For it is God's will that you should be dedicated to Him, [that is], you should avoid sexual immorality.

and that [in this matter of sexual misconduct] no man shall transgress and defraud his brother because the Lord is the avenger in all these things, just as we have told you before and solemnly warned you.

For God did not call us to be morally impure, but to be dedicated to Him.

For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.

For we say this to you by the Lord’s [own] word, that we who are still alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will in no way precede [into His presence] those [believers] who have fallen asleep [in death].

Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.

Make sure that no one does anything wrong to someone who wrongs him, but always look for something good you can do for one another and for everyone.

A plain token of God's righteous judgement, I say, since it is a righteous thing for Him to requite with affliction those who are now afflicting you;

when He comes to be glorified in His saints on that day [that is, glorified through the changed lives of those who have accepted Him as Savior and have been set apart for His purpose], and to be marveled at among all who have believed, because our testimony to you was believed and trusted [and confirmed in your lives].

This is why we always pray for you also, so that our God will consider you worthy to be [i.e., to have been] called [into the kingdom] by Him, and will fulfill, by His power, every good purpose [or, "desire for goodness"] of yours and every act produced by [your] faith.

That the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and ye in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him,

and our gathering together unto him, That ye be not soon shaken in mind or terrified, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter, as from us, as if the day of the Lord were at hand.

who opposes and exalts himself above every one that is called God, or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, openly showing him self that he is God.

And you know what restrains him now [from being revealed]; it is so that he will be revealed at his own [appointed] time.

For the hidden power of lawlessness is already at work. However, the one who holds him back will do so until he is taken out of the way,

Then the lawless one [the Antichrist] will be revealed and the Lord Jesus will slay him with the breath of His mouth and bring him to an end by the appearance of His coming.

Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,

For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, If any will not work, neither let him eat.

Now such people we command and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and work quietly and earn their own food and other necessities [supporting themselves instead of depending on the hospitality of others].

And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed.

Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.

I thank him that enabled me, even Christ Jesus our Lord, for that he counted me faithful, appointing me to his'service;

even though I was formerly a blasphemer [of our Lord] and a persecutor [of His church] and a shameful and outrageous and violent aggressor [toward believers]. Yet I was shown mercy because I acted out of ignorance in unbelief.

Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.

and it behoveth him also to have a good testimony from those without, that he may not fall into reproach and a snare of the devil.

And confessedly great is the mystery of godliness, in him who was manifested in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen by angels, preached among the gentiles, believed on in the world, received up in glory.

for it is sanctified by God's word and freely addressing him.

It is for this that we labor and strive [often called to account], because we have fixed our [confident] hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe [in Him, recognize Him as the Son of God, and accept Him as Savior and Lord].

Rebuke not an elder, but intreat him as a father; and the younger men as brethren;

But if a man makes no provision for those dependent on him, and especially for his own family, he has disowned the faith and is behaving worse than an unbeliever.

and thus are guilty of breaking their first troth to Him.

I wish therefore the younger to marry, to bear children, to rule the house, to give no occasion to him opposing for reproach.

If any believing woman has [dependent] widows [in her household], she must assist them [according to her ability]; and the church must not be burdened [with them], so that it may assist those who are truly widows [those who are all alone and are dependent].

Do not be in a hurry to lay hands on anyone [i.e., to appoint them to office. See 4:14], and do not participate in the sins of other people. [Note: If Timothy failed to carefully determine the qualifications of a prospective elder before appointing him, it would make him partially responsible for any wrongdoing by that elder]. Keep yourself pure [i.e., of involvement in anyone's sins].

All who are under the yoke as bond-servants (slaves) are to regard their own masters as worthy of honor and respect so that the name of God and the teaching [about Him] will not be spoken against.

At the right time, he will make him known. God is the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords.

He alone possesses immortality [absolute exemption from death] and lives in unapproachable light, whom no man has ever seen or can see. To Him be honor and eternal power and dominion! Amen.

Do not, therefore, be ashamed of the testimony which we have to bear to our Lord, nor yet of me who am a prisoner for him; but join with me in suffering for the Good News, as far as God enables you.

It was God who saved us, and from him we received our solemn Call--not as a reward for anything that we had done, but in fulfillment of his own loving purpose. For that love was extended to us, through Christ Jesus, before time began,

For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.

The Lord grant unto him that he may find mercy of the Lord in that day: and in how many things he ministered unto me at Ephesus, thou knowest very well.

No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.

It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him:

If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us:

If we are faithless, He remains faithful [true to His word and His righteous character], for He cannot deny Himself.

sure, nevertheless, hath the foundation of God stood, having this seal, 'The Lord hath known those who are His,' and 'Let him depart from unrighteousness -- every one who is naming the name of Christ.'

