1Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God according to the promise of the life which is in Christ Jesus,

2To Timothy, my beloved child:

Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

Timothy the beloved

3I thank God whom I serve with a clear conscience, as did my fathers, when I remember you constantly in my prayers. 4As I remember your tears, I long night and day to see you, that I may be filled with joy. 51.5: Acts 16.1.I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lo'is and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you. 6Hence I remind you to rekindle the gift of God that is within you through the laying on of my hands; 7for God did not give us a spirit of timidity but a spirit of power and love and self-control.

8Do not be ashamed then of testifying to our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel in the power of God, 9who saved us and called us with a holy calling, not in virtue of our works but in virtue of his own purpose and the grace which he gave us in Christ Jesus ages ago, 10and now has manifested through the appearing of our Saviour Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. 11For this gospel I was appointed a preacher and apostle and teacher, 12and therefore I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am sure that he is able to guard until that Day what has been entrusted to me.1.12 Or what I have entrusted to him 13Follow the pattern of the sound words which you have heard from me, in the faith and love which are in Christ Jesus; 14guard the truth that has been entrusted to you by the Holy Spirit who dwells within us.

15You are aware that all who are in Asia turned away from me, and among them Phy'gelus and Hermog'enes. 16May the Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiph'orus, for he often refreshed me; he was not ashamed of my chains, 17but when he arrived in Rome he searched for me eagerly and found me — 18may the Lord grant him to find mercy from the Lord on that Day — and you well know all the service he rendered at Ephesus.