faith, and I am certain that he is able to keep that which I have given into his care till that day. 13 Keep the form of those true words which you had from me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. 14 That good thing which was given to you keep safe, through the Holy Spirit which is in us.

15 You have had news that all those in Asia went away from me; among whom are Phygelus and Hermogenes: 16 May the Lord give mercy to the house of Onesiphorus because he frequently gave me help, and had no feeling of shame because I was in chains; 17 But when he was in Rome, he went in search of me everywhere, and came to me 18 (May he have the Lord's mercy in that day); and of all he did for me at Ephesus you have full knowledge.

The Character of Men in the Last Days

31 But be certain of this, that in the last days times of trouble will come. 2 For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, uplifted in pride, given to bitter words, going against the authority of their fathers, never giving praise, having no religion, 3 Without natural love, bitter haters, saying evil of others, violent and uncontrolled, hating all good, 4 False to their friends, acting without thought, lifted up in mind, loving pleasure more than God; 5 Having a form of religion, but turning their backs on the power of it: go not with these. 6 For these are they who go secretly into houses, making prisoners of foolish women, weighted down with sin, turned from the way by their evil desires, 7 Ever learning, and never coming to the knowledge of what is true. 8 And as James and Jambres went against Moses, so do these go against what is true: men of evil minds, who, tested by faith, are seen to be false. 9 But they will go no farther: for their foolish behaviour will be clear to all men, as theirs was in the end.

Paul's Last Charge to Timothy

10 But you took as your example my teaching, behaviour, purpose, and faith; my long waiting, my love, my quiet undergoing of trouble; 11 My punishments and pain; the things which came to me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; the cruel attacks made on me: and the Lord made me free from them all. 12 Yes, and all whose purpose is to be living in the knowledge of God in Christ Jesus, will be cruelly attacked. 13 Evil and false men will become worse and worse, using deceit and themselves overcome by deceit. 14 But see that you keep to the teaching you have been given and the things of which you are certain, conscious of who has been your teacher; 15 And that from the time when you were a child, you have had knowledge of the holy Writings, which are able to make you wise to salvation, through faith in Christ Jesus. 16 Every holy Writing which comes from God is of profit for teaching, for training, for guiding, for education in righteousness: 17 So that the man of God may be complete, trained and made ready for every good work.