Προς Τιμοθεον Β΄ 4

1 Διαμαρτύρομαι (οὖν *K*) (ἐγὼ *k*) ἐνώπιον τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ (τοῦ κυρίου *K*) Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ τοῦ μέλλοντος κρίνειν ζῶντας καὶ νεκρούς, (καὶ *N(K)O*) τὴν ἐπιφάνειαν αὐτοῦ καὶ τὴν βασιλείαν αὐτοῦ,

Christ Jesus [is going to come back and] judge those who are living [when he comes] and those who will have died. He will judge them [concerning what rewards they deserve, and] he will rule everyone. So, [knowing that] he and God are watching [everything that we do], I solemnly/earnestly command you

2 κήρυξον τὸν λόγον, ἐπίστηθι εὐκαίρως ἀκαίρως, ἔλεγξον, ἐπιτίμησον, παρακάλεσον ἐν πάσῃ μακροθυμίᾳ καὶ διδαχῇ.

that you proclaim the [true] message to people. Always be ready/prepared [to proclaim it], whether people want to hear it or not. [Some people are saying things that are not correct]; (refute their teaching/show why their teaching is wrong). Rebuke them when they are doing wrong. Tell them what they ought to do. Be very patient while you teach them.

3 ἔσται γὰρ καιρὸς ὅτε τῆς ὑγιαινούσης διδασκαλίας οὐκ ἀνέξονται, ἀλλὰ κατὰ τὰς ἰδίας (τὰς *k*) ἐπιθυμίας ἑαυτοῖς ἐπισωρεύσουσιν διδασκάλους κνηθόμενοι τὴν ἀκοήν·

[Do these things] because there will be a time when people will not listen to good teaching. Instead, they will bring in many teachers for themselves who will tell them just what they want to hear [IDM]. [The reason that they will bring in such teachers is] that they want to do the evil things that they desire.

4 καὶ ἀπὸ μὲν τῆς ἀληθείας τὴν ἀκοὴν ἀποστρέψουσιν, ἐπὶ δὲ τοὺς μύθους ἐκτραπήσονται.

That is, they will not listen to [MTY] what is true, but will listen instead to [strange] stories from our ancestors.

5 Σὺ δὲ νῆφε ἐν πᾶσιν, κακοπάθησον, ἔργον ποίησον εὐαγγελιστοῦ, τὴν διακονίαν σου πληροφόρησον.

[Furthermore, I command that] you always control what you think and do. [Be willing] to endure hardships/suffering. Your work should be telling people the message [about Christ Jesus]. As you serve [the Lord], do everything that [God has told] you to do.

6 Ἐγὼ γὰρ ἤδη σπένδομαι, καὶ ὁ καιρὸς τῆς ἀναλύσεώς (μου *N(k)O*) ἐφέστηκεν.

[Timothy, I say these things to] you because as for me, [it is as though] [MET] [they are now about to kill me. It is as though my blood will] be poured out {they will kill me} [as a sacrifice on the altar]; that is, [I know] that it is the time for me to die [EUP].

7 τὸν καλὸν (τὸν *k*) ἀγῶνα ἠγώνισμαι, τὸν δρόμον τετέλεκα, τὴν πίστιν τετήρηκα·

[And as to telling people the] good [message and defending it], I have (exerted myself thoroughly/done it with all my energy) [MET], [like a boxer does. As to doing] the work that God gave me to do, I have completed it, [like a runner who finishes] [MET] the race. [As to] what we believe, I (have been loyal to it/continue to believe it).

8 λοιπὸν ἀπόκειταί μοι ὁ τῆς δικαιοσύνης στέφανος ὃν ἀποδώσει μοι ὁ κύριος ἐν ἐκείνῃ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ, ὁ δίκαιος κριτής· οὐ μόνον δὲ ἐμοί, ἀλλὰ καὶ πᾶσιν τοῖς ἠγαπηκόσιν τὴν ἐπιφάνειαν αὐτοῦ.

[So, like people award] a prize [MET] [to the winner of a race], the Lord, who judges rightly, will give me a reward [because I have lived] righteously. He will give me that reward when [MTY] [he judges people]. And not only [will he reward] me, but he will also reward all those who very much want him to come back.

9 Σπούδασον ἐλθεῖν πρός με ταχέως.

(Do your best/Try hard) to come to me soon.

10 Δημᾶς γάρ με (ἐγκατέλιπεν *NK(o)*) ἀγαπήσας τὸν νῦν αἰῶνα καὶ ἐπορεύθη εἰς Θεσσαλονίκην· Κρήσκης εἰς Γαλατίαν, Τίτος εἰς Δαλματίαν· (aiōn g165)

[I say that] because Demas has left me. He wanted very much [the good things that he might enjoy] [MTY] in this world [right now], and so he went to Thessalonica [city]. Crescens [went to serve the Lord] in Galatia [province], and Titus went to Dalmatia [district]. (aiōn g165)

11 Λουκᾶς ἐστιν μόνος μετ᾽ ἐμοῦ. Μᾶρκον ἀναλαβὼν ἄγε μετὰ σεαυτοῦ· ἔστιν γάρ μοι εὔχρηστος εἰς διακονίαν.

