I am thankful to God, whom I serve, as my ancestors did, with a clear conscience, when I remember you, as I never fail to do, in my prayers--night and day alike,

as I think of your tears, longing to see you, that my happiness may be completed,

Do not, therefore, be ashamed of the testimony which we have to bear to our Lord, nor yet of me who am a prisoner for him; but join with me in suffering for the Good News, as far as God enables you.

It was God who saved us, and from him we received our solemn Call--not as a reward for anything that we had done, but in fulfillment of his own loving purpose. For that love was extended to us, through Christ Jesus, before time began,

Keep before you, as an example of sound teaching, all that you learnt from me as you listened with that faith and love which come from union with Christ Jesus.

Share hardships with me, as a true soldier of Christ Jesus.

Keep before your mind Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, a descendant of David, as told in the Good News entrusted to me;

in the service of which I am suffering hardships, even to being put in fetters as a criminal. But the Message of God is not fettered;

Remind people of all this; urge them solemnly, as in the sight of God, to avoid controversy, a useless thing and the ruin of those who listen to it.

They have gone completely astray as regards the Truth; they say that a resurrection has already taken place, and so upset some people's faith.

If, then, a man has escaped from the pollution of such errors as I have mentioned, he will be like a thing kept for better use, set apart, serviceable to its owner, ready for any good purpose.

and while they retain the outward form of religion, they will not allow it to influence them. Turn your back on such men as these.

Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so do these people, in their turn, oppose the Truth. Their minds are corrupted, and, as regards the Faith, they are utterly worthless.

They will not, however, make further progress; for their wicked folly will be plain to every one, just as that of Jannes and Jambres was.

as well as of my persecutions, and of the sufferings which I met with at Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra. You know what persecutions I underwent; and yet the Lord brought me safe out of all!

You, however, must stand by what you learnt and accepted as true. You know who they were from whom you learnt it;

As for me, my life blood is already being poured out; the time of my departure is close at hand.