2 Timothy 1

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

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,

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

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.

3 I give thanks to God, whom I serve as my forefathers did, with a pure conscience, having remembrance of thee continually in my prayers night and day;

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,

4 greatly desiring to see thee, (for I remember thy tears, ) that I may be filled with joy:

as I think of your tears, longing to see you, that my happiness may be completed,

5 keeping in memory the unfeigned faith, that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice: and I am persuaded that it dwells in thee also;

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.

6 for which cause I remind thee to stir up the gift of God which is in thee through the imposition of my hands.

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.

7 For God hath not given us a spirit of fearfulness, but of vigor, and of love, and of prudence.

For the Spirit which God gave us was not a spirit of cowardice, but a spirit of power, love, and self-control.

8 Be not therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but bear thy part in the afflictions of the gospel, according to the power of God;

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.

9 who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose, and grace bestowed upon us through Christ Jesus, before the world was, (aiōnios g166)

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 fulfillment of his own loving purpose. For that love was extended to us, through Christ Jesus, before time began, (aiōnios g166)

10 but now made manifest by the appearance of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and brought life and immortality to light by the gospel: for which I was appointed an herald,

and has now been made apparent through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus; who has made an end of death, and has brought life and immortality to light by that good news,

11 and an apostle, and a teacher of the gentiles:

of which I was myself appointed a herald, apostle, and teacher.

12 for which cause also I suffer these things; but I am not ashamed: for I know in whom I have trusted, and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him against that day.

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.

13 Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard from me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.

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.

14 The good thing committed to thee keep, through the Holy Spirit which dwelleth in us.

Guard by the help of the Holy Spirit, who is within us, the glorious trust that has been committed to you.

15 Thou knowest that all those of Asia are turned from me, of whom is Phygellus and Hermogenes.

You know, of course, that all our friends in Roman Asia turned their backs on me, including Phygellus and Hermogenes.

16 The Lord shew mercy to the family of Onesiphorus; for he often refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain: but when he was at Rome,

May the Lord show mercy to the household of Onesiphorus; for he often cheered me and was not ashamed of my chains.

17 he sought for me the more diligently, and found me.

On the contrary, when he arrived in Rome, he sought eagerly for me until he found me.

18 (The Lord grant that he may find mercy of the Lord in that day!) And how much he ministered to me at Ephesus too, thou knowest full well.

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.