For the Spirit God has given us is a spirit not of timidity but of power, love, and self-discipline.

So you must not be ashamed to testify to our Lord, nor be ashamed of me who am in prison for his sake, but join with me in suffering for the good news, through the power of God.

He saved us and called us to a consecrated life, not for anything we had done, but of his own accord and out of the mercy which he bestowed upon us ages ago through Christ Jesus,

This is why I am suffering as I am, but I am not ashamed of it, for I know whom I have trusted and I am sure that he is able to guard what I have intrusted to him for that Day.

for the sake of which I even suffer imprisonment as a criminal. But God's message is not imprisoned!

Do your best to win God's approval as a workman who has nothing to be ashamed of, but rightly shapes the message of truth.

In any large house there are not only gold and silver dishes but also wooden and earthen ones, some for great occasions and some for ordinary use.

So if a man will cleanse himself from these things, he will be put to great uses, consecrated and used by the master of the house himself, and ready for any good use.

and a slave of the Lord must not quarrel, but treat everyone kindly; he must be persuasive and unresentful,

keeping up the forms of religion, but resisting its influence. Avoid such people.

always ready to learn but never able to comprehend the truth.

But they will not make much progress, for everyone will perceive their folly, just as they did that of those others.

But you have closely followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness,

But everyone who wants to live a godly life as a follower of Christ Jesus will be persecuted,

and bad men and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving others and deceived themselves.

But you must stand by what you have learned and been convinced of, and remember from whom you learned it,

For a time will come when they will not listen to wholesome instruction, but will overwhelm themselves with teachers to suit their whims and tickle their fancies,

But you must always be composed; do not shrink from hardship; do your work as a missionary, and your whole duty as a minister.

Now the crown of uprightness awaits me, which the Lord, the upright judge, will award me on that Day, and not only me but also all who have loved and hoped for his appearing.

No one but Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is of great assistance to me,

But the Lord stood by me, and gave me strength, so that I might make a full presentation of the message and let all the heathen hear it. So I was saved from the jaws of the lion.