1Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, according to the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus,2To Timothy, my dearly beloved son: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.3I thank God, whom I serve from my forefathers with pure conscience, that without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers night and day;4Greatly desiring to see thee, being mindful of thy tears, that I may be filled with joy;5When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also.6Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands.7For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.8Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God;9Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,10But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel:11Whereunto I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles.12For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.13Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.14That good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us.15This thou knowest, that all they which are in Asia be turned away from me; of whom are Phygellus and Hermogenes.16The Lord give mercy unto the house of Onesiphorus; for he oft refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain:17But, when he was in Rome, he sought me out very diligently, and found me.18The Lord grant unto him that he may find mercy of the Lord in that day: and in how many things he ministered unto me at Ephesus, thou knowest very well.
2 Timothy 1
New International Reader’s Version
from Biblica1I, Paul, am writing this letter. I am an apostle of Christ Jesus just as God planned. He sent me to tell about the promise of life found in Christ Jesus.2Timothy, I am sending you this letter. You are my dear son. May God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord give you grace, mercy and peace.
Paul gives thanks
3I thank God, whom I serve as did our people of long ago. I serve God, knowing that what I have done is right. Night and day I thank God for you. Night and day I always remember you in my prayers.4I remember your tears. I long to see you so that I can be filled with joy.5I remember your honest and true faith. It was alive first in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice. And I am certain that it is now alive in you also.
Paul encourages Timothy to be faithful
6This is why I remind you to help God’s gift grow, just as a small spark grows into a fire. God put his gift in you when I placed my hands on you.7God gave us his Spirit. And the Spirit doesn’t make us weak and fearful. Instead, the Spirit gives us power and love. He helps us control ourselves.8So don’t be ashamed of the message about our Lord. And don’t be ashamed of me, his prisoner. Instead, join with me as I suffer for the good news. God’s power will help us do that.9God has saved us. He has chosen us to live a holy life. It wasn’t because of anything we have done. It was because of his own purpose and grace. Through Christ Jesus, God gave us this grace even before time began.10It has now been made known through the coming of our Saviour, Christ Jesus. He has broken the power of death. Because of the good news, he has brought life out into the light. That life never dies.11I was appointed to announce the good news. I was appointed to be an apostle and a teacher.12That’s why I’m suffering the way I am. But this gives me no reason to be ashamed. That’s because I know who I have believed in. I am sure he is able to take care of what I have given him. I can trust him with it until the day he returns as judge.13Follow what you heard from me as the pattern of true teaching. Follow it with faith and love because you belong to Christ Jesus.14Guard the truth of the good news that you were trusted with. Guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.
Examples of faithful and unfaithful people
15You know that all the believers in Asia Minor have deserted me. They include Phygelus and Hermogenes.16May the Lord show mercy to all who live in the house of Onesiphorus. He often encouraged me. He was not ashamed that I was being held by chains.17In fact, it was just the opposite. When he was in Rome, he looked everywhere for me. At last he found me.18May Onesiphorus find mercy from the Lord on the day Jesus returns as judge! You know very well how many ways Onesiphorus helped me in Ephesus.