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.

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.

for God has not given us a timid spirit but a spirit of power and love and discipline.

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

for which I have to suffer imprisonment as if I were a criminal. (But there is no prison for the word of God.)

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.

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.

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.'

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.

he must be gentle in his admonitions to the opposition ??God may perhaps let them change their mind and admit the Truth;

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.

they will be treacherous, reckless and conceited, preferring pleasure to God ??5 for though they keep up a form of religion, they will have nothing to do with it as a force. Avoid all such.

Some of them worm their way into families and get hold of the women-folk who feel crushed by the burden of their sins ??wayward creatures of impulse,

However, they will get no further, for their aberration will be detected by everyone, as was the case with these magicians.

All scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for amendment, and for moral discipline,

to make the man of God proficient and equip him for good work of every kind.

In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus who will judge the living and the dead, in the light of his appearance and his reign,

I have fought in the good fight; I have run my course; I have kept the faith.

Now the crown of a good life awaits me, with which the Lord, that just Judge, will reward me on the great Day ??and not only me but all who have loved and longed for his appearance.

The first time I had to defend myself, I had no supporters; everyone deserted me. God grant it may not be brought up against them!