If, therefore, any one will cleanse him self from these strifes about words, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified, highly useful to the master, prepared for every good work.

in gentleness correcting those who oppose him: perhaps God may give them repentance leading to a full knowledge of the truth,

And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.

to make the man of God proficient and equip him for good work of every kind.

Only Luke is with me. Take Mark, and bring him with thee: for he is profitable to me for the ministry.

Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil: the Lord reward him according to his works:

Be on guard against him yourself, because he vigorously opposed our message.

The Lord will rescue me from every evil assault, and He will bring me safely into His heavenly kingdom; to Him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

Erastus was stopping at Corinth; but Trophimus, when I last saw him was at Miletus, ill.

if any one be free from all charge against him, husband of one wife, having believing children not accused of excess or unruly.

For the overseer must be free from all charge against him as God's steward; not headstrong, not passionate, not disorderly through wine, not a striker, not seeking gain by base means;

holding to the faithful word which is according to the teaching, that he may be able to exhort in the sound doctrine, and to convict those who contradict him.

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

He gave Himself up for us, to buy us back from [enslavement to] all [kinds of] wickedness and to purify for Himself a group of people who belong to Him and who are eager to do good deeds.

and poured him out upon us, too, through Jesus the Messiah our Savior true.

After a first and second warning reject a divisive man [who promotes heresy and causes dissension—ban him from your fellowship and have nothing more to do with him],

You may be sure that a man of that kind is corrupt and sinful, for his own actions condemn him.

Yet the claims of love make me prefer to plead with you--yes, even me, Paul, though I am an ambassador for Christ Jesus and, now a prisoner for him as well.

Him who, at one time, was, unto thee, unserviceable, but, now, unto thee and unto me, serviceable;

Whom I have sent again: thou therefore receive him, that is, mine own bowels:

I would have chosen to keep him with me, so that he might minister to me on your behalf during my imprisonment for the gospel;

For perhaps he therefore departed for a season, that thou shouldest receive him for ever;

If thou count me therefore a partner, receive him as myself.

but in these days at the end he has spoken to us by a Son ??a Son whom he appointed heir of the universe, as it was by him that he created the world.

who is the radiance of his glory and the representation of his essence, sustaining all [things] by the word of power. [When he] had made purification for sins through him, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,

For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son?

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

But about the Son [the Father says to Him],

“Your throne, O God, is forever and ever,
And the scepter of [absolute] righteousness is the scepter of His kingdom.

Are not all angels spirits that serve Him--whom He sends out to render service for the benefit of those who, before long, will inherit salvation?

How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him;

while God corroborated their testimony with signs and wonders and a variety of miraculous powers, distributing the holy Spirit as it pleased him.

But one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man, that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man, that thou visitest him?

Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honour, and didst set him over the works of thy hands:

Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him.

But we behold him who hath been made a little lower than the angels, even Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that by the grace of God he should taste of death for every man .

For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.

For he who makes holy and those who are made holy are all of one family; and for this reason it is no shame for him to give them the name of brothers,

saying, 'I will declare Thy name to my brethren, in the midst of an assembly I will sing praise to Thee;' and again, 'I will be trusting on Him;'

And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, Behold I and the children which God hath given me.

Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;

For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham.

Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.

The fact that he himself suffered under temptation enables him to help those who are tempted.

Who was faithful to him that appointed him, as also Moses was faithful in all his house.

Moreover, Moses was faithful in all God's house as a servant in delivering the message given him to speak;

Take care, brothers and sisters, that there not be in any one of you a wicked, unbelieving heart [which refuses to trust and rely on the Lord, a heart] that turns away from the living God.

But continually encourage one another every day, as long as it is called “Today” [and there is an opportunity], so that none of you will be hardened [into settled rebellion] by the deceitfulness of sin [its cleverness, delusive glamour, and sophistication].

For we have become sharers with Christ, if we hold firmly onto the confidence [we had in Him] from the beginning until the end [of our lives].

As it is said, Today if you will let his voice come to your ears, be not hard of heart, as when you made him angry.

For who were they who heard and yet provoked Him [with rebellious acts]? Was it not all those who came out of Egypt led by Moses?

And to whom did he swear that they would never enter his rest? It was to those who disobeyed him, was it not?

So, as long as God's promise of entering into a state of rest with Him [still] remains, we should fear that someone among you will appear [in the end] to have fallen short of [attaining] it. [Note: In this section "entering into rest" refers to Israel entering Canaan (verses 6, 8) and to Christians entering heaven (verses 3, 9). The "Sabbath day rest" is represented as a type of both].

Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.