2 Timothy 2
2
A Good Soldier of Christ Jesus
1You then, #See ch. 1:2 my child, #See Eph. 6:10be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus, 2and #ch. 1:13 what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses #1 Tim. 1:18 entrust to faithful men,#2:2 The Greek word anthropoi can refer to both men and women, depending on the context #[Titus 1:5]who will be able to teach others also. 3#ch. 1:8; 4:5 Share in suffering as #1 Tim. 1:18a good soldier of Christ Jesus. 4No soldier #2 Pet. 2:20gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him. 5#See 1 Cor. 9:25 An athlete is not #[ch. 4:8]crowned unless he competes according to the rules. 6It is #1 Cor. 9:10; [Heb. 6:7]the hard-working farmer who ought to have the first share of the crops. 7Think over what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything.
8Remember Jesus Christ, #1 Cor. 15:20 risen from the dead, the #See Matt. 1:1 offspring of David, #See Rom. 2:16as preached in my gospel, 9#ch. 1:8, 12 for which I am suffering, #See Phil. 1:7 bound with chains as a criminal. But #[ch. 4:17]; See Phil. 1:13the word of God is not bound! 10Therefore #Eph. 3:13; Col. 1:24; [1 Cor. 13:7] I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain #2 Cor. 1:6 the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with #1 Pet. 5:10eternal glory. 11The saying is #See 1 Tim. 1:15 trustworthy, for:
# [1 Thess. 5:10]; See Rom. 6:8 If we have died with him, we will also #Rev. 20:4live with him;
12 # [2 Thess. 1:4, 5]; See Rom. 8:17; Heb. 10:36; Rev. 20:4 if we endure, we will also reign with him;
# See Matt. 10:33 if we deny him, he also will deny us;
13 # See Rom. 3:3 if we are faithless, #See 1 Cor. 1:9 he remains faithful—
for #Num. 23:19; Titus 1:2he cannot deny himself.
A Worker Approved by God
14Remind them of these things, and #1 Tim. 5:21; 6:13 charge them before God#2:14 Some manuscripts the Lord #1 Tim. 6:4; [ver. 23] not to quarrel about words, #Titus 3:9which does no good, but only ruins the hearers. 15Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved,#2:15 That is, one approved after being tested a worker #[Phil. 1:20]who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth. 16But #Titus 3:9 avoid #1 Tim. 6:20irreverent babble, for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness, 17and their talk will spread like gangrene. Among them are #1 Tim. 1:20Hymenaeus and Philetus, 18who have swerved from the truth, #[1 Cor. 15:12]saying that the resurrection has already happened. They are upsetting the faith of some. 19But God’s firm foundation stands, bearing this seal: #Num. 16:5; Nah. 1:7; John 10:14, 27; [Luke 13:27]; See 1 Cor. 8:3 “The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Let everyone #Isa. 26:13who names the name of the Lord depart from iniquity.”
20Now in #See 1 Tim. 3:15 a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver but also of wood and clay, #Rom. 9:21some for honorable use, some for dishonorable. 21Therefore, #[Prov. 25:4; Isa. 52:11] if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable,#2:21 Greek from these things he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, #ch. 3:17; Titus 3:1; [1 Tim. 5:10]ready for every good work.
22So #1 Tim. 6:11 flee #[1 Tim. 4:12] youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with #Acts 7:59; 9:14 those who call on the Lord #1 Tim. 1:5from a pure heart. 23Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant #See 1 Tim. 6:4controversies; you know that they breed quarrels. 24And #[1 Tim. 3:3] the Lord’s servant#2:24 For the contextual rendering of the Greek word doulos, see Preface must not be quarrelsome but #1 Thess. 2:7 kind to everyone, #1 Tim. 3:2able to teach, patiently enduring evil, 25correcting his opponents #Gal. 6:1; Titus 3:2; [1 Tim. 6:11; 1 Pet. 3:15] with gentleness. God #Dan. 4:27; Acts 8:22; See Acts 5:31 may perhaps grant them repentance #See 1 Tim. 2:4leading to a knowledge of the truth, 26and they may come to their senses and escape from #1 Tim. 3:7the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.
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