1 Paul an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God in the service of the Life he has promised in Christ Jesus ??2 to his beloved son Timotheus: grace, mercy, peace, from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
3 I render thanks to God, the God of my fathers whom I worship with a pure conscience, as I mention you constantly in my prayers. 4 When I recall the tears you shed when we parted, I long by night and day to see you again. That would fill me with joy, 5 for I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, as it dwells (I feel sure) in yourself.
6 Hence I would remind you to rekindle the divine gift which you received when my hands were laid upon you; 7 for God has not given us a timid spirit but a spirit of power and love and discipline.
8 So do not be ashamed to testify to our Lord, and do not be ashamed of a prisoner of the Lord like me; join me in bearing suffering for the gospel by the power of the God
9 who has saved us and called us to a life of consecration ??not for anything we have done but because he chose to do it himself, by the grace which he gave us ages ago in Christ Jesus 10 and has now revealed in the appearance of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who has put down death and brought life and immortality to light by the gospel.
11 Of that gospel I have been appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher, 12 and this is why I am suffering. Still, I am not ashamed of it; I know whom I have trusted and I am certain he is able to keep what I have put into his hands till the great Day.
13 Model yourself on the sound instruction you have had from me in the faith and love of Christ Jesus. 14 Keep the great securities of your faith intact, by aid of the holy Spirit that dwells within us. 15 You are aware that all the Asiatics have discarded me, including Phygelus and Hermogenes. 16 May the Lord show favour to the household of Onesiphorus, for many a time he braced me up; he was not ashamed of my imprisonment ??17 no, he made eager search for me when he reached Rome, and he found me 18 (may he find favour with the Lord on the great Day! The Lord grant it!). And you know very well what a help he was to me in Ephesus.