2 TIMOTEUS 2
Die goeie soldaat van Christus
1 Jy dan, my seun, wees sterk deur die genade wat ons in Christus Jesus het. 2 Wat jy my voor baie getuies hoor verkondig het, moet jy toevertrou aan betroubare manne wat bekwaam sal wees om dit ook aan ander te leer.
3 Dra jou deel van die ontberings soos 'n goeie soldaat van Christus Jesus. 4 'n Soldaat in aktiewe diens wat sy bevelvoerder tevrede wil stel, bemoei hom nie met die dinge van die gewone lewe nie. 5 'n Atleet wat aan 'n wedstryd deelneem, kan die prys wen slegs as hy volgens die reëls meeding. 6 Die boer wat die harde werk doen, behoort eerste 'n deel van die oes te kry. 7 Dink na oor wat ek sê; die Here sal jou insig gee om alles te verstaan.
8 Onthou altyd dat Jesus Christus, 'n nakomeling van Dawid, uit die dood opgewek is. Dit is die evangelie wat ek verkondig. 9 Vir hierdie evangelie ly ek verdrukking, selfs in boeie soos 'n misdadiger, maar die woord van God kan nie geboei word nie. 10 Daarom verdra ek alles ter wille van die uitverkorenes, sodat ook hulle die verlossing, wat daar in Christus Jesus is, en die ewige heerlikheid kan ontvang. 11 Dit is 'n betroubare woord: As ons saam met Hom gesterf het, sal ons ook saam met Hom lewe;
12 as ons in die geloof volhard, sal ons saam met Hom regeer; as ons Hom verloën, sal Hy ons ook verloën;
13 as ons ontrou is — Hy bly getrou:
Hy kan Homself nie verloën nie.
Die arbeider wat goedkeuring wegdra
14 Hou aan om die gelowiges aan hierdie dinge te herinner en vermaan hulle ernstig voor God om op te hou stry oor woorde. Dit het geen nut nie en is net skadelik vir die hoorders. 15 Lê jou daarop toe om jou tot beskikking van God te stel as 'n arbeider wat die goedkeuring van God wegdra, 'n arbeider wat hom vir sy werk nie hoef te skaam nie, wat die woord van die waarheid suiwer verkondig. 16 Maar die onheilige en sinlose praatjies moet jy vermy, want dié wat dit versprei, sal nog verder in goddeloosheid verval, 17 en hulle woorde sal voortvreet soos kanker. Onder hulle is daar Himeneus en Filetus, 18 wat van die waarheid afgedwaal het deur te sê dat die opstanding alreeds plaasgevind het. Daarmee vernietig hulle die geloof van sommige. 19 Nogtans, die hegte fondament wat God gelê het, staan vas met dié woorde daarop gegraveer: “Die Here ken dié wat aan Hom behoort,”t en: “Elkeen wat sê dat hy aan die Here behoort, moet wegbreek van die ongeregtigheid.”t
20 In 'n groot huis is daar nie alleen voorwerpe van goud en silwer nie, maar ook van hout en klei. Sommige is vir besondere gebruik en ander vir die alledaagse. 21 As iemand hom van die kwaad gereinig het, sal hy 'n voorwerp vir besondere gebruik wees. Dan sal hy vir die eienaar afgesonder en bruikbaar wees, voorberei vir enige goeie diens.
22 Vermy die begeertes wat 'n jongmens in gevaar bring, en streef na opregtheid, geloof, liefde en vrede, saam met almal wat uit 'n rein hart die Here aanroep. 23 Moet jou nie met dwase en sinlose strydvrae inlaat nie, want jy weet tog dat dit net rusies veroorsaak. 24 'n Dienaar van die Here moenie rusie maak nie. Inteendeel, hy moet vriendelik wees teenoor almal, bekwaam om ander te leer en iemand wat onreg kan dra. 25 Met vriendelikheid moet hy teenstanders teregwys. Dit kan wees dat God hulle bekeer en hulle tot kennis van die waarheid bring. 26 Dan sal hulle weer tot nugtere insig kom en vry raak uit die vangstrik van die duiwel, waarmee hy hulle gevange gehou het om sy wil te gehoorsaam.
