Timothy Charged to Guard His Trust

1Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus [a]by the will of God, according to the promise of life in Christ Jesus,

2To Timothy, my beloved [b]son: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

3I thank God, whom I serve with a clear conscience [c]the way my forefathers did, as I constantly remember you in my [d]prayers night and day, 4longing to see you, even as I recall your tears, so that I may be filled with joy. 5[e]For I am mindful of the sincere faith within you, which first dwelled in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am sure that it is in you as well. 6For this reason I remind you to kindle afresh the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. 7For God has not given us a spirit of [f]timidity, but of power and love and [g]discipline.

8Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord or of me His prisoner, but join with me in suffering for the gospel according to the power of God, 9who saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace, which was granted to us in Christ Jesus from all eternity, 10but has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, 11for which I was appointed a preacher, an apostle, and a teacher. 12For this reason I also suffer these things; but I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that He is able to protect what I have entrusted to Him [h]until that day. 13Hold on to the example of sound words which you have heard from me, in the faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. 14Protect, through the Holy Spirit who dwells in us, the [i]treasure which has been entrusted to you.

15You are aware of the fact that all who are in [j]Asia turned away from me, among whom are Phygelus and Hermogenes. 16The Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my [k]chains; 17but when he was in Rome, he eagerly searched for me and found me— 18the Lord grant to him to find mercy from the Lord on that day—and you know very well what services he rendered at Ephesus.