1 P aul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, according to the promise of life 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, my beloved son: Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and 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 with a clear conscience the way my forefathers did, as I constantly remember you 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 l onging to see you, even as I recall your tears, so 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 F or I am mindful of the sincere faith within you, which first dwelt in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am sure that it is in you as well.

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 F or this reason I remind you to kindle afresh the gift of God which is in you through the laying 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 a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline.

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 do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord or of me His prisoner, but join with me in suffering for the gospel according to 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 granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity,

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 now has been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality 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 f or which I was appointed a preacher and an apostle and a teacher.

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

12 F or this reason I also suffer these things, but I am not ashamed; for I know whom I have believed and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until 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 R etain the standard of sound words which you have heard from me, in the faith and love which are 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 G uard, through the Holy Spirit who dwells in us, the treasure which has been entrusted to you.

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

15 Y ou are aware of the fact that all who are in Asia turned away from me, among whom are Phygelus 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 grant mercy to the house of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains;

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 b ut when he was in Rome, he eagerly searched for me and found me—

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

18 t he Lord grant to him to find mercy from the Lord on that day—and you know very well what services he rendered at Ephesus.

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.