2 Timothy 2
1 SO YOU, my son, be strong (strengthened inwardly) in the grace (spiritual blessing) that is [to be found only] in Christ Jesus.2 And the [instructions] which you have heard from me along with many witnesses, transmit and entrust [as a deposit] to reliable and faithful men who will be competent and qualified to teach others also.3 Take [with me] your share of the hardships and suffering [which you are called to endure] as a good (first-class) soldier of Christ Jesus.4 No soldier when in service gets entangled in the enterprises of [civilian] life; his aim is to satisfy and please the one who enlisted him.5 And if anyone enters competitive games, he is not crowned unless he competes lawfully (fairly, according to the rules laid down).6 [It is] the hard-working farmer [who labors to produce] who must be the first partaker of the fruits.7 Think over these things I am saying [understand them and grasp their application], for the Lord will grant you full insight and understanding in everything.8 Constantly keep in mind Jesus Christ (the Messiah) [as] risen from the dead, [as the prophesied King] descended from David, according to the good news (the Gospel) that I preach. 9 For that [Gospel] I am suffering affliction and even wearing chains like a criminal. But the Word of God is not chained or imprisoned!10 Therefore I [am ready to] persevere and stand my ground with patience and endure everything for the sake of the elect [God’s chosen], so that they too may obtain [the] salvation which is in Christ Jesus, with [the reward of] eternal glory.11 The saying is sure and worthy of confidence: If we have died with Him, we shall also live with Him.12 If we endure, we shall also reign with Him. If we deny and disown and reject Him, He will also deny and disown and reject us.13 If we are faithless [do not believe and are untrue to Him], He remains true (faithful to His Word and His righteous character), for He cannot deny Himself.14 Remind [the people] of these facts and [solemnly] charge them in the presence of the Lord to avoid petty controversy over words, which does no good but upsets and undermines the faith of the hearers.15 Study and be eager and do your utmost to present yourself to God approved (tested by trial), a workman who has no cause to be ashamed, correctly analyzing and accurately dividing [rightly handling and skillfully teaching] the Word of Truth.16 But avoid all empty (vain, useless, idle) talk, for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness.17 And their teaching [will devour; it] will eat its way like cancer or spread like gangrene. So it is with Hymenaeus and Philetus,18 Who have missed the mark and swerved from the truth by arguing that the resurrection has already taken place. They are undermining the faith of some.19 But the firm foundation of (laid by) God stands, sure and unshaken, bearing this seal (inscription): The Lord knows those who are His, and, Let everyone who names [himself by] the name of the Lord give up all iniquity and stand aloof from it. 20 But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also [utensils] of wood and earthenware, and some for honorable and noble [use] and some for menial and ignoble [use].21 So whoever cleanses himself [from what is ignoble and unclean, who separates himself from contact with contaminating and corrupting influences] will [then himself] be a vessel set apart and useful for honorable and noble purposes, consecrated and profitable to the Master, fit and ready for any good work.22 Shun youthful lusts and flee from them, and aim at and pursue righteousness (all that is virtuous and good, right living, conformity to the will of God in thought, word, and deed); [and aim at and pursue] faith, love, [and] peace (harmony and concord with others) in fellowship with all [Christians], who call upon the Lord out of a pure heart.23 But refuse (shut your mind against, have nothing to do with) trifling (ill-informed, unedifying, stupid) controversies over ignorant questionings, for you know that they foster strife and breed quarrels.24 And the servant of the Lord must not be quarrelsome (fighting and contending). Instead, he must be kindly to everyone and mild-tempered [preserving the bond of peace]; he must be a skilled and suitable teacher, patient and forