Paul’s Greeting to Timothy
1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, according to the promise of the life which is in Christ Jesus,
2 To Timothy, my beloved child:
Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
Encouragement to Be Faithful
3 I thank God, whom I serve as my forefathers did, with a pure conscience. How unceasing is my memory of you in my petitions, night and day, 4 longing to see you, remembering your tears, that I may be filled with joy, 5 having been reminded of the sincere faith that is in you, which lived first in your grandmother Lois, and your mother Eunice, and, I am persuaded, in you also.
Patience in Persecution
6 For this reason, I remind you that you should stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. 7 For God did not give us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control.
8 Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but endure hardship for the Gospel according to the power of God. 9 He saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given to us in Christ Jesus before times eternal, 10 but has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who abolished death, and brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel. 11 For this I was appointed as a preacher, an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles.
12 For this reason I also suffer these things. Yet I am not ashamed, for I know him whom I have believed, and I am persuaded that he is able to guard that which I have committed to him until that day.
Hold to Sound Teaching
13 Hold to the pattern of sound teaching which you have heard from me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. 14 That good thing which was committed to you, guard through the Holy Spirit who dwells in us.
15 This you know, that all who are in Asia turned away from me, of whom are Phygelus and Hermogenes. 16 May the Lord grant mercy to the house of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains. 17 In fact, when he was in Rome, he looked diligently for me and found me.
18 May the Lord grant that Onesiphorus finds the mercy of the Lord on that day, considering how many ways he served at Ephesus, as you are well aware.