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

I thank God, whom I serve with a pure conscience--as my forefathers did--that night and day I unceasingly remember you in my prayers,

being always mindful of your tears, and longing to see you that I may be filled with joy.

For this reason let me remind you to rekindle God's gift which is yours through the laying on of my hands.

Do not be ashamed then to bear witness for our Lord and for me His prisoner; but rather share suffering with me in the service of the Good News, strengthened by the power of God.

That indeed is the reason why I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know in whom my trust reposes, and I am confident that He has it in His power to keep what I have entrusted to Him safe until that day.

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.

Of this you are aware, that all the Christians in Roman Asia have deserted me: and among them Phygelus and Hermogenes.

May the Lord show mercy to the household of Onesiphorus; for many a time he cheered me and he was not ashamed of my chain.

Nay, when he was here in Rome, he took great pains to inquire where I was living, and at last he found me.

And you yourself well know all the services which he rendered me in Ephesus.

You then, my child, must be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.

All that you have been taught by me in the hearing of many witnesses, you must hand on to trusty men who shall themselves, in turn, be competent to instruct others also.

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.

For this reason I endure all things for the sake of God's own people; so that they also may obtain salvation--even the salvation which is in Christ Jesus--and with it eternal glory.

But you have intimately known my teaching, life, aims, faith, patience, love, resignation,

and the persecutions and sufferings which I have endured; the things which happened to me in Antioch, Iconium and Lystra. You know the persecutions I endured, and how the Lord delivered me out of them all.

so that the man of God may himself be complete and may be perfectly equipped for every good work.

I for my part am like a drink-offering which is already being poured out; and the time for my departure is now close at hand.

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.

Make an effort to come to me speedily.

For Demas has deserted me--loving, as he does, the present age--and has gone to Thessalonica; Crescens has gone to Galatia, and Titus to Dalmatia.

Luke is the only friend I now have with me. Call for Mark on your way and bring him with you, for he is a great help to me in my ministry.

Alexander the metal-worker showed bitter hostility towards me: the Lord will requite him according to his doings.

At my first defence I had no one at my side, but all deserted me. May it not be laid to their charge.

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.

Erastus stayed in Corinth; Trophimus I left behind me at Miletus, ill.