A Good Soldier of Jesus Christ

21 So then, my child, be strong in the grace which is in Christ Jesus. 2 And the things which I have said to you before a number of witnesses, give to those of the faith, so that they may be teachers of others. 3 Be ready to do without the comforts of life, as one of the army of Christ Jesus. 4 A fighting man, when he is with the army, keeps himself free from the business of this life so that he may be pleasing to him who has taken him into his army. 5 And if a man takes part in a competition he does not get the crown if he has not kept the rules. 6 It is right for the worker in the fields to be the first to take of the fruit. 7 Give thought to what I say; for the Lord will give you wisdom in all things.

8 Keep in mind Jesus Christ, of the seed of David, who came back from the dead, as my good news gives witness: 9 In which I put up with the hardest conditions, even prison chains, like one who has done a crime; but the word of God is not in chains. 10 But I undergo all things for the saints, so that they may have salvation in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. 11 This is a true saying: If we undergo death with him, then will we be living with him: 12 If we go on to the end, then we will be ruling with him: if we say we have no knowledge of him, then he will say he has no knowledge of us: 13 If we are without faith, still he keeps faith, for he will never be untrue to himself.

An Approved Workman

14 Put these things before them, giving them orders in the name of the Lord to keep themselves from fighting about words, which is of no profit, only causing error in their hearers. 15 Let it be your care to get the approval of God, as a workman who has no cause for shame, giving the true word in the right way. 16 But take no part in wrong and foolish talk, for those who do so will go farther into evil, 17 And their words will be like poisoned wounds in the flesh: such are Hymenaeus and Philetus; 18 Men whose ideas are all false, who say that the coming back from the dead has even now taken place, overturning the faith of some.

19 But God's strong base is unchanging, having this sign, The Lord has knowledge of those who are his: and, Let everyone by whom the name of the Lord is named be turned away from evil. 20 Now in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but others of wood and earth, and some which are honoured and some without honour. 21 If a man makes himself clean from these, he will be a vessel for honour, made holy, ready for the master's use, ready for every good work.

22 But keep yourself from those desires of the flesh which are strong when the body is young, and go after righteousness, faith, love, peace, with those whose prayers go up to the Lord from a clean heart. 23 And put away foolish and uncontrolled questionings, seeing that they are a cause of trouble. 24 For it is not right for the Lord's servant to make trouble, but he is to be gentle to all, ready in teaching, putting up with wrong, 25 Gently guiding those who go against the teaching; if by chance God may give them a change of heart and true knowledge, 26 And so they may get themselves free from the net of the Evil One, being made the prisoners of the Lord's servant, for the purpose of God.

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.