1Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God according to the promise of the life that is in Christ Jesus, (林前1:1; 林后1:1; 多1:2; 來9:15)2To Timothy, my beloved child: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. (林前4:17; 提前1:2; 提后2:1; 约三1:4)
Guard the Deposit Entrusted to You
3I thank God whom I serve, as did my ancestors, with a clear conscience, as I remember you constantly in my prayers night and day. (徒22:3; 徒23:1; 徒24:14; 羅1:8; 羅1:9; 提前3:9)4As I remember your tears, I long to see you, that I may be filled with joy. (徒20:37; 腓1:8; 提后4:9; 提后4:21)5I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well. (诗86:16; 诗116:16; 徒16:1; 羅12:9; 提前1:5; 提后3:15)6For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, (帖前5:19; 提前4:14)7for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. (路24:49; 约14:27; 徒1:8; 羅8:15; 启21:8)8Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God, (可8:38; 林前1:6; 弗3:1; 提后1:16; 提后2:3; 提后2:9; 提后4:5)9who saved us and called us to[1] a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began,[2] (羅3:27; 羅8:28; 羅16:25; 弗1:4; 提前1:1; 多1:2; 多3:4; 多3:5; 來3:1)10and which now has been manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, (伯33:30; 羅2:7; 羅16:26; 林前15:26; 林前15:54; 帖后2:8; 來2:14)11for which I was appointed a preacher and apostle and teacher, (提前2:7)12which is why I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that day what has been entrusted to me.[3] (诗10:14; 林前3:13; 提前6:20; 提后1:8; 提后1:18; 提后2:9; 提后4:8; 彼前4:19)13Follow the pattern of the sound[4] words that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. (羅2:20; 羅6:17; 提前1:10; 提前1:14; 提后2:2; 提后3:14; 多1:9; 启3:3)14By the Holy Spirit who dwells within us, guard the good deposit entrusted to you. (羅8:9; 提后1:12)15You are aware that all who are in Asia turned away from me, among whom are Phygelus and Hermogenes. (徒19:10; 提后4:10; 提后4:16)16May the Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains, (徒28:20; 提后1:8; 提后4:19; 门1:7; 门1:20)17but when he arrived in Rome he searched for me earnestly and found me— (太25:36)18may the Lord grant him to find mercy from the Lord on that day!—and you well know all the service he rendered at Ephesus. (提后1:12; 來6:10)