Second Epistle to Timothy

The Second Epistle to Timothy is one of the three Pastoral Epistles traditionally attributed to Paul the Apostle (d. 64/65 AD). Addressed to Saint Timothy (d. 97 AD), a fellow missionary, it is traditionally considered to be the last epistle he wrote before his death. Although the pastorals are written under Paul's name, they are different from his other epistles, and since the early 19th century, scholars have increasingly seen them as the work of an unknown student of Paul's doctrine. They do not address Paul's common themes, such as the believers' unity with Christ, and they reflect a church hierarchy that is more organized and defined than the church was in Paul's time.

Quotes

Chapter 1

God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but the Spirit of power and love and self-control. So you are never to be ashamed of witnessing to our Lord, or ashamed of me for being his prisoner; but share in my hardships for the sake of the gospel, relying on the power of God.
- NRSV, 1:7-8
I hope the Lord will be kind to all the family of Onesiphorus, because he has often been a comfort to me and has never been ashamed of my chains. On the contrary, as soon as he reached Rome, he searched hard for me and found me. May the Lord grant him to find the Lord's mercy on that Day. You know better than anyone else how much he helped me at Ephesus.
- NRSV, 1:16-18

Chapter 2

Remember the gospel that I carry, 'Jesus Christ risen from the dead, sprung from the race of David'; it is on account of this that I have to put up with suffering, even to being chained like a criminal. But God's message cannot be chained up.
- NRSV, 2:8-9
Here is a saying that you can rely on: If we have died with him, then we shall live with him. If we persevere, then we shall reign with him. If we disown him, then he will disown us. If we are faithless, he is faithful still, for he cannot disown his own self.
- NRSV, 2:11-13
Have nothing to do with godless philosophical discussions -- they only lead further and further away from true religion. Talk of this kind spreads corruption like gangrene, as in the case of Hymenaeus and Philetus, the men who have gone astray from the truth, claiming that the resurrection has already taken place. They are upsetting some people's faith.
- NRSV, 2:16-18
Turn away from the passions of youth, concentrate on uprightness, faith, love and peace, in union with all those who call on the Lord with a pure heart. Avoid these foolish and undisciplined speculations, understanding that they only give rise to quarrels.
- NRSV, 2:22-23

Chapter 3

You may be quite sure that in the last days there will be some difficult times. People will be self-centered and avaricious, boastful, arrogant and rude; disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, irreligious; heartless and intractable; they will be slanderers, profligates, savages and enemies of everything that is good; they will be treacherous and reckless and demented by pride, preferring their own pleasure to God. They will keep up the outward appearance of religion but will have rejected the inner power of it. Keep away from people like that. Of the same kind, too, are those men who insinuate themselves into families in order to get influence over silly women who are obsessed with their sins and follow one craze after another, always seeking learning, but unable ever to come to knowledge of the truth. Just as Jannes and Jambres defied Moses, so these men defy the truth, their minds corrupt and their faith spurious. But they will not be able to go on much longer: their folly, like that of the other two, must become obvious to everybody.
- NRSV, 3:1-9
You, though, have followed my teaching, my way of life, my aims, my faith, my patience and my love, my perseverance, and the persecutions and sufferings that came to me in places like Antioch, Iconium and Lystra -- all the persecutions I have endured; and the Lord has rescued me from every one of them. But anybody who tries to live in devotion to Christ is certain to be persecuted; while these wicked impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving others, and themselves deceived. You must keep to what you have been taught and know to be true; remember who your teachers were, and how, ever since you were a child, you have known the holy scriptures -from these you can learn the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All scripture is inspired by God and useful for refuting error, for guiding people's lives and teaching them to be upright.
- NRSV, 3:10-16

Chapter 4

Before God and before Christ Jesus who is to be judge of the living and the dead, I charge you, in the name of his appearing and of his kingdom: proclaim the message and, welcome or unwelcome, insist on it. Refute falsehood, correct error, give encouragement -- but do all with patience and with care to instruct.
- NRSV, 4:1-2
As for me, my life is already being poured away as a libation, and the time has come for me to depart. I have fought the good fight to the end; I have run the race to the finish; I have kept the faith; all there is to come for me now is the crown of uprightness which the Lord, the upright judge, will give to me on that Day; and not only to me but to all those who have longed for his appearing.
- NRSV, 4:6-8
Make every effort to come and see me as soon as you can. As it is, Demas has deserted me for love of this life and gone to Thessalonica, Crescens has gone to Galatia and Titus to Dalmatia; only Luke is with me. Bring Mark with you; I find him a useful helper in my work.
- NRSV, 4:9-11
Alexander the coppersmith has done me a lot of harm; the Lord will repay him as his deeds deserve. Be on your guard against him yourself, because he has been bitterly contesting everything that we say.
- NRSV, 4:14-15