Luke is the only one who is still with me [of those who were helping me. And when you come], bring Mark with you, because he is useful to help me in my work.

12 Τύχικον δὲ ἀπέστειλα εἰς Ἔφεσον.

Tychicus [cannot help me because] I sent him to Ephesus [city].

13 Τὸν φαιλόνην ὃν (ἀπέλιπον *NK(o)*) ἐν Τρῳάδι παρὰ Κάρπῳ, ἐρχόμενος φέρε καὶ τὰ βιβλία μάλιστα τὰς μεμβράνας.

And when you come, bring the coat that I left with Carpus in Troas [city]. Also, bring the books, but (most of all/especially) [I want] (the parchments/the animal skins) [on which important things are written].

14 Ἀλέξανδρος ὁ χαλκεὺς πολλά μοι κακὰ ἐνεδείξατο· (ἀποδώσει *N(k)O*) αὐτῷ ὁ κύριος κατὰ τὰ ἔργα αὐτοῦ·

Alexander, the man who makes things from metal, did many evil/harmful things to me. The Lord will punish him for what he did.

15 ὃν καὶ σὺ φυλάσσου· λίαν γὰρ (ἀντέστη *N(k)O*) τοῖς ἡμετέροις λόγοις.

So you, too, must beware of him. [He will try to destroy your work if he can], because he very much opposes the message that we [proclaim].

16 Ἐν τῇ πρώτῃ μου ἀπολογίᾳ οὐδείς μοι (παρεγένετο, *N(k)O*) ἀλλὰ πάντες με (ἐγκατέλιπον· *NK(o)*) μὴ αὐτοῖς λογισθείη.

When I first defended myself [in court here], no one came along [to help defend] me. Instead, they all left me. [I pray] that it will not be counted against {[God] will forgive} them [LIT] [for leaving me].

17 ὁ δὲ κύριός μοι παρέστη καὶ ἐνεδυνάμωσέν με, ἵνα δι᾽ ἐμοῦ τὸ κήρυγμα πληροφορηθῇ, καὶ (ἀκούσωσιν *N(k)O*) πάντα τὰ ἔθνη, καὶ ἐρρύσθην ἐκ στόματος λέοντος.

Nevertheless, the Lord was with me and strengthened me. He enabled me to fully preach the message, and all the non-Jewish people [in the court] (OR, people from many nations) heard it. And I was rescued [by the Lord] {[the Lord] rescued me} [from great danger, as if I were taken] [MET] out of a lion’s (OR, wild animal’s) mouth.

18 (καὶ *k*) ῥύσεταί με ὁ κύριος ἀπὸ παντὸς ἔργου πονηροῦ καὶ σώσει εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν αὐτοῦ τὴν ἐπουράνιον· ᾧ ἡ δόξα εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων, ἀμήν. (aiōn g165)

[Therefore, I am sure that] the Lord will rescue me from everything that is truly evil and will bring me safely to heaven, where he rules. Praise him forever! (Amen!/May it be so!) (aiōn g165)

19 Ἄσπασαι Πρίσκαν καὶ Ἀκύλαν καὶ τὸν Ὀνησιφόρου οἶκον.

Greet [for me] Priscilla and [her husband] Aquila and the family of Onesiphorus.

20 Ἔραστος ἔμεινεν ἐν Κορίνθῳ· Τρόφιμον δὲ (ἀπέλιπον *NK(o)*) ἐν Μιλήτῳ ἀσθενοῦντα.

Erastus stayed in Corinth [city]. Trophimus, I left in Miletus [city] because he was sick.

21 Σπούδασον πρὸ χειμῶνος ἐλθεῖν. Ἀσπάζεταί σε Εὔβουλος καὶ Πούδης καὶ Λίνος καὶ Κλαυδία καὶ οἱ ἀδελφοὶ πάντες.

(Do your best/Try hard) to come to me before (the stormy season/winter). Eubulus, Pudens, Linus, Claudia, and many other fellow believers [in this city] (send their greetings to/say that they are thinking affectionately about) you.

22 Ὁ κύριος (Ἰησοῦς Χριστὸς *K*) μετὰ τοῦ πνεύματός σου. ἡ χάρις μεθ᾽ ὑμῶν (ἀμήν. *KO*) (πρός Τιμόθεον δευτέρᾳ τῆς Ἐφεσίων ἐκκλησίας πρῶτον ἐπίσκοπον χειροτονηθέντα ἐγράφη ἀπό Ῥώμης ὅτε ἐκ δευτέρου παρέστη Παῦλος τῷ Καίσαρί Νέρωνι *K*)

[I pray that] the Lord will [help you in] your spirit, [Timothy, and] that [he] will act kindly toward all of you [believers who are there].