| 1. | You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus, |
| 2. | and what you have heard from me before many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. |
| 3. | Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. |
| 4. | No soldier on service gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to satisfy the one who enlisted him. |
| 5. | An athlete is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules. |
| 6. | It is the hard-working farmer who ought to have the first share of the crops. |
| 7. | Think over what I say, for the Lord will grant you understanding in everything. |
| 8. | Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, descended from David, as preached in my gospel, |
| 9. | the gospel for which I am suffering and wearing fetters like a criminal. But the word of God is not fettered. |
| 10. | Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain salvation in Christ Jesus with its eternal glory. |
| 11. | The saying is sure: If we have died with him, we shall also live with him; |
| 12. | if we endure, we shall also reign with him; if we deny him, he also will deny us; |
| 13. | if we are faithless, he remains faithful -- for he cannot deny himself. |
| 14. | Remind them of this, and charge them before the Lord to avoid disputing about words, which does no good, but only ruins the hearers. |
| 15. | Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth. |
| 16. | Avoid such godless chatter, for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness, |
| 17. | and their talk will eat its way like gangrene. Among them are Hymenae'us and Phile'tus, |
| 18. | who have swerved from the truth by holding that the resurrection is past already. They are upsetting the faith of some. |
| 19. | But God's firm foundation stands, bearing this seal: "The Lord knows those who are his," and, "Let every one who names the name of the Lord depart from iniquity." |
| 20. | In a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver but also of wood and earthenware, and some for noble use, some for ignoble. |
| 21. | If any one purifies himself from what is ignoble, then he will be a vessel for noble use, consecrated and useful to the master of the house, ready for any good work. |
| 22. | So shun youthful passions and aim at righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call upon the Lord from a pure heart. |
| 23. | Have nothing to do with stupid, senseless controversies; you know that they breed quarrels. |
| 24. | And the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but kindly to every one, an apt teacher, forbearing, |
| 25. | correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant that they will repent and come to know the truth, |
| 26. | and they may escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will. |
