| Chapter 2 |
1 | Thou therefore, my child, be strengthened in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. |
2 | And the things which thou hast heard from me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also. |
3 | Suffer hardship with [me], as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. |
4 | No soldier on service entangleth himself in the affairs of [this] life; that he may please him who enrolled him as a soldier. |
5 | And if also a man contend in the games, he is not crowded, except he have contended lawfully. |
6 | The husbandmen that laboreth must be the first to partake of the fruits. |
7 | Consider what I say; for the Lord shall give thee understanding in all things. |
8 | Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, of the seed of David, according to my gospel: |
9 | wherein I suffer hardship unto bonds, as a malefactor; but the word of God is not bound. |
10 | Therefore I endure all things for the elect's sake, that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. |
11 | Faithful is the saying: For if we died with him, we shall also live with him: |
12 | if we endure, we shall also reign with him: if we shall deny him, he also will deny us: |
13 | if we are faithless, he abideth faithful; for he cannot deny himself. |
14 | Of these things put them in remembrance, charging [them] in the sight of the Lord, that they strive not about words, to no profit, to the subverting of them that hear. |
15 | Give diligence to present thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, handling aright the word of truth. |
16 | But shun profane babblings: for they will proceed further in ungodliness, |
17 | and their word will eat as doth a gangrene: or whom is Hymenaeus an Philetus; |
18 | men who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already, and overthrow the faith of some. |
19 | Howbeit the firm foundation of God standeth, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his: and, Let every one that nameth the name of the Lord depart from unrighteousness. |
20 | Now in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some unto honor, and some unto dishonor. |
21 | If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honor, sanctified, meet for the master's use, prepared unto every good work. |
22 | after righteousness, faith, love, pace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart. |
23 | But foolish and ignorant questionings refuse, knowing that they gender strifes. |
24 | And the Lord's servant must not strive, but be gentle towards all, apt to teach, forbearing, |
25 | in meekness correcting them that oppose themselves; if peradventure God may give them repentance unto the knowledge of the truth, |
26 | and they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him unto his will. |