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

For I recall the sincere faith which is in your heart--a faith which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and then in your mother Eunice, and, I am fully convinced, now dwells in you also.

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

For the Spirit which God has given us is not a spirit of cowardice, but one of power and of love and of sound judgement.

For He saved us and called us with a holy call, not in accordance with our desserts, but in accordance with His own purpose and the free grace which He bestowed on us in Christ Jesus before the commencement of the Ages,

but which has now been plainly revealed through the Appearing of our Saviour, Christ Jesus. He has put an end to death and has brought Life and Immortality to light through the Good News,

of which I have been appointed a preacher, Apostle and teacher, to the Gentiles.

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.

That precious treasure which is in your charge, guard through the Holy Spirit who has His home in our hearts.

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

Never forget that Jesus Christ has risen from among the dead and is a descendant of David, as is declared in the Good News which I preach.

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.

Bring all this to men's remembrances, solemnly charging them in the presence of God not to waste time in wrangling about mere words, a course which is altogether unprofitable and tends only to the ruin of the hearers.

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.

But you must cling to the things which you have learnt and have been taught to believe, knowing who your teachers were,

and that from infancy you have known the sacred writings which are able to make you wise to obtain salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.

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.

When you come, bring with you the cloak which I left behind at Troas at the house of Carpus, and the books, but especially the parchments.