Grateful, am I, unto God, - unto whom I am rendering divine service from my progenitors in a pure conscience, that, incessant, hold I the remembrance, concerning thee, in my supplications; day and night,

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

The Lord show mercy to the house hold of Onesiphorus; for many a time he refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain.

But from irreligious and frivolous talk hold aloof, for those who indulge in it will proceed from bad to worse in impiety,

holding to a form of [outward] godliness (religion), although they have denied its power [for their conduct nullifies their claim of faith]. Avoid such people and keep far away from them.

Some of them worm their way into families and get hold of the women-folk who feel crushed by the burden of their sins ??wayward creatures of impulse,

But as for you, continue in the things that you have learned and of which you are convinced [holding tightly to the truths], knowing from whom you learned them,

For the time will come when people will not tolerate sound doctrine and accurate instruction [that challenges them with God’s truth]; but wanting to have their ears tickled [with something pleasing], they will accumulate for themselves [many] teachers [one after another, chosen] to satisfy their own desires and to support the errors they hold,