41 I give you orders, before God and Christ Jesus, who will be the judge of the living and the dead, and by his revelation and his kingdom; 2 Be preaching the word at all times, in every place; make protests, say sharp words, give comfort, with long waiting and teaching; 3 For the time will come when they will not take the true teaching; but, moved by their desires, they will get for themselves a great number of teachers for the pleasure of hearing them; 4 And shutting their ears to what is true, will be turned away to belief in foolish stories. 5 But be self-controlled in all things, do without comfort, go on preaching the good news, completing the work which has been given you to do. 6 For I am even now being offered, and my end is near. 7 I have made a good fight, I have come to the end of my journey, I have kept the faith: 8 From now on, the crown of righteousness is made ready for me, which the Lord, the upright judge, Will give to me at that day: and not only to me, but to all those who have had love for his revelation.

Personal Instructions

9 Do your best to come to me before long: 10 For Demas has gone away from me, for love of this present life, and has gone to Thessalonica: Crescens has gone to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia. 11 Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and take him with you; for he is of use to me in the work. 12 Tychicus I sent to Ephesus. 13 The coat which I did not take from Troas and which is with Carpus, get when you come, and the books, specially the papers. 14 Alexander the copper-worker did me much wrong: the Lord will give him the reward of his works: 15 But be on the watch for him, for he was violent in his attacks on our teaching.

16 At my first meeting with my judges, no one took my part, but all went away from me. May it not be put to their account. 17 But the Lord was by my side and gave me strength; so that through me the news might be given out in full measure, and all the Gentiles might give ear: and I was taken out of the mouth of the lion. 18 The Lord will keep me safe from every evil work and will give me salvation in his kingdom in heaven: to whom be glory for ever and ever. So be it.

Final Greetings

19 Give my love to Prisca and Aquila and those of the house of Onesiphorus. 20 Erastus was stopping at Corinth; but Trophimus, when I last saw him was at Miletus, ill. 21 Do your best to come before the winter. Eubulus sends you his love, and Pudens and Linus and Claudia, and all the brothers. 22 The Lord be with your spirit. Grace be with you.

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.