To Timothy my dearly-loved child. May grace, mercy and peace be granted to you from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

Provide yourself with an outline of the sound teaching which you have heard from my lips, and be true to the faith and love which are in Christ Jesus.

Every one who serves as a soldier keeps himself from becoming entangled in the world's business--so that he may satisfy the officer who enlisted him.

Never forget that Jesus Christ has risen from among the dead and is a descendant of David, as is declared in the Good News which I preach.

But from irreligious and frivolous talk hold aloof, for those who indulge in it will proceed from bad to worse in impiety,

and recover sober-mindedness and freedom from the Devil's snare, though they are now entrapped by him to do his will.

and will keep up a make-believe of piety and yet live in defiance of its power. Turn away from people of this sort.

But bad men and impostors will go on from bad to worse, misleading and being misled.

and that from infancy you have known the sacred writings which are able to make you wise to obtain salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.

and will turn away from listening to the truth and will turn aside to fables.

From this time onward there is reserved for me the crown of righteousness which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me, but also to all who love the thought of His Appearing.

The Lord, however, stood by me and filled me with inward strength, that through me the Message might be fully proclaimed and that all the Gentiles might hear it; and I was rescued from the lion's jaws.

The Lord will deliver me from every cruel attack and will keep me safe in preparation for His heavenly Kingdom. To Him be the glory until the Ages of the Ages! Amen.