2 Timothy 2

1So you, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.

2Take the things you heard me teach in front of many witnesses, and pass them on to faithful people who will be able to teach others too.

3Share in the suffering, like a good soldier of Christ Jesus.

4No soldier on duty gets tangled up in everyday business, wanting instead to please the commanding officer.

5And an athlete is not given the prize without competing by the rules.

6The hardworking farmer should be the first to get a share of the crops.

7Think about what I am saying, and the Lord will help you understand it all.

8Remember Jesus Christ, raised from death, born from the family of David. This is the good news I preach,

9and because of it I am suffering, even chained up like a criminal. But God's word is not chained.

10So I put up with everything for the sake of God's chosen people, so that they too may be saved in Christ Jesus and share His glory forever.

11Here is a true saying: If we died with Him, we will also live with Him.

12If we keep going through hard times, we will also rule with Him. If we say we do not know Him, He will also say He does not know us.

13If we are not faithful, Christ stays faithful, because Christ cannot be untrue to Himself.

14Keep reminding people of these things. Warn them before God not to argue about words. Such arguing does no good; it only ruins those who listen.

15Do your best to be the kind of worker God can approve, one who has no reason to be ashamed and who cuts a straight path through the word of truth, teaching it accurately.

16Stay away from godless, empty talk, because those who do it will go further and further away from God.

17Their teaching will spread like a disease that eats the body. Two of them are Hymenaeus and Philetus,

18who have wandered away from the truth. They say that the resurrection has already happened, and they destroy the faith of some people.

19But God's solid foundation stands firm. It is marked with these words: The Lord knows those who are His, and: Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord must turn away from sin.

20In a large house there are not only things made of gold and silver, but also things made of wood and clay. Some are for special use, and some for ordinary use.

21Those who make themselves clean from what is wrong will be like the special dishes. They will be holy, useful to the Master, and ready to do any good work.

22So run away from the wrong desires of youth. Instead, go after right living, faith, love, and peace, together with those who call on the Lord with a pure heart.

23Do not have anything to do with foolish, ignorant arguments, because you know they only cause fights.

24The Lord's servant must not fight. Instead, that servant must be kind to everyone, able to teach, and patient.

25That servant must gently correct those who are against them. Maybe God will give them a change of heart, so that they come to know the truth,

26And so that they will wake up and escape the trap of the devil, who has caught them to do whatever he wants.