2 Timothy 1

1 [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.

Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, according to the promise of life that is in Christ Jesus,

2 [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,

to dear son Timothy: Grace, mercy, peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

3 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.

I give thanks to God, whom I serve with a clear conscience like my forefathers did, as I constantly remember you in my prayers, night and day,

4 [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).

longing to see you (recalling your tears), that I may be filled with joy;

5 [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.

while I call to mind the unfeigned faith that is in you—it resided first in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, in you also.

6 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].

For this reason I am reminding you to rekindle the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands.

7 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.

Because God did not give us a spirit of cowardice, but of power and of love and of self-control.

8 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].

So do not be ashamed to identify with our Lord or with me His prisoner, but join in suffering for the Gospel according to the power of God

9 [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)

—the One who saved us and called us with a holy calling, not because of our works but because of His own purpose and grace, which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began, (aiōnios g166)

10 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!

but has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Jesus Christ, who by means of the Gospel destroyed the death and brought life and immortality to light;

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

to this Gospel I was appointed as a proclaimer, an apostle and a teacher of nations.

12 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].

That is why I am suffering these things, yet I am not ashamed because I know in whom I have believed and am certain that He is able to guard my deposit until that Day.

13 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].

Hold fast the standard of sound teaching that you heard from me, through the faith and love in Christ Jesus.

14 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].

Guard the good deposit by the Holy Spirit who dwells in us.

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

This you know, that all those in Asia have been turned away from me, including Phygellus and Hermogenes.

16 [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]).

May the Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, because he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chain;

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

rather, when he arrived in Rome he searched diligently for me until he found me

18 [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.

(may the Lord grant to him to find mercy from the Lord in that Day); you also know very well in how many ways he served in Ephesus.