To The Word – Day 176

₁From Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by God's will, sent to proclaim the promised life which we have in union with Christ Jesus —

₂To Timothy, my dear son:

May God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord give you grace, mercy, and peace.

₃I give thanks to God, whom I serve with a clear conscience, as my ancestors did. I thank him as I remember you always in my prayers night and day. ₄I remember your tears, and I want to see you very much, so that I may be filled with joy. ₅I remember the sincere faith you have, the kind of faith that your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice also had. I am sure that you have it also. ₆For this reason I remind you to keep alive the gift that God gave you when I laid my hands on you. ₇For the Spirit that God has given us does not make us timid; instead, his Spirit fills us with power, love, and self-control.

₈Do not be ashamed, then, of witnessing for our Lord; nor be ashamed of me, a prisoner for Christ's sake. Instead, take your part in suffering for the Good News, as God gives you the strength to do it. ₉He saved us and called us to be his own people, not because of what we have done, but because of his own purpose and grace. He gave us this grace by means of Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, ₁₀but now it has been revealed to us through the coming of our Saviour, Christ Jesus. He has ended the power of death and through the gospel has revealed immortal life.

₁₁God has appointed me as an apostle and teacher to proclaim the Good News, ₁₂and it is for this reason that I suffer these things. But I am still full of confidence, because I know whom I have trusted, and I am sure that he is able to keep safe until that Day what he has entrusted to me. ₁₃Hold firmly to the true words that I taught you, as the example for you to follow, and remain in the faith and love that are ours in union with Christ Jesus. ₁₄Through the power of the Holy Spirit, who lives in us, keep the good things that have been entrusted to you.

₁₅You know that everyone in the province of Asia, including Phygelus and Hermogenes, has deserted me. ₁₆May the Lord show mercy to the family of Onesiphorus, because he cheered me up many times. He was not ashamed that I am in prison, ₁₇but as soon as he arrived in Rome, he started looking for me until he found me. ₁₈May the Lord grant him his mercy on that Day! And you know very well how much he did for me in Ephesus.

₁As for you, my son, be strong through the grace that is ours in union with Christ Jesus. ₂Take the teachings that you heard me proclaim in the presence of many witnesses, and entrust them to reliable people, who will be able to teach others also.

₃Take your part in suffering, as a loyal soldier of Christ Jesus. ₄A soldier on active service wants to please his commanding officer and so does not get mixed up in the affairs of civilian life. ₅An athlete who runs in a race cannot win the prize unless he obeys the rules. ₆The farmer who has done the hard work should have the first share of the harvest. ₇Think about what I am saying, because the Lord will enable you to understand it all.

₈Remember Jesus Christ, who was raised from death, who was a descendant of David, as is taught in the Good News I preach. ₉Because I preach the Good News, I suffer and I am even chained like a criminal. But the word of God is not in chains, ₁₀and so I endure everything for the sake of God's chosen people, in order that they too may obtain the salvation that comes through Christ Jesus and brings eternal glory. ₁₁This is a true saying:

₁₄Remind your people of this, and give them a solemn warning in God's presence not to fight over words. It does no good, but only ruins the people who listen. ₁₅Do your best to win full approval in God's sight, as a worker who is not ashamed of his work, one who correctly teaches the message of God's truth. ₁₆Keep away from profane and foolish discussions, which only drive people further away from God. ₁₇Such teaching is like an open sore that eats away the flesh. Two men who have taught such things are Hymenaeus and Philetus. ₁₈They have left the way of truth and are upsetting the faith of some believers by saying that our resurrection has already taken place. ₁₉But the solid foundation that God has laid cannot be shaken; and on it are written these words: “The Lord knows those who are his” and “All who say that they belong to the Lord must turn away from wrongdoing.”

₂₀In a large house there are dishes and bowls of all kinds: some are made of silver and gold, others of wood and clay; some are for special occasions, others for ordinary use. ₂₁If anyone makes himself or herself clean from all those evil things, they will be used for special purposes, because they are dedicated and useful to their Master, ready to be used for every good deed. ₂₂Avoid the passions of youth, and strive for righteousness, faith, love, and peace, together with those who with a pure heart call out to the Lord for help. ₂₃But keep away from foolish and ignorant arguments; you know that they end up in quarrels. ₂₄As the Lord's servant, you must not quarrel. You must be kind towards all, a good and patient teacher, ₂₅gentle as you correct your opponents, for it may be that God will give them the opportunity to repent and come to know the truth. ₂₆And then they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the Devil, who had caught them and made them obey his will.

₁Remember that there will be difficult times in the last days. ₂People will be selfish, greedy, boastful, and conceited; they will be insulting, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, and irreligious; ₃they will be unkind, merciless, slanderers, violent, and fierce; they will hate the good; ₄they will be treacherous, reckless, and swollen with pride; they will love pleasure rather than God; ₅they will hold to the outward form of our religion, but reject its real power. Keep away from such people. ₆Some of them go into people's houses and gain control over weak women who are burdened by the guilt of their sins and driven by all kinds of desires, ₇women who are always trying to learn but who can never come to know the truth. ₈As Jannes and Jambres were opposed to Moses, so also these people are opposed to the truth — people whose minds do not function and who are failures in the faith. ₉But they will not get very far, because everyone will see how stupid they are. That is just what happened to Jannes and Jambres.

