Paul, an Apostle of Christ Jesus, by the will of God, for proclaiming the promise of the Life which is in Christ Jesus:

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

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

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.

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.

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.

The harvestman who labours in the field must be the first to get a share of the crop.

If therefore a man keeps himself clear of these latter, he himself will be for specially honourable use, consecrated, fit for the Master's service, and fully equipped for every good work.

and a bondservant of the Lord must not quarrel, but must be inoffensive towards all men, a skilful teacher, and patient under wrongs.

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

But of this be assured: in the last days grievous times will set in.

For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, haughty, profane. They will be disobedient to parents, thankless, irreligious,

destitute of natural affection, unforgiving, slanderers. They will have no self-control, but will be brutal, opposed to goodness,

Among them are included the men who make their way into private houses and carry off weak women as their prisoners--women who, weighed down by the burden of their sins, are led by ever-changing caprice,

But they will have no further success; for their folly will be as clearly manifest to all men, as that of the opponents of Moses came to be.

And indeed every one who is determined to live a godly life as a follower of Christ Jesus will be persecuted.

Every Scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for convincing, for correction of error, and for instruction in right doing;

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

I solemnly implore you, in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus who is about to judge the living and the dead, and by His Appearing and His Kingship:

proclaim God's message, be zealous in season and out of season; convince, rebuke, encourage, with the utmost patience as a teacher.

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.

The Lord be with your spirit. Grace be with you all.