1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, in accordance with the promise of the life that comes through union with Christ Jesus,
2 to my dearly loved child, Timothy: spiritual blessing, mercy, and peace be with you from God our Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
3 I thank God, whom I worship, as my forefathers did, with a clear conscience, as I ceaselessly remember you in my prayers. Because I remember the tears you shed for me, I am always longing night and day
4 to see you again, that I may feel the fullest joy
5 on being reminded of your genuine faith, a faith that first found a home in the heart of your grandmother Lois, then in the heart of your mother Eunice, and now in yours too, I am sure.
6 For this reason I now remind you to rekindle and keep burning the fire of the divine gift which came upon you when I laid my hands upon you.
7 For the Spirit that God has given us does not impart timidity but power and love and self-control.
8 So you must never be ashamed of me His prisoner, but suffer for the good news in fellowship with me and by the power of God.
9 For He saved us and called us with a holy call, not in accordance with anything that we had done, but in accordance with His own purpose and unmerited favor which was shown us through union with Christ Jesus eternal ages ago,
10 but has only recently been made known through the appearance of our Saviour Christ Jesus, who through the good news has put a stop to the power of death, and brought life and immortality to light.
11 Of this good news I have been appointed a preacher, an apostle, and a teacher.
12 This is why I am suffering so, but I am not ashamed of it, for I know whom I have trusted and I am absolutely sure that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day.
13 Continue to be an example in wholesome instructions which you learned from me, in the faith and love that come through union with Christ Jesus.
14 Guard this fine deposit of truth by the aid of the Holy Spirit who has His home in our hearts.
15 You know that everyone here who belongs to the Roman province of Asia has deserted me, including Phygelus and Hermogenes.
16 May the Lord show mercy to the family of Onesiphorus, because he often cheered me and was not ashamed of the chains I wore.
17 Yes, when he got to Rome he took pains to look me up and finally found me.
18 The Lord grant that he may find mercy at His hands on that day. And you very well know yourself how great were the services he rendered me at Ephesus.