Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by God’s will, for the promise of life in Christ Jesus:

For God has not given us a spirit of fearfulness, but one of power, love, and sound judgment.

So don’t be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, or of me His prisoner. Instead, share in suffering for the gospel, relying on the power of God.

For this gospel I was appointed a herald, apostle, and teacher,

On the contrary, when he was in Rome, he diligently searched for me and found me.

Consider what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything.

I suffer for it to the point of being bound like a criminal, but God’s message is not bound.

This is why I endure all things for the elect: so that they also may obtain salvation, which is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory.

This saying is trustworthy:

For if we have died with Him,
we will also live with Him;

if we are faithless, He remains faithful,
for He cannot deny Himself.

But avoid irreverent, empty speech, for this will produce an even greater measure of godlessness.

Now in a large house there are not only gold and silver bowls, but also those of wood and clay, some for honorable use, some for dishonorable.

So if anyone purifies himself from anything dishonorable, he will be a special instrument, set apart, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work.

For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy,

unloving, irreconcilable, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, without love for what is good,

For among them are those who worm their way into households and capture idle women burdened down with sins, led along by a variety of passions,

But they will not make further progress, for their lack of understanding will be clear to all, as theirs was also.

But as for you, continue in what you have learned and firmly believed. You know those who taught you,

and you know that from childhood you have known the sacred Scriptures, which are able to give you wisdom for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.

All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness,

so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

For the time will come when they will not tolerate sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, will multiply teachers for themselves because they have an itch to hear something new.

But as for you, be serious about everything, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time for my departure is close.

There is reserved for me in the future the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on that day, and not only to me, but to all those who have loved His appearing.

for Demas has deserted me, because he loved this present world, and has gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia.

Only Luke is with me. Bring Mark with you, for he is useful to me in the ministry.

Watch out for him yourself because he strongly opposed our words.