2 Timothy 1

1 Paul, an Apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, in accord with the promise of the life which is in Christ Jesus,

[I], Paul, [am writing this letter. I am] an apostle whom Christ Jesus chose so that I would do what God wanted. He chose me [to tell people that God] has promised [that they will] live [eternally] as a result of their having a close relationship with Christ Jesus.

2 to Timothy, most beloved son. Grace, mercy, peace, from God the Father and from Christ Jesus our Lord.

[I am writing to you], Timothy, whom I love [as if you were] my own son. [I pray that] God our Father and Christ Jesus our Lord will [continue to act] kindly to you, be merciful to you, and [cause you to have] inner peace,

3 I give thanks to God, whom I serve, as my forefathers did, with a pure conscience. For without ceasing I hold the remembrance of you in my prayers, night and day,

I thank God [for all that he has done for you]. I serve him, and my ancestors [served him, too. I serve him] in a manner that I know to be right. [I thank him] while repeatedly I [pray for you] at night and during the day.

4 desiring to see you, recalling your tears so as to be filled with joy,

[While I am thanking God for you], I very much want to see you because I remember how you cried [MTY] [when we separated. I want to see you] in order that I may be (filled with joy/very happy).

5 calling to mind the same faith, which is in you unfeigned, which also first dwelt in your grandmother, Lois, and in your mother, Eunice, and also, I am certain, in you.

[I thank God because] I remember that you sincerely believe [in Christ Jesus]. First, your grandmother, Lois, and your mother, Eunice, [believed in him and], I am (convinced/very sure) that you also believe in him.

6 Because of this, I admonish you to revive the grace of God, which is in you by the imposition of my hands.

Because [I am sure that you believe in him], I remind you to do fervently/wholeheartedly [MET] what God has (assigned for/appointed) you to do and what he has enabled you to do. [God] ([assigned for/appointed]) you to do it as a result of my putting my hands [on you to show/indicate that he had chosen you to do his work].

7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of virtue, and of love, and of self-restraint.

Remember that God has put [his Spirit] within us. [His Spirit does not cause us to be] afraid. Instead, [he causes us to be] powerful [to work for God], and he helps us to love [others] and [to] control what we say and do.

8 And so, do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me, his prisoner. Instead, collaborate with the Gospel in accord with the virtue of God,

So never be ashamed/reluctant to tell others the message about our Lord. And do not [be ashamed] of me, [even though I am] a prisoner [because I preach about] him. Instead, [be willing to] suffer as I do as you proclaim the message about Christ. [Endure what you will suffer] by letting God empower [you to endure it].

9 who has freed us and has called us to his holy vocation, 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. (aiōnios g166)

[God] saved us and chose us to conduct our lives in a pure way. It was not our doing good deeds/actions [that caused him to do this for us—something] that we did not deserve. Instead, before (time began/he created the world) he purposed/planned to [be kind to us] as a result of what Christ Jesus [would do for us]. (aiōnios g166)

10 And this has now been made manifest by the illumination of our Savior Jesus Christ, who certainly has destroyed death, and who has also illuminated life and incorruption through the Gospel.

Now, as a result of our Savior Christ Jesus having come, it has been revealed {he has shown} [that he acts kindly toward us. Specifically, Christ Jesus] has declared that we [will not remain dead after we] die! He has also revealed that, as a result of [our hearing and accepting] the message [about Christ, we] will live [forever in bodies that will] not decay!

11 Of this Gospel, I have been appointed a preacher, and an Apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles.

I was chosen {Christ chose me} to go as an apostle to many places and proclaim that message to people.

12 For this reason, I also suffer these things. But I am not confounded. For I know in whom I have believed, and I am certain that he has the power to preserve what was entrusted to me, unto that day.

So, even though I suffer [here in this prison], I am not ashamed [of being here] (OR, I am very confident), because I know [Christ Jesus], the one whom I have trusted, and I am convinced/sure that he is able to keep safe the good message that he has entrusted to me (OR, the things that I have entrusted [to him]), and that he will reward me at the time [MTY] [when he comes again].

13 Hold to the kind of sound words that you have heard from me in the faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.

Be sure that you tell others the same correct message that you heard from me. [And as you tell it], keep trusting [in Christ Jesus] and keep loving [others] as Christ Jesus [enables you to do].

14 Guard the good entrusted to you through the Holy Spirit, who lives within us.

Do not let anyone persuade you to change the [good message that] God has entrusted/given to you. Allow the Holy Spirit who lives in us to [direct what you say].

15 Know this: that all those who are in Asia have turned away from me, among whom are Phigellus and Hermogenes.

You know that [almost] all [the believers] in Asia [province] have (turned away from/abandoned) me, including Phygelus and Hermogenes.

16 May the Lord have mercy on the house of Onesiphorus, because he has often refreshed me, and he has not been ashamed of my chains.

[But I pray that] the Lord will be kind to the family of Onesiphorus for the following reasons: Often he cheered me up and, [even though] I was a prisoner [MTY], he was not ashamed (of me/[to admit he was] my [friend]).

17 Instead, when he had arrived in Rome, he anxiously sought me and found me.

On the contrary, when he came here to Rome, he diligently searched for me until he found me.

18 May the Lord grant to him to obtain mercy from the Lord in that day. And you know well in how many ways he has ministered to me at Ephesus.

[I pray that] the Lord will be kind to him on that day [MTY] [when he, the Lord, will judge people]. And how much Onesiphorus served [me] in Ephesus [city], you know very well.