2 Timothy 1
1 From Paul who, by the will of God, is an apostle of Christ Jesus, charged to proclaim the life that comes from union with Christ Jesus,
This letter comes from Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus chosen by God, sent to tell about the promise of real life that is in Christ Jesus.
2 to Timothy, my dear child: may God, the Father, and Christ Jesus, our Lord, bless you, and be merciful to you, and give you peace.
I'm sending it to you Timothy, my dear son. May you have grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
3 I am thankful to God, whom I serve, as my ancestors did, with a clear conscience, when I remember you, as I never fail to do, in my prayers – night and day alike,
I'm always thinking of you and I'm so thankful to God, whom I serve as my ancestors did, with a clear conscience. I never forget to mention you in my prayers.
4 as I think of your tears, longing to see you, that my happiness may be completed,
I remember how you cried, and I so want to see you! That would make me really happy.
5 now that I have been reminded of the sincere faith that you have shown. That faith was seen first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and is now, I am convinced, in you also.
I keep in mind your sincere trust in God, the same trust that your grandmother Lois and mother Eunice also had—and I know that same trust continues in you.
6 And that is my reason for reminding you to stir into flame that gift of God, which is yours through your ordination at my hands.
That's why I want to remind you to revitalize God's gracious gift to you which you received when I placed my hands on you.
7 For the Spirit which God gave us was not a spirit of cowardice, but a spirit of power, love, and self-control.
God didn't give us a spirit that makes us fearful, but a spirit of power and love and good sense.
8 Do not, therefore, be ashamed of the testimony which we have to bear to our Lord, or of me imprisoned for his sake; but join with me in suffering for the good news, as far as God enables you.
So don't be ashamed to tell others about our Lord, or be ashamed of me. Instead be ready to share in suffering for the good news as God gives you strength.
9 It was God who saved us, and from him we received our solemn call – not as a reward for anything that we had done, but in fulfilment of his own loving purpose. For that love was extended to us, through Christ Jesus, before time began, (aiōnios g166)
He is the one who has saved us and called us to live a holy life—not through what we do, but by God's own plan and through his grace. (aiōnios g166)
10 and has now been made apparent through the appearing of our Saviour, Christ Jesus; who has made an end of death, and has brought life and immortality to light by that good news,
He gave this grace to us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, and is now revealed in the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus. He destroyed death, making life and immortality brilliantly clear through the good news.
11 of which I was myself appointed a herald, apostle, and teacher.
I was appointed speaker, apostle, and teacher of this good news.
12 That is why I am undergoing these sufferings; yet I feel no shame, for I know in whom I have put my faith, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until that day.
That's also the reason I'm suffering all this, but I'm not ashamed, because I know whom I've trusted. I'm confident that he can look after what I've entrusted to him until the Day he returns.
13 Keep before you, as an example of sound teaching, all that you learnt from me as you listened with that faith and love which come from union with Christ Jesus.
You should follow the model of good advice that you learned from me, with an attitude of trust and love in Christ Jesus.
14 Guard by the help of the Holy Spirit, who is within us, the glorious trust that has been committed to you.
Guard the truth that was entrusted to you through the Holy Spirit who lives in us.
15 You know, of course, that all our friends in Roman Asia turned their backs on me, including Phygellus and Hermogenes.
You already know that everyone from Asia has abandoned me, including Phygelus and Hermogenes.
16 May the Lord show mercy to the household of Onesiphorus; for he often cheered me and was not ashamed of my chains.
May the Lord be kind to the family of Onesiphorus, because he often took care of me and wasn't embarrassed about me being in prison.
17 On the contrary, when he arrived in Rome, he sought eagerly for me until he found me.
When he was in Rome, he took the trouble to search for me, and he found me.
18 The Lord grant that he may find mercy at the hands of the Lord on that day. The many services that he rendered at Ephesus you have the best means of knowing.
May the Lord grant him his blessing in the Day of Judgment. (Timothy, you're very much aware of how much Onesiphorus did for me when he was in Ephesus.)
