HelpFinder Bible - Flipbook - Page 1468
2 T IMO T H Y 2
he found me. 18 May the Lord show him special
kindness on the day of Christ’s return. And you
know very well how helpful he was in Ephesus.
— promises —
from God
If you keep yourself pure,
you will be a special
utensil. . . . Your life will
be clean, and you will be
ready for the Master to use
you for every good work.
2 T I M OT H Y 2:2 1
A Good Soldier of Christ Jesus
Timothy, my dear son, be strong through
the grace that God gives you in Christ Jesus.
2 You have heard me teach things that have been
confirmed by many reliable witnesses. Now
teach these truths to other trustworthy people
who will be able to pass them on to others.
3 Endure suffering along with me, as a good
soldier of Christ Jesus. 4 Soldiers don’t get tied up
in the affairs of civilian life, for then they cannot please the officer who enlisted them. 5 And
athletes cannot win the prize unless they follow
the rules. 6 And hardworking farmers should be
the first to enjoy the fruit of their labor. 7 Think
about what I am saying. The Lord will help you
understand all these things.
8 Always remember that Jesus Christ, a descendant of King David, was raised from the
dead. This is the Good News I preach. 9 And because I preach this Good News, I am suffering
and have been chained like a criminal. But the
word of God cannot be chained. 10 So I am willing to endure anything if it will bring salvation
and eternal glory in Christ Jesus to those God
has chosen.
11 This is a trustworthy saying:
2
12
13
If we die with him,
we will also live with him.
If we endure hardship,
we will reign with him.
If we deny him,
he will deny us.
If we are unfaithful,
he remains faithful,
for he cannot deny who he is.
14 Remind everyone about these things, and
command them in God’s presence to stop fighting over words. Such arguments are useless,
and they can ruin those who hear them.
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An Approved Worker
15 Work hard so you can present yourself to God
and receive his approval. Be a good worker, one
who does not need to be ashamed and who
correctly explains the word of truth. 16 Avoid
worthless, foolish talk that only leads to more
godless behavior. 17 This kind of talk spreads like
cancer,* as in the case of Hymenaeus and Philetus. 18 They have left the path of truth, claiming
that the resurrection of the dead has already
occurred; in this way, they have turned some
people away from the faith.
19 But God’s truth stands firm like a foundation stone with this inscription: “The Lord
knows those who are his,”* and “All who belong
to the Lord must turn away from evil.”*
20 In a wealthy home some utensils are made
of gold and silver, and some are made of wood
and clay. The expensive utensils are used for
special occasions, and the cheap ones are for
everyday use. 21 If you keep yourself pure, you
will be a special utensil for honorable use. Your
life will be clean, and you will be ready for the
Master to use you for every good work.
22 Run from anything that stimulates youthful lusts. Instead, pursue righteous living,
faithfulness, love, and peace. Enjoy the
companionship of those who call on the Lord
with pure hearts.
23 Again I say, don’t get involved in foolish,
ignorant arguments that only start fights. 24 A
servant of the Lord must not quarrel but must
be kind to everyone, be able to teach, and be
patient with difficult people. 25 Gently instruct
those who oppose the truth. Perhaps God will
change those people’s hearts, and they will
learn the truth. 26 Then they will come to their
senses and escape from the devil’s trap. For
they have been held captive by him to do whatever he wants.
The Dangers of the Last Days
You should know this, Timothy, that in the
last days there will be very difficult times.
2 For people will love only themselves and their
money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and
ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred.
3 They will be unloving and unforgiving; they
will slander others and have no self-control.
They will be cruel and hate what is good. 4 They
will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed
up with pride, and love pleasure rather than
God. 5 They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay
away from people like that!
6 They are the kind who work their way into
people’s homes and win the confidence of*
vulnerable women who are burdened with the
3
2:17 Greek gangrene. 2:19a Num 16:5. 2:19b See Isa 52:11.
3:6 Greek and take captive.