1 S o you, my son, be strong (strengthened inwardly) in the grace (spiritual blessing) that is in Christ Jesus.

Thou, therefore, my child, be strong in the grace that in Christ Jesus,

2 A nd the which you have heard from me along with many witnesses, transmit and entrust to reliable and faithful men who will be competent and qualified to teach others also.

and the things that thou didst hear from me through many witnesses, these things be committing to stedfast men, who shall be sufficient also others to teach;

3 T ake your share of the hardships and suffering as a good (first-class) soldier of Christ Jesus.

thou, therefore, suffer evil as a good soldier of Jesus Christ;

4 N o soldier when in service gets entangled in the enterprises of life; his aim is to satisfy and please the one who enlisted him.

no one serving as a soldier did entangle himself with the affairs of life, that him who did enlist him he may please;

5 A nd if anyone enters competitive games, he is not crowned unless he competes lawfully (fairly, according to the rules laid down).

and if also any one may strive, he is not crowned, except he may strive lawfully;

6 t he hard-working farmer who must be the first partaker of the fruits.

the labouring husbandman it behoveth first of the fruits to partake;

7 T hink over these things I am saying, for the Lord will grant you full insight and understanding in everything.

be considering what things I say, for the Lord give to thee understanding in all things.

8 C onstantly keep in mind Jesus Christ (the Messiah) risen from the dead, descended from David, according to the good news (the Gospel) that I preach.

Remember Jesus Christ, raised out of the dead, of the seed of David, according to my good news,

9 F or that I am suffering affliction and even wearing chains like a criminal. But the Word of God is not chained or imprisoned!

in which I suffer evil -- unto bonds, as an evil-doer, but the word of God hath not been bound;

10 T herefore I persevere and stand my ground with patience and endure everything for the sake of the elect, so that they too may obtain salvation which is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory.

because of this all things do I endure, because of the choice ones, that they also salvation may obtain that in Christ Jesus, with glory age-during.

11 T he saying is sure and worthy of confidence: If we have died with Him, we shall also live with Him.

Stedfast the word: For if we died together -- we also shall live together;

12 I f we endure, we shall also reign with Him. If we deny and disown and reject Him, He will also deny and disown and reject us.

if we do endure together -- we shall also reign together; if we deny, he also shall deny us;

13 I f we are faithless, He remains true (faithful to His Word and His righteous character), for He cannot deny Himself.

if we are not stedfast, he remaineth stedfast; to deny himself he is not able.

14 R emind of these facts and charge them in the presence of the Lord to avoid petty controversy over words, which does no good but upsets and undermines the faith of the hearers.

These things remind of, testifying fully before the Lord -- not to strive about words to nothing profitable, but to the subversion of those hearing;

15 S tudy and be eager and do your utmost to present yourself to God approved (tested by trial), a workman who has no cause to be ashamed, correctly analyzing and accurately dividing the Word of Truth.

be diligent to present thyself approved to God -- a workman irreproachable, rightly dividing the word of the truth;

16 B ut avoid all empty (vain, useless, idle) talk, for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness.

and the profane vain talkings stand aloof from, for to more impiety they will advance,

17 A nd their teaching will eat its way like cancer or spread like gangrene. So it is with Hymenaeus and Philetus,

and their word as a gangrene will have pasture, of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus,

18 W ho have missed the mark and swerved from the truth by arguing that the resurrection has already taken place. They are undermining the faith of some.

who concerning the truth did swerve, saying the rising again to have already been, and do overthrow the faith of some;

19 B ut the firm foundation of (laid by) God stands, sure and unshaken, bearing this seal (inscription): The Lord knows those who are His, and, Let everyone who names the name of the Lord give up all iniquity and stand aloof from it.

sure, nevertheless, hath the foundation of God stood, having this seal, `The Lord hath known those who are His,' and `Let him depart from unrighteousness -- every one who is naming the name of Christ.'

20 B ut in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and earthenware, and some for honorable and noble and some for menial and ignoble.

And in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth, and some to honour, and some to dishonour:

21 S o whoever cleanses himself will be a vessel set apart and useful for honorable and noble purposes, consecrated and profitable to the Master, fit and ready for any good work.

if, then, any one may cleanse himself from these, he shall be a vessel to honour, sanctified and profitable to the master -- to every good work having been prepared,

22 S hun youthful lusts and flee from them, and aim at and pursue righteousness (all that is virtuous and good, right living, conformity to the will of God in thought, word, and deed); faith, love, peace (harmony and concord with others) in fellowship with all, who call upon the Lord out of a pure heart.

and the youthful lusts flee thou, and pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace, with those calling upon the Lord out of a pure heart;

23 B ut refuse (shut your mind against, have nothing to do with) trifling (ill-informed, unedifying, stupid) controversies over ignorant questionings, for you know that they foster strife and breed quarrels.

and the foolish and uninstructed questions be avoiding, having known that they beget strife,

24 A nd the servant of the Lord must not be quarrelsome (fighting and contending). Instead, he must be kindly to everyone and mild-tempered; he must be a skilled and suitable teacher, patient and forbearing and willing to suffer wrong.

and a servant of the Lord it behoveth not to strive, but to be gentle unto all, apt to teach, patient under evil,

25 H e must correct his opponents with courtesy and gentleness, in the hope that God may grant that they will repent and come to know the Truth,

in meekness instructing those opposing -- if perhaps God may give to them repentance to an acknowledging of the truth,

26 A nd that they may come to their senses escape out of the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him, to do His will.

and they may awake out of the devil's snare, having been caught by him at his will.