| 1 | I charge you therefore before God and the Lord, Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom:
| |
| 2 | preach the word; be urgent in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with all patience and teaching.
| |
| 3 | For the time will come when they will not listen to the sound doctrine, but, having itching ears, will heap up for themselves teachers after their own lusts;
| |
| 4 | and will turn away their ears from the truth, and turn aside to fables.
| |
| 5 | But you be sober in all things, suffer hardship, do the work of an evangelist, and fulfill your ministry.
| |
| 6 | For I am already being offered, and the time of my departure has come.
| |
| 7 | I have fought the good fight. I have finished the course. I have kept the faith.
| |
| 8 | From now on, there is stored up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give to me at that day; and not to me only, but also to all those who have loved his appearing.
| |
| 9 | Be diligent to come to me soon,
| |
| 10 | for Demas left me, having loved this present world, and went to Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, and Titus to Dalmatia.
| |
| 11 | Only Luke is with me. Take Mark, and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for ministering.
| |
| 12 | But I sent Tychicus to Ephesus.
| |
| 13 | Bring the cloak that I left at Troas with Carpus, when you come, and the books, especially the parchments.
| |
| 14 | Alexander, the coppersmith, did much evil to me. The Lord will repay him according to his works,
| |
| 15 | of whom you also must beware; for he greatly opposed our words.
| |
| 16 | At my first defense, no one took my part, but all left me. May it not be held against them.
| |
| 17 | But the Lord stood by me, and strengthened me, that through me the message might be fully proclaimed, and that all the Gentiles might hear; and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion.
| |
| 18 | And the Lord will deliver me from every evil work, and will save me to his heavenly kingdom; to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.
| |
| 19 | Greet Prisca and Aquila, and the house of Onesiphorus.
| |
| 20 | Erastus remained at Corinth, but I left Trophimus at Miletus sick.
| |
| 21 | Be diligent to come before winter. Eubulus salutes you, as do Pudens, Linus, Claudia, and all the brothers.
| |
| 22 | The Lord, Jesus Christ, be with your spirit. Grace be with you. Amen.
| |