1 ¶ Paul, apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, according to the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus,

Paul, an apostle (special messenger) of Christ Jesus by the will of God, according to the promise of life that is in Christ Jesus,

2 t o Timothy, dearly beloved son: Grace, mercy, and peace of God the Father and of Christ Jesus our Lord.

To Timothy, beloved child: Grace (favor and spiritual blessing), mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord!

3 I thank God, whom I serve from my forefathers with a pure conscience, that without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers night and day,

I thank God Whom I worship with a pure conscience, in the spirit of my fathers, when without ceasing I remember you night and day in my prayers,

4 g reatly desiring to see thee (being mindful of thy tears), that I may be filled with joy,

And when, as I recall your tears, I yearn to see you so that I may be filled with joy.

5 w hen I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois and thy mother Eunice, and I am persuaded that in thee also.

I am calling up memories of your sincere and unqualified faith (the leaning of your entire personality on God in Christ in absolute trust and confidence in His power, wisdom, and goodness), that first lived permanently in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am persuaded, in you also.

6 ¶ Therefore I admonish thee that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands.

That is why I would remind you to stir up (rekindle the embers of, fan the flame of, and keep burning) the gift of God, that is in you by means of the laying on of my hands '> with those of the elders at your ordination].

7 F or God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of strength and of love and of temperance.

For God did not give us a spirit of timidity (of cowardice, of craven and cringing and fawning fear), but of power and of love and of calm and well-balanced mind and discipline and self-control.

8 T herefore be not thou ashamed to give testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel by the power of God,

Do not blush or be ashamed then, to testify to and for our Lord, nor of me, a prisoner for His sake, but '> with me] take your share of the suffering of the Gospel in the power of God.

9 w ho has 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 us in Christ Jesus before the times of the ages,

Who delivered and saved us and called us with a calling in itself holy and leading to holiness; not because of anything of merit that we have done, but because of and to further His own purpose and grace (unmerited favor) which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began.

10 b ut is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who has annulled death, and has brought life and incorruption to light through the gospel,

which He now has made known and has fully disclosed and made real through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, Who annulled death and made it of no effect and brought life and immortality (immunity from eternal death) to light through the Gospel.

11 u nto which I am appointed a preacher and an apostle and a teacher of the Gentiles.

For this I was appointed a herald (preacher) and an apostle (special messenger) and a teacher of the Gentiles.

12 F or which cause I also suffer these things; nevertheless, I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.

And this is why I am suffering as I do. Still I am not ashamed, for I know (perceive, have knowledge of, and am acquainted with) Him Whom I have believed (adhered to and trusted in and relied on), and I am persuaded that He is able to guard and keep that which has been entrusted to me and which I have committed until that day.

13 H old fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and charity which is in Christ Jesus.

Hold fast and follow the pattern of wholesome and sound teaching which you have heard from me, in the faith and love which are in Christ Jesus.

14 K eep the good deposit committed unto thee by the Holy Spirit which dwells in us.

Guard and keep the precious and excellently adapted which has been entrusted, by the Holy Spirit Who makes His home in us.

15 ¶ This, thou knowest, that all those who are in Asia are turned away from me, of whom are Phygellus and Hermogenes.

You already know that all who are in Asia turned away and forsook me, Phygelus and Hermogenes among them.

16 T he Lord give mercy unto the house of Onesiphorus for he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chain;

May the Lord grant mercy to the family of Onesiphorus, for he often showed me kindness and ministered to my needs! He was not ashamed of my chains and imprisonment.

17 f or when he was in Rome, he sought me out very diligently and found me.

No, rather when he reached Rome, he searched diligently and eagerly for me and found me.

18 T he Lord grant unto him that he may find mercy of the Lord in that day; and in how many things he ministered unto me at Ephesus, thou knowest very well.

May the Lord grant to him that he may find mercy from the Lord on that day! And you know how many things he did for me and what a help he was at Ephesus.