1 Now, my son, be strong in the grace of Christ Jesus,
2 and transmit the instructions I gave you in presence of many witnesses to trustworthy men, that they may be competent to teach others.
3 Join the ranks of those who bear suffering, like a loyal soldier of Christ Jesus.
4 No soldier gets entangled in civil pursuits; his aim is to satisfy his commander.
5 Again, a competitor in the games is not crowned unless he observes the rules.
6 The farmer who has done the work must have the first share of the fruit.
7 Think what I mean! The Lord will help you to understand perfectly.
8 Never forget "Jesus Christ risen from the dead, descended from David" ??that is my gospel,
9 for which I have to suffer imprisonment as if I were a criminal. (But there is no prison for the word of God.)
10 All I endure is for the sake of the elect, to let them obtain their share of the salvation of Christ Jesus and also of eternal glory.
11 It is a sure word, that "If we have died with him, we shall live with him,
12 if we endure, then we shall reign with him, if we disown him, then he shall disown us,
13 if we are faithless, he remains faithful" ??for he cannot be untrue to himself.
14 Remind men of this: adjure them before the Lord not to bandy arguments ??no good comes out of that, it only means the undoing of your audience.
15 Do your utmost to let God see that you at least are a sound workman, with no need to be ashamed of the way you handle the word of the Truth.
16 Avoid all that profane jargon, for it leads people still further into irreligion,
17 and their doctrine spreads like a gangrene. So it is with Hymenaeus and Philetus;
18 they have failed in the Truth by arguing that the resurrection has taken place already, and they are undermining some people's faith.
19 But the solid foundation laid by God remains, and this is its inscription: the Lord knows who are his, and 'let everyone who names the name of the Lord give up evil.'
20 In any great house there are indeed vessels not only of gold and silver but also of wood and clay, some for noble, some for menial service.
21 If one will only keep clear of the latter, he will be put to noble use, he will be consecrated and useful to the Owner of the House, he will be set apart for good work of all kinds.
22 So shun the lusts of youth and aim at integrity, faith, love and peace, in the company of those who invoke the Lord out of a pure heart.
23 Shut your mind against foolish, popular controversy; be sure that only breeds strife.
24 And the Lord's servant must not be a man of strife; he must be kind to everybody, a skilled teacher, a man who will not resent injuries;
25 he must be gentle in his admonitions to the opposition ??God may perhaps let them change their mind and admit the Truth;
26 they may come to their senses again and escape the snare of the devil, as they are brought back to life by God to do his will.