2 Timothy 1

1 [I], Paul, [am writing this letter. I am] an apostle whom Christ Jesus chose so that I would do what God wanted. He chose me [to tell people that God] has promised [that they will] live [eternally] as a result of their having a close relationship with Christ Jesus.

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

2 [I am writing to you], Timothy, whom I love [as if you were] my own son. [I pray that] God our Father and Christ Jesus our Lord will [continue to act] kindly to you, be merciful to you, and [cause you to have] inner peace,

to Timothy, my beloved child: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

3 I thank God [for all that he has done for you]. I serve him, and my ancestors [served him, too. I serve him] in a manner that I know to be right. [I thank him] while repeatedly I [pray for you] at night and during the day.

I thank God, whom I serve as my forefathers did, with a pure conscience. How unceasing is my memory of you in my petitions, night and day

4 [While I am thanking God for you], I very much want to see you because I remember how you cried [MTY] [when we separated. I want to see you] in order that I may be (filled with joy/very happy).

longing to see you, remembering your tears, that I may be filled with joy;

5 [I thank God because] I remember that you sincerely believe [in Christ Jesus]. First, your grandmother, Lois, and your mother, Eunice, [believed in him and], I am (convinced/very sure) that you also believe in him.

having been reminded of the sincere faith that is in you, which lived first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, in you also.

6 Because [I am sure that you believe in him], I remind you to do fervently/wholeheartedly [MET] what God has (assigned for/appointed) you to do and what he has enabled you to do. [God] ([assigned for/appointed]) you to do it as a result of my putting my hands [on you to show/indicate that he had chosen you to do his work].

For this cause, I remind you that you should stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands.

7 Remember that God has put [his Spirit] within us. [His Spirit does not cause us to be] afraid. Instead, [he causes us to be] powerful [to work for God], and he helps us to love [others] and [to] control what we say and do.

For God didn’t give us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control.

8 So never be ashamed/reluctant to tell others the message about our Lord. And do not [be ashamed] of me, [even though I am] a prisoner [because I preach about] him. Instead, [be willing to] suffer as I do as you proclaim the message about Christ. [Endure what you will suffer] by letting God empower [you to endure it].

Therefore don’t be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner; but endure hardship for the Good News according to the power of God,

9 [God] saved us and chose us to conduct our lives in a pure way. It was not our doing good deeds/actions [that caused him to do this for us—something] that we did not deserve. Instead, before (time began/he created the world) he purposed/planned to [be kind to us] as a result of what Christ Jesus [would do for us]. (aiōnios g166)

who saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given to us in Christ Jesus before times eternal, (aiōnios g166)

10 Now, as a result of our Savior Christ Jesus having come, it has been revealed {he has shown} [that he acts kindly toward us. Specifically, Christ Jesus] has declared that we [will not remain dead after we] die! He has also revealed that, as a result of [our hearing and accepting] the message [about Christ, we] will live [forever in bodies that will] not decay!

but has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who abolished death, and brought life and immortality to light through the Good News.

11 I was chosen {Christ chose me} to go as an apostle to many places and proclaim that message to people.

For this I was appointed as a preacher, an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles.

12 So, even though I suffer [here in this prison], I am not ashamed [of being here] (OR, I am very confident), because I know [Christ Jesus], the one whom I have trusted, and I am convinced/sure that he is able to keep safe the good message that he has entrusted to me (OR, the things that I have entrusted [to him]), and that he will reward me at the time [MTY] [when he comes again].

For this cause I also suffer these things. Yet I am not ashamed, for I know him whom I have believed, and I am persuaded that he is able to guard that which I have committed to him against that day.

13 Be sure that you tell others the same correct message that you heard from me. [And as you tell it], keep trusting [in Christ Jesus] and keep loving [others] as Christ Jesus [enables you to do].

Hold the pattern of sound words which you have heard from me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.

14 Do not let anyone persuade you to change the [good message that] God has entrusted/given to you. Allow the Holy Spirit who lives in us to [direct what you say].

That good thing which was committed to you, guard through the Holy Spirit who dwells in us.

15 You know that [almost] all [the believers] in Asia [province] have (turned away from/abandoned) me, including Phygelus and Hermogenes.

This you know, that all who are in Asia turned away from me, of whom are Phygelus and Hermogenes.

16 [But I pray that] the Lord will be kind to the family of Onesiphorus for the following reasons: Often he cheered me up and, [even though] I was a prisoner [MTY], he was not ashamed (of me/[to admit he was] my [friend]).

May the Lord grant mercy to the house of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain,

17 On the contrary, when he came here to Rome, he diligently searched for me until he found me.

but when he was in Rome, he sought me diligently and found me

18 [I pray that] the Lord will be kind to him on that day [MTY] [when he, the Lord, will judge people]. And how much Onesiphorus served [me] in Ephesus [city], you know very well.

(the Lord grant to him to find the Lord’s mercy in that day); and in how many things he served at Ephesus, you know very well.