^{1 Ref} Thou, therefore, my child, be strong in the grace that `is' in Christ Jesus,

^{2 Ref} and the things that thou didst hear from me through many witnesses, these things be committing to stedfast men, who shall be sufficient also others to teach;

^{3 Ref} thou, therefore, suffer evil as a good soldier of Jesus Christ;

^{4 Ref} no one serving as a soldier did entangle himself with the affairs of life, that him who did enlist him he may please;

^{5 Ref} and if also any one may strive, he is not crowned, except he may strive lawfully;

^{6 Ref} the labouring husbandman it behoveth first of the fruits to partake;

^{7 Ref} be considering what things I say, for the Lord give to thee understanding in all things.

^{8 Ref} Remember Jesus Christ, raised out of the dead, of the seed of David, according to my good news,

^{9 Ref} in which I suffer evil -- unto bonds, as an evil-doer, but the word of God hath not been bound;

^{10 Ref} because of this all things do I endure, because of the choice ones, that they also salvation may obtain that `is' in Christ Jesus, with glory age-during.

^{11 Ref} Stedfast `is' the word: For if we died together -- we also shall live together;

^{12 Ref} if we do endure together -- we shall also reign together; if we deny `him', he also shall deny us;

^{13 Ref} if we are not stedfast, he remaineth stedfast; to deny himself he is not able.

^{14 Ref} These things remind `them' of, testifying fully before the Lord -- not to strive about words to nothing profitable, but to the subversion of those hearing;

^{15 Ref} be diligent to present thyself approved to God -- a workman irreproachable, rightly dividing the word of the truth;

^{16 Ref} and the profane vain talkings stand aloof from, for to more impiety they will advance,

^{17 Ref} and their word as a gangrene will have pasture, of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus,

^{18 Ref} who concerning the truth did swerve, saying the rising again to have already been, and do overthrow the faith of some;

^{19 Ref} sure, nevertheless, hath the foundation of God stood, having this seal, `The Lord hath known those who are His,' and `Let him depart from unrighteousness -- every one who is naming the name of Christ.'

^{20 Ref} And in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth, and some to honour, and some to dishonour:

^{21 Ref} if, then, any one may cleanse himself from these, he shall be a vessel to honour, sanctified and profitable to the master -- to every good work having been prepared,

^{22 Ref} and the youthful lusts flee thou, and pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace, with those calling upon the Lord out of a pure heart;

^{23 Ref} and the foolish and uninstructed questions be avoiding, having known that they beget strife,

^{24 Ref} and a servant of the Lord it behoveth not to strive, but to be gentle unto all, apt to teach, patient under evil,

^{25 Ref} in meekness instructing those opposing -- if perhaps God may give to them repentance to an acknowledging of the truth,

^{26 Ref} and they may awake out of the devil's snare, having been caught by him at his will.

^{1 Ref} Thou therefore, my child, be strengthened in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.

^{2 Ref} 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 Ref} Suffer hardship with `me', as a good soldier of Christ Jesus.

^{4 Ref} No soldier on service entangleth himself in the affairs of `this' life; that he may please him who enrolled him as a soldier.

^{5 Ref} And if also a man contend in the games, he is not crowded, except he have contended lawfully.

^{6 Ref} The husbandmen that laboreth must be the first to partake of the fruits.

^{7 Ref} Consider what I say; for the Lord shall give thee understanding in all things.

^{8 Ref} Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, of the seed of David, according to my gospel:

^{9 Ref} wherein I suffer hardship unto bonds, as a malefactor; but the word of God is not bound.

^{10 Ref} 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 Ref} Faithful is the saying: For if we died with him, we shall also live with him:

^{12 Ref} if we endure, we shall also reign with him: if we shall deny him, he also will deny us:

^{13 Ref} if we are faithless, he abideth faithful; for he cannot deny himself.

^{14 Ref} 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 Ref} Give diligence to present thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, handling aright the word of truth.

^{16 Ref} But shun profane babblings: for they will proceed further in ungodliness,

^{17 Ref} and their word will eat as doth a gangrene: or whom is Hymenaeus an Philetus;

^{18 Ref} men who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already, and overthrow the faith of some.

^{19 Ref} 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 Ref} 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 Ref} 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 Ref} after righteousness, faith, love, pace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

^{23 Ref} But foolish and ignorant questionings refuse, knowing that they gender strifes.

^{24 Ref} And the Lord's servant must not strive, but be gentle towards all, apt to teach, forbearing,

^{25 Ref} in meekness correcting them that oppose themselves; if peradventure God may give them repentance unto the knowledge of the truth,

^{26 Ref} and they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him unto his will.

^{1 Ref} So then, my child, be strong in the grace which is in Christ Jesus.

^{2 Ref} And the things which I have said to you before a number of witnesses, give to those of the faith, so that they may be teachers of others.

^{3 Ref} Be ready to do without the comforts of life, as one of the army of Christ Jesus.

^{4 Ref} A fighting man, when he is with the army, keeps himself free from the business of this life so that he may be pleasing to him who has taken him into his army.

^{5 Ref} And if a man takes part in a competition he does not get the crown if he has not kept the rules.

^{6 Ref} It is right for the worker in the fields to be the first to take of the fruit.

^{7 Ref} Give thought to what I say; for the Lord will give you wisdom in all things.

^{8 Ref} Keep in mind Jesus Christ, of the seed of David, who came back from the dead, as my good news gives witness:

^{9 Ref} In which I put up with the hardest conditions, even prison chains, like one who has done a crime; but the word of God is not in chains.

^{10 Ref} But I undergo all things for the saints, so that they may have salvation in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.

^{11 Ref} This is a true saying: If we undergo death with him, then will we be living with him:

^{12 Ref} If we go on to the end, then we will be ruling with him: if we say we have no knowledge of him, then he will say he has no knowledge of us:

^{13 Ref} If we are without faith, still he keeps faith, for he will never be untrue to himself.

^{14 Ref} Put these things before them, giving them orders in the name of the Lord to keep themselves from fighting about words, which is of no profit, only causing error in their hearers.

^{15 Ref} Let it be your care to get the approval of God, as a workman who has no cause for shame, giving the true word in the right way.

^{16 Ref} But take no part in wrong and foolish talk, for those who do so will go farther into evil,

^{17 Ref} And their words will be like poisoned wounds in the flesh: such are Hymenaeus and Philetus;

^{18 Ref} Men whose ideas are all false, who say that the coming back from the dead has even now taken place, overturning the faith of some.

^{19 Ref} But God's strong base is unchanging, having this sign, The Lord has knowledge of those who are his: and, Let everyone by whom the name of the Lord is named be turned away from evil.

^{20 Ref} Now in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but others of wood and earth, and some which are honoured and some without honour.

^{21 Ref} If a man makes himself clean from these, he will be a vessel for honour, made holy, ready for the master's use, ready for every good work.

^{22 Ref} But keep yourself from those desires of the flesh which are strong when the body is young, and go after righteousness, faith, love, peace, with those whose prayers go up to the Lord from a clean heart.

^{23 Ref} And put away foolish and uncontrolled questionings, seeing that they are a cause of trouble.

^{24 Ref} For it is not right for the Lord's servant to make trouble, but he is to be gentle to all, ready in teaching, putting up with wrong,

^{25 Ref} Gently guiding those who go against the teaching; if by chance God may give them a change of heart and true knowledge,

^{26 Ref} And so they may get themselves free from the net of the Evil One, being made the prisoners of the Lord's servant, for the purpose of God.