2 Letter to Timothy
Labor like a good soldier of Christ
2
1 You, my son, be strong with the grace you have in Christ Jesus. 2 Entrust to reliable people everything you have learned from me in the presence of many witnesses, that they may instruct others. 3 Labor like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. 
4 No soldier gets in volved in civilian trade; the soldier’s aim is to please his commanding officer. 5 No athlete is crowned un less he competes accord ing to the rules. 6 And again, the farmer who tills the land is the first to enjoy the fruits of the harvest. 7 Think over what I am telling you; the Lord will give you understanding in everything.
4 No soldier gets in volved in civilian trade; the soldier’s aim is to please his commanding officer. 5 No athlete is crowned un less he competes accord ing to the rules. 6 And again, the farmer who tills the land is the first to enjoy the fruits of the harvest. 7 Think over what I am telling you; the Lord will give you understanding in everything. 8 Remember Christ Jesus, risen from the dead, Jesus, son of David, as preached in my Gospel. 9 For this Gospel I labor and even wear chains like an evildoer, but the word of God is not chained. 10 And so I bear everything for the sake of the chosen peo ple, that they, too, may obtain the sal va tion given to us in Christ Jesus and share eternal glory. 11 This statement is true: 11 If we have died with him, we shall also live with him;
Do not fight over words
14 Remind your people of these things and urge them in the presence of God not to fight over words, which does no good, but only ruins those who listen. 15 Be for God an active and proved minister, a blameless worker correctly handling the word of truth. 16 Do not take part in useless con ver sations, alien to the faith. This leads to a greater impiety. 17 Such teach ing spreads like gangrene: I am thinking of Hyme neus and Philetus. 18 They strayed from the truth, holding that resurrection has already taken place; and with this they upset the faith of some. 19 But the solid foundations laid by God are not shaken; on them it is written: The Lord knows those who are his, and: Let him who confesses the name of the Lord turn away from evil. 20 In a large house we find not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay. Some are reserved for special uses, others, for ordinary ones. 21 All who clean themselves of what I speak of, will become a noble vessel, useful to the Lord, prepared for any holy purpose.
22 So shun the passions of youth and seek righteousness, faith, love and peace, together with those who call upon the Lord with a pure heart. 23 Avoid stupid and senseless discussions, since such are the cause of mis under stan d ing. 24 God’s servant must not be quarrelsome, but kind to all, always teaching and patient with those who do not understand, 25 gently correct opponents; perhaps God may grant them to repent and discover the truth, 26 withdrawing them from the snare of the devil who held them captive to his own will.
24 God’s servant must not be quarrelsome, but kind to all, always teaching and patient with those who do not understand, 25 gently correct opponents; perhaps God may grant them to repent and discover the truth, 26 withdrawing them from the snare of the devil who held them captive to his own will.