6:12. Fight the good fight of faith. Lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art called and be it confessed a good confession before many witnesses.
6:13. I charge thee before G.o.d who quickeneth all things, and before Christ Jesus who gave testimony under Pontius Pilate, a good confession:
6:14. That thou keep the commandment without spot, blameless, unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ,
6:15. Which in his times he shall shew, who is the Blessed and only Mighty, the King of kings and Lord of lords:
6:16. Who only hath immortality and inhabiteth light inaccessible: whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and empire everlasting.
Amen.
6:17. Charge the rich of this world not to be highminded nor to trust in the uncertainty of riches, but in the living G.o.d (who giveth us abundantly all things to enjoy)
6:18. To do good, to be rich in good work, to give easily, to communicate to others,
6:19. To lay up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on the true life.
6:20. O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding the profane novelties of words and oppositions of knowledge falsely so called.
6:21. Which some promising, have erred concerning the faith. Grace be with thee. Amen.
THE SECOND EPISTLE OF ST. PAUL TO TIMOTHY
In this Epistle, the Apostle again instructs and admonishes Timothy in what belonged to his office, as in the former; and also warns him to shun the conversation of those who had erred from the truth, describing at the same time their character, He tells him of his approaching death and desires him to come speedily to him. It appears from this circ.u.mstance that he wrote this second Epistle in the time of his last imprisonment at Rome and not long before his martyrdom.
2 Timothy Chapter 1
He admonishes him to stir up the grace he received by his ordination and not to be discouraged at his sufferings, but to hold firm the sound doctrine of the gospel.
1:1. Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, by the will of G.o.d, according to the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus:
1:2. To Timothy, my dearly beloved son. Grace, mercy and peace, from G.o.d the Father and from Christ Jesus our Lord.
1:3. I give thanks to G.o.d, whom I serve from my forefathers, with a pure conscience, that without ceasing I have a remembrance of thee in my prayers, night and day.
1:4. Desiring to see thee, being mindful of thy tears, that I may be filled with joy:
1:5. Calling to mind that faith which is in thee unfeigned, which also dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois and in thy mother Eunice, and I am certain that in thee also.
1:6. For which cause I admonish thee that thou stir up the grace of G.o.d which is in thee by the imposition of my hands.
1:7. For G.o.d hath not given us the spirit of fear: but of power and of love and of sobriety.
1:8. Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but labour with the gospel, according to the power of G.o.d.
1:9. Who hath delivered us and called us by his holy calling, not according to our own works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the times of the world:
1:10. But is now made manifest by the illumination of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath destroyed death and hath brought to light life and incorruption by the gospel.
By the illumination... That is, by the bright coming and appearing of our Saviour.
1:11. Wherein I am appointed a preacher and an apostle and teacher of the Gentiles.
1:12. For which cause, I also suffer these things: but I am not ashamed.
For I know whom I have believed and I am certain that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him, against that day.
1:13. Hold the form of sound words which thou hast heard of me: in faith and in the love which is in Christ Jesus.
1:14. Keep the good thing committed to thy trust by the Holy Ghost who dwelleth in us.
1:15. Thou knowest this, that all they who are in Asia are turned away from me: of whom are Phigellus and Hermogenes.
1:16. The Lord give mercy to the house of Onesiphorus: because he hath often refreshed me and hath not been ashamed of my chain:
1:17. But when he was come to Rome, he carefully sought me and found me.
1:18. The Lord grant unto him to find mercy of the Lord in that day. And in how many things he ministered unto me at Ephesus, thou very well knowest.
2 Timothy Chapter 2
He exhorts him to diligence in his office and patience in suffering. The danger of the delusions of heretics.
2:1. Thou therefore, my son, be strong in Christ Jesus:
2:2. And the things which thou hast heard of me by many witnesses, the same commend to faithful men who shall be fit to teach others also.
2:3. Labour as a good soldier of Christ Jesus.
2:4. No man, being a soldier to G.o.d, entangleth himself with secular businesses: that he may please him to whom he hath engaged himself.
2:5. For he also that striveth for the mastery is not crowned, except he strive lawfully.
2:6. The husbandman that laboureth must first partake of the fruits.
2:7. Understand what I say: for the Lord will give thee in all things understanding.
2:8. Be mindful that the Lord Jesus Christ is risen again from the dead, of the seed of David, according to my gospel:
2:9. Wherein I labour even unto bands, as an evildoer. But the word of G.o.d is not bound.
2:10. Therefore I endure all things for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus, with heavenly glory.
2:11. A faithful saying: for if we be dead with him, we shall live also with him.