The Aaron Papers  www.the-aaron-papers.net 

  Second Timothy

1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus through the will of God, according to the promise of the life which is in Christ Jesus, ²to Timothy, my beloved child: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. ³I thank God, whom I serve from my forefathers in a pure conscience, how unceasing is my remembrance of you in my supplications, night and day ⁴longing to see you, remembering your tears, that I may be filled with joy; ⁵having been reminded of the unfeigned faith that is in you; which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois, and your mother Eunice; and, I am persuaded, in you also.

⁶For which cause I put you in remembrance that you stir up the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. ⁷For God gave us not a spirit of fearfullness; but of power and love and discipline. ⁸Be not ashamed therefore of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but suffer hardship with the gospel according to the power of God; ⁹who 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 us in Christ Jesus before times eternal, ¹⁰but has now been manifested by the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death, and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, ¹¹whereunto I was appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher. ¹²For which cause I suffer also 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 unto him against that day. ¹³Hold the pattern of sound words which you have heard from me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. ¹⁴That good thing which was committed unto you guard through the Holy Spirit which dwells in us.

¹⁵This you know, that all that are in Asia turned away from me; of whom are Phygelus and Hermogenes. ¹⁶The Lord grant mercy unto the house of Onesiphorus: for he often refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain; ¹⁷but, when he was in Rome, he sought me diligently, and found me ¹⁸(the Lord grant unto him to find mercy of the Lord in that day); and in how many things he ministered at Ephesus, you know very well.

2 You therefore, my child, be strengthened in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. ²And the things which you have heard from me among many witnesses, the same commit to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also. ³Suffer hardship with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. ⁴No soldier on service entangles himself in the affairs of this life; that he may please him who enrolled him as a soldier. ⁵And if also a man contend in the games, he is not crowned, except he have contended lawfully. ⁶The husbandmen that labor must be the first to partake of the fruits. ⁷Consider what I say; for the Lord shall give you understanding in all things.

⁸Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, of the seed of David, according to my gospel: ⁹wherein I suffer hardship unto bonds, as a malefactor; but the word of God is not bound. ¹⁰Therefore I endure all things for the elect’s sake, that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. ¹¹Faithful is the saying: For if we died with him, we shall also live with him: ¹²if we endure, we shall also reign with him: if we shall deny him, he also will deny us: ¹³if we are faithless, he abides faithful; for he cannot deny himself.

¹⁴Of these things put them in remembrance, charging them in the sight of the Lord, that they strive not about words, to no profit, to the subverting of them that hear. ¹⁵Give diligence to present yourself approved unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, handling aright the word of truth. ¹⁶But shun profane babblings: for they will proceed further in ungodliness, ¹⁷and their word will eat as does a gangrene: or whom is Hymenaeus an Philetus; ¹⁸men who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already, and overthrow the faith of some.

¹⁹Howbeit the firm foundation of God stands, having this seal, The Lord knows them that are his: and, Let every one that names the name of the Lord depart from unrighteousness. ²⁰Now in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some unto honor, and some unto dishonor. ²¹If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honor, sanctified, meet for the master’s use, prepared unto every good work.

²²But flee youthful lusts, and follow after righteousness, faith, love, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart. ²³But foolish and ignorant questionings refuse, knowing that they gender strifes. ²⁴And the Lord’s servant must not strive, but be gentle towards all, apt to teach, forbearing, ²⁵in meekness correcting them that oppose themselves; if peradventure God may give them repentance unto the knowledge of the truth, ²⁶and they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him unto his will.

3 But know this, that in the last days grievous times shall come. ²For men shall be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, haughty, railers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, ³without natural affection, implacable, slanderers, without self-control, fierce, no lovers of good, ⁴traitors, headstrong, puffed up, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God; ⁵holding a form of godliness, but having denied the power thereof. From these also turn away. ⁶For of these are they that creep into houses, and take captive silly women laden with sins, led away by divers lusts, ⁷ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. ⁸And even as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also withstand the truth. Men corrupted in mind, reprobate concerning the faith. ⁹But they shall proceed no further. For their folly shall be evident unto all men, as theirs also came to be.

¹⁰But you did follow my teaching, conduct, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love, patience, ¹¹persecutions, sufferings. What things befell me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured. And out of them all the Lord delivered me. ¹²Yes, and all that would live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. ¹³But evil men and impostors shall wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. ¹⁴But abide in the things which you have learned and have been assured of, knowing of whom you have learned them. ¹⁵And that from a babe you have known the sacred writings which are able to make you wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. ¹⁶Every scripture inspired of God is also profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for instruction which is in righteousness. ¹⁷That the man of God may be complete, furnished completely unto every good work.

4 I charge you in the sight of God, and of Christ Jesus, who shall judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: ²preach the word; be urgent in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. ³For the time will come when they will not endure the sound doctrine; but, having itching ears, will heap to themselves teachers after their own lusts; ⁴and will turn away their ears from the truth, and turn aside unto fables. ⁵But you, be sober in all things, suffer hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. ⁶For I am already being offered, and the time of my departure is come. ⁷I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith: ⁸henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give to me at that day; and not to me only, but also to all them that have loved his appearing.

⁹Give diligence to come shortly unto me: ¹⁰for Demas forsook me, having loved this present world, and went to Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia. ¹¹Only Luke is with me. Take Mark, and bring him with you; for he is useful to me for ministering. ¹²But Tychicus I sent to Ephesus. ¹³The cloak that I left at Troas with Carpus, bring when you come, and the books, especially the parchments. ¹⁴Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil: the Lord will render to him according to his works: ¹⁵of whom do you also beware; for he greatly withstood our words.