Paul's Greeting to Timothy

1Paul, apostle of Jesus Christ by God's will, according to promise of life, the life which is in Christ Jesus,

2to Timotheus, my beloved child: grace, mercy, peace, from God the Father, and Christ Jesus our Lord.

Encouragement to Be Faithful

3I am thankful to God, whom I serve from my forefathers with pure conscience, how unceasingly I have the remembrance of thee in my supplications night and day, 4earnestly desiring to see thee, remembering thy tears, that I may be filled with joy; 5calling to mind the unfeigned faith which has been in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and in thy mother Eunice, and I am persuaded that in thee also.

Patience in Persecution

6For which cause I put thee in mind to rekindle the gift of God which is in thee by the putting on of my hands. 7For God has not given us a spirit of cowardice, but of power, and of love, and of wise discretion.

8Be not therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner; but suffer evil along with the glad tidings, according to the power of God; 9who has saved us, and has 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 the ages of time, 10but has been made manifest now by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who has annulled death, and brought to light life and incorruptibility by the glad tidings; 11to which I have been appointed a herald and apostle and teacher of the nations. 12For which cause also I suffer these things; but I am not ashamed; for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep for that day the deposit I have entrusted to him.

Hold to Sound Teaching

13Have an outline of sound words, which words thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. 14Keep, by the Holy Spirit which dwells in us, the good deposit entrusted.

15Thou knowest this, that all who are in Asia, of whom is Phygellus and Hermogenes, have turned away from me. 16The Lord grant mercy to the house of Onesiphorus, for he has often refreshed me, and has not been ashamed of my chain; 17but being in Rome sought me out very diligently, and found me -- 18the Lord grant to him to find mercy from the Lord in that day and how much service he rendered in Ephesus thou knowest best.