₁₀But you have followed my teaching, my conduct, and my purpose in life; you have observed my faith, my patience, my love, my endurance, ₁₁my persecutions, and my sufferings. You know all that happened to me in Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra, the terrible persecutions I endured! But the Lord rescued me from them all. ₁₂Everyone who wants to live a godly life in union with Christ Jesus will be persecuted; ₁₃and evil persons and impostors will keep on going from bad to worse, deceiving others and being deceived themselves. ₁₄But as for you, continue in the truths that you were taught and firmly believe. You know who your teachers were, ₁₅and you remember that ever since you were a child, you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. ₁₆All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching the truth, rebuking error, correcting faults, and giving instruction for right living, ₁₇so that the person who serves God may be fully qualified and equipped to do every kind of good deed.

₁In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and because he is coming to rule as King, I solemnly urge you ₂to preach the message, to insist upon proclaiming it (whether the time is right or not), to convince, reproach, and encourage, as you teach with all patience. ₃The time will come when people will not listen to sound doctrine, but will follow their own desires and will collect for themselves more and more teachers who will tell them what they are itching to hear. ₄They will turn away from listening to the truth and give their attention to legends. ₅But you must keep control of yourself in all circumstances; endure suffering, do the work of a preacher of the Good News, and perform your whole duty as a servant of God.

₆As for me, the hour has come for me to be sacrificed; the time is here for me to leave this life. ₇I have done my best in the race, I have run the full distance, and I have kept the faith. ₈And now there is waiting for me the victory prize of being put right with God, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on that Day — and not only to me, but to all those who wait with love for him to appear.

₉Do your best to come to me soon. ₁₀Demas fell in love with this present world and has deserted me, going off to Thessalonica. Crescens went to Galatia, and Titus to Dalmatia. ₁₁Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, because he can help me in the work. ₁₂I sent Tychicus to Ephesus. ₁₃When you come, bring my coat that I left in Troas with Carpus; bring the books too, and especially the ones made of parchment.

₁₄Alexander the metalworker did me much harm; the Lord will reward him according to what he has done. ₁₅Be on your guard against him yourself, because he was violently opposed to our message.

₁₆No one stood by me the first time I defended myself; all deserted me. May God not count it against them! ₁₇But the Lord stayed with me and gave me strength, so that I was able to proclaim the full message for all the Gentiles to hear; and I was rescued from being sentenced to death. ₁₈And the Lord will rescue me from all evil and take me safely into his heavenly Kingdom. To him be the glory for ever and ever! Amen.

₁₉I send greetings to Priscilla and Aquila and to the family of Onesiphorus. ₂₀Erastus stayed in Corinth, and I left Trophimus in Miletus, because he was ill. ₂₁Do your best to come before winter.

Eubulus, Pudens, Linus, and Claudia send their greetings, and so do all the other Christians.

₂₂The Lord be with your spirit.

God's grace be with you all.

₁If you have to choose between a good reputation and great wealth, choose a good reputation.

₂The rich and the poor have this in common: the LORD made them both.

₃Sensible people will see trouble coming and avoid it, but an unthinking person will walk right into it and regret it later.

₄Obey the LORD, be humble, and you will get riches, honour, and a long life.

₅If you love your life, stay away from the traps that catch the wicked along the way.

₆Teach children how they should live, and they will remember it all their lives.

₇Poor people are slaves of the rich. Borrow money and you are the lender's slave.

₈If you sow the seeds of injustice, disaster will spring up, and your oppression of others will end.

₉Be generous and share your food with the poor. You will be blessed for it.

₁₀Get rid of a conceited person, and then there will be no more arguments, quarrelling, or calling of names.

₁₁If you love purity of heart and graciousness of speech, the king will be your friend.

₁₂The LORD sees to it that truth is kept safe by disproving the words of liars.

₁₃Lazy people stay at home; they say a lion might get them if they go outside.

₁₄Adultery is a trap — it catches those with whom the LORD is angry.

₁₅Children just naturally do silly, careless things, but a good spanking will teach them how to behave.

₁₆If you make gifts to rich people or oppress the poor to get rich, you will become poor yourself.

₁₇Listen, and I will teach you what the wise have said. Study their teachings, ₁₈and you will be glad if you remember them and can quote them. ₁₉I want you to put your trust in the LORD; that is why I am going to tell them to you now. ₂₀I have written down thirty sayings for you. They contain knowledge and good advice, ₂₁and will teach you what the truth really is. Then when you are sent to find it out, you will bring back the right answer.

₂₂Don't take advantage of the poor just because you can; don't take advantage of those who stand helpless in court. ₂₃The LORD will argue their case for them and threaten the life of anyone who threatens theirs.

₂₄Don't make friends with people who have hot, violent tempers. ₂₅You might learn their habits and not be able to change.

₂₆Don't promise to be responsible for someone else's debts. ₂₇If you should be unable to pay, they will take away even your bed.

₂₈Never move an old boundary mark that your ancestors established.

₂₉Show me someone who does a good job, and I will show you someone who is better than most and worthy of the company of kings.