which some people have claimed [to have], and in doing so have strayed from the faith. May [God's] unearned favor be upon you.

Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, according to the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus,

To Timothy, my dearly beloved son: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

I thank God, whom I serve from my forefathers with pure conscience, that without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers night and day;

I remember your sincere and unqualified faith [the surrendering of your entire self to God in Christ with confident trust in His power, wisdom and goodness, a faith] which first lived in [the heart of] your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am confident that it is in you as well.

Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands.

For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God;

[It is] God who saved us and called us to live holy lives [or, "to be dedicated people"], not as a result of our [good] deeds, but in harmony with His own purpose and unearned favor. [This was] given to us through [the atoning work of] Christ Jesus, before the beginning of time. [Note: Salvation through Christ was planned before time began. See Titus 1:2; Rom. 16:25; Eph. 1:4].

and was made manifest now through the manifestation of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who indeed did abolish death, and did enlighten life and immortality through the good news,

Of this good news I have been appointed a preacher, an apostle, and a teacher.

That good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us.

Yes, when he got to Rome he took pains to look me up and finally found me.

Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.

And if a man takes part in a competition he does not get the crown if he has not kept the rules.

The hardworking farmer ought to be the first to get a share of the crops.

Remember Jesus Christ, raised out of the dead, of the seed of David, according to my good news,

Wherein I suffer trouble, as an evil doer, even unto bonds; but the word of God is not bound.

For this reason I [am ready to] patiently endure all things for the sake of those who are the elect (God’s chosen ones), so that they too may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus and with it the reward of eternal glory.

Remind the people of these facts, and solemnly charge them in the presence of God to avoid petty controversy over words, which does no good, and [upsets and undermines and] ruins [the faith of] those who listen.

Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

Avoid profane prattle. Those who indulge in it only get deeper into irreligious ways,

Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.

If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work.

Run away from youthful lusts—pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace with those [believers] who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;

and that they may come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will.

Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,

Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;

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,

But they will not get very far, for their meaningless nonsense and ignorance will become obvious to everyone, as was that of Jannes and Jambres.

But you took as your example my teaching, behaviour, purpose, and faith; my long waiting, my love, my quiet undergoing of trouble;

Yes, and all whose purpose is to be living in the knowledge of God in Christ Jesus, will be cruelly attacked.

and how from childhood you have known the sacred writings (Hebrew Scriptures) which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus [surrendering your entire self to Him and having absolute confidence in His wisdom, power and goodness].

All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;

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

For the time will come when they will not take the true teaching; but, moved by their desires, they will get for themselves a great number of teachers for the pleasure of hearing them;

And thou -- watch in all things; suffer evil; do the work of one proclaiming good news; of thy ministration make full assurance,

I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:

In the future there is reserved for me the [victor’s] crown of righteousness [for being right with God and doing right], which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that [great] day—and not to me only, but also to all those who have loved and longed for and welcomed His appearing.

Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is very helpful to me for the ministry.

The coat which I did not take from Troas and which is with Carpus, get when you come, and the books, specially the papers.

At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge.

Do your best to get here before winter. Eubulus wishes to be remembered to you, and so do Prudens, Linus, Claudia, and all the brothers.

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

Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God's elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness;

In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;

But hath in due times manifested his word through preaching, which is committed unto me according to the commandment of God our Saviour;

To Titus, mine own son after the common faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour.

Men having a good record, husbands of one wife, whose children are of the faith, children of whom it may not be said that they are given to loose living or are uncontrolled.

For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre;

But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate;

He must hold firmly to the trustworthy word [of God] as it was taught to him, so that he will be able both to give accurate instruction in sound [reliable, error-free] doctrine and to refute those who contradict [it by explaining their error].

They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.

That old men are to be simple in their tastes, serious, wise, true in faith, in love, and of a quiet mind.

The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things;

they must give good counsel, so that the young women may be trained to love their husbands and children,

To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.

The younger men exhort to be sober-minded; in every respect showing yourself an example of good works.

In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity,

Not purloining, but shewing all good fidelity; that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things.

For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,

Training us so that, turning away from evil and the desires of this world, we may be living wisely and uprightly in the knowledge of God in this present life;

Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;

Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work,

But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared,

He saved us, not because of any good deeds we ourselves had done, but because of His mercy. [He saved us] through the washing of new birth [Note: This refers to our immersion in water] and the renewing [work] of the Holy Spirit,

whom God poured out upon us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior.

[This was] so that, being made right with God by His unearned favor, we could have the hope of [possessing our] inheritance of never ending life [in heaven].

This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men.

And let ours also learn to maintain good works for necessary uses, that they be not unfruitful.

All who are with me greet you. Greet those who love us in the faith.

Grace be with all of you.

And to Apphia, our sister, and to Archippus, our brother in God's army, and to the church in your house:

Grace to you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

I thank my God, making mention of thee always in my prayers,

because I hear of your love and of your faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus and toward all the saints (God’s people).

That the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus.

For I have found great joy and comfort in your love, because the hearts of God's people have been, and are, refreshed through you, my brother.

whom I did wish to retain to myself, that in thy behalf he might minister to me in the bonds of the good news,

but I have wished to do nothing without thy mind, that thy good might not be as of necessity but of willingness:

For perhaps this is why he was separated from you for a brief time, so that you might get him back permanently,

So, brother, I would like to have your help in [the fellowship of] the Lord; cheer me up in Christ [i.e., by welcoming Onesimus back on good terms].

Please also get a lodging ready for me, for I hope that I shall be given back to you all in answer to your prayers.

along with [John] Mark [Note: This shows that Mark was now back in the good graces of Paul. See Acts 15:36-40], Aristarchus, Demas [Note: This man later deserted Paul. See II Tim. 4:10] and Luke, who are [also] my fellow-workers. [Note: These men, unlike Epaphras who was imprisoned with Paul, were free to minister for Christ there in Rome].

God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,

The Son is the radiance and only expression of the glory of [our awesome] God [reflecting God’s Shekinah glory, the Light-being, the brilliant light of the divine], and the exact representation and perfect imprint of His [Father’s] essence, and upholding and maintaining and propelling all things [the entire physical and spiritual universe] by His powerful word [carrying the universe along to its predetermined goal]. When He [Himself and no other] had [by offering Himself on the cross as a sacrifice for sin] accomplished purification from sins and established our freedom from guilt, He sat down [revealing His completed work] at the right hand of the Majesty on high [revealing His Divine authority],

For to which of the angels did the Father ever say,

“You are My Son,
Today I have begotten (fathered) You [established You as a Son, with kingly dignity]”?

And again [did He ever say to the angels],

“I shall be a Father to Him
And He shall be a Son to Me”?

And again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him.

And concerning the angels He says,

“Who makes His angels winds,
And His ministering servants flames of fire [to do His bidding].”

But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.

Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.

It is also of His Son that God says, "Thou, O Lord, in the beginning didst lay the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of Thy hands.

They will perish, but you continue! And they will all wear out like a coat,

And you will fold them up like a mantle, And change them as one changes his coat. But you are always the same, and your years will have no end!"

But which one of the angels did God ever say [this] about [Psa. 110:1], "You should sit at my right side until I put your enemies [in full subjection] beneath your feet"?

Are not all the angels ministering spirits sent out [by God] to serve (accompany, protect) those who will inherit salvation? [Of course they are!]

Because if the word which came through the angels was fixed, and in the past every evil act against God's orders was given its full punishment;