1Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, in keeping with the promise of life that is in Christ Jesus,
2To Timothy, my dear son:
Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
Thanksgiving
3I thank God, whom I serve, as my ancestors did, with a clear conscience, as night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers. 4Recalling your tears, I long to see you, so that I may be filled with joy. 5I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also.
Appeal for Loyalty to Paul and the Gospel
6For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. 7For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline. 8So do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner. Rather, join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God. 9He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, 10but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. 11And of this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher. 12That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet this is no cause for shame, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until that day.
13What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus. 14Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you—guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.
Examples of Disloyalty and Loyalty
15You know that everyone in the province of Asia has deserted me, including Phygelus and Hermogenes.
16May the Lord show mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, because he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains. 17On the contrary, when he was in Rome, he searched hard for me until he found me. 18May the Lord grant that he will find mercy from the Lord on that day! You know very well in how many ways he helped me in Ephesus.
11:1 1Tim 6:19; Tit 1:2; 1Kor 1:1; Efe 3:6; Ebr 9:15Paulo mtume wa Kristo Yesu kwa mapenzi ya Mungu, kulingana na ile ahadi ya uzima uliomo ndani ya Kristo Yesu.
21:2 Mdo 16:1; 1Tim 1:2Kwa Timotheo, mwanangu mpendwa:
Neema, rehema na amani itokayo kwa Mungu Baba, na kwa Kristo Yesu Bwana wetu.
Shukrani Na Kutiwa Moyo
31:3 Rum 1:10; Efe 1:16; Mdo 22:3; 23:1; 24:14; 27:23; Gal 1:14Ninamshukuru Mungu, ninayemtumikia kwa dhamiri safi, kama walivyofanya baba zangu, ninapokukumbuka usiku na mchana katika maombi yangu. 41:4 Mdo 20:37; 2Tim 4:9; 4:21Nikiyakumbuka machozi yako, ninatamani sana kukuona ili nipate kujawa na furaha. 51:5 1Tim 1:5; 2Tim 3:15Nimekuwa nikiikumbuka imani yako ya kweli, waliokuwa nayo bibi yako Loisi na mama yako Eunike na ambayo mimi ninasadiki sasa wewe pia unayo. 61:6 Mdo 6:6; 1The 5:19; 1Tim 4:14Kwa sababu hii nakukumbusha uchochee ile karama ya Mungu, iliyowekwa ndani yako nilipokuwekea mikono yangu. 71:7 Yer 42:11; Rum 8:15; Lk 24:49; Mdo 1:8Maana Mungu hakutupa roho ya woga, bali roho ya nguvu, ya upendo na ya moyo wa kiasi.
81:8 Rum 1:16; Efe 3:1; 2Tim 2:3-9; 4:5Kwa hiyo usione haya kushuhudia kuhusu Bwana wetu, wala usinionee haya mimi niliye mfungwa kwa ajili yake. Bali uishiriki pamoja nami taabu ya Injili, kwa kadiri ya nguvu ya Mungu, 91:9 Rum 8:28; 1Tim 1:1; Tit 3:4; 1The 4:7; Ebr 3:1; Rum 3:20; 9:11; Tit 3:5ambaye alituokoa na kutuita katika mwito mtakatifu: si kwa kadiri ya matendo yetu mema bali kwa sababu ya kusudi lake mwenyewe na neema yake. Neema hii tulipewa katika Kristo Yesu tangu milele. 101:10 Efe 1:9; 1Kor 15:26, 54; Rum 16:26; Kol 1:26; Tit 1:3; 1Pet 1:20; Ebr 2:14Lakini sasa imefunuliwa kwa kudhihirishwa kwake Mwokozi wetu, Kristo Yesu, ambaye amebatilisha mauti na kuleta uzima na kutokufa kwa njia ya Injili. 111:11 1Tim 2:7; Mdo 9:15; Efe 3:7, 8; 2Tim 4:17Nami nimewekwa kuwa mhubiri, mtume na mwalimu wa Injili hii. 121:12 1Tim 6:20; 1Kor 1:8; Efe 3:1; 2Tim 2:9; 1Pet 4:19; 1Tim 6:20; 2Tim 4:8Hii ndiyo sababu ninateseka namna hii, lakini sioni haya kwa maana ninamjua yeye niliyemwamini, na kusadiki ya kuwa anaweza kukilinda kile nilichokiweka amana kwake hadi siku ile.
131:13 Tit 1:9; 1Tim 1:14Shika kwa uthabiti kielelezo cha mafundisho yenye uzima yale uliyoyasikia kwangu, pamoja na imani na upendo katika Kristo Yesu. 141:14 Rum 8:9; 1Tim 6:20; Rum 8:11Ilinde ile amana uliyokabidhiwa kwa Roho Mtakatifu akaaye ndani yetu.
151:15 2Tim 4:10-16, 19; Mdo 19:10Unajua ya kuwa watu wote katika Asia wameniacha, miongoni mwao wamo Filego na Hermogene.
161:16 Mt 5:7; 2Tim 4:19; Flm 7; Mdo 28:20Bwana akawahurumie watu wa nyumbani mwa Onesiforo, kwa sababu aliniburudisha mara kwa mara wala hakuionea aibu minyororo yangu. 17Badala yake, alipokuwa Rumi, alinitafuta kwa bidii mpaka akanipata. 181:18 Ebr 6:10; Mt 25:34-40; 2The 1:10; 1Tim 1:18Bwana na amjalie kupata rehema zake siku ile! Nawe unajua vyema jinsi alivyonisaidia huko Efeso.
