1 This letter is from me, Paul. God chose me to be an apostle of Christ Jesus. God sent me to tell people about the true life that he has promised us. We receive this life when we belong to Christ Jesus.
2 I am writing to you, Timothy. You are like my own child, and I love you very much. I pray that God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord will continue to help you and be kind to you. I pray that they will give you peace in your mind.
3 When I pray, at night and during the day, I always remember to pray for you. And I thank God for you. My grandfathers served God in the right way. They knew what was right or wrong. And they always tried to do what was right. And I serve God like that too.
4 I remember how you wept. I want to see you very much, so that I may be completely happy.
5 I remember how you really believe Christ. Your grandmother, Lois, and your mother, Eunice, believed Christ before you did. And I am sure that you really believe him also.
Remembrance of Timothy's Responsibility
6 For this reason, I want you to remember the gift that God gave you. He gave you that gift inside yourself when I put my hands on you. You must use that gift. You must make it grow stronger, like when a wind blows on a very small fire. The wind makes that small fire grow into a big fire.
7 Do this, because God has given us his Spirit. And his Spirit does not cause us to be afraid of things. Instead, he causes us to be powerful. He causes us to love God and other people. And he causes us to rule ourselves properly. [1]
8 So do not be ashamed of the message that we tell about our Lord. Neither be ashamed of me because I am in a prison. I am here because I serve Christ. Instead, be ready to have the same kind of trouble as I have. We have trouble because we tell people the good news about Christ. Let God make you strong when you have trouble.
9 God has saved us and he has chosen us to be his people. So, he wants us to be completely good and clean. He did not save us because of anything good that we have done. He did it because it was his own purpose. He did it because he is so very kind. He decided to be kind to us before time began. He decided to be kind by what Christ Jesus would do for us.
10 So now he has shown us how very kind he is. He has shown us because Christ Jesus has come. And it is Christ who saves us. He has destroyed death's power over us. And he has shown that we can live with God always. We can have bodies that never die. He has shown that also. He has shown this by the good news that he brought.
11 God has chosen me to tell this good news to people. He has sent me to be a special worker for Christ. He has chosen me to teach the Christian message to people.
12 That is why I have these troubles. But I am not ashamed, because I have believed in Christ. I know him. He can keep safe what I have given him to keep safe. I am completely sure about that. He can keep it safe until that great day. [2] [3]
13 You have heard true words from me. Let those words be an example to you when you teach. And continue to believe God. Continue also to love God and other people. You can do these things because you are united to Christ.
14 God has given you a good thing to keep safe, that is the true Christian message. You must not let anyone change it. God's Spirit, who lives in us, will help you to keep it safe.
15 You know that almost all the believers in Asia region have turned against me. They include Phygelus and Hermogenes. [4]
16 I pray that the Lord will be kind to Onesiphorus's family. He often helped me to be happier. He was not ashamed that I am in a prison.
17 But when he came to Rome, he looked for me. He looked carefully for me and he found me.
18 I pray that the Lord will choose to be kind to Onesiphorus on that great day. You know very well how much he did for me in Ephesus. [5]