2 Timothy 4

Preach the Word

¹I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom:²preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.³For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions,⁴and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.⁵As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

⁶For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come.⁷I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.⁸Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.

Personal Instructions

⁹Do your best to come to me soon.¹⁰For Demas, in love with this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia.¹¹Luke alone is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is very useful to me for ministry.¹²Tychicus I have sent to Ephesus.¹³When you come, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas, also the books, and above all the parchments.¹⁴Alexander the coppersmith did me great harm; the Lord will repay him according to his deeds.¹⁵Beware of him yourself, for he strongly opposed our message.¹⁶At my first defense no one came to stand by me, but all deserted me. May it not be charged against them!¹⁷But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. So I was rescued from the lion's mouth.¹⁸The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and bring me safely into his heavenly kingdom. To him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

Final Greetings

¹⁹Greet Prisca and Aquila, and the household of Onesiphorus.²⁰Erastus remained at Corinth, and I left Trophimus, who was ill, at Miletus.²¹Do your best to come before winter. Eubulus sends greetings to you, as do Pudens and Linus and Claudia and all the brothers.

²²The Lord be with your spirit. Grace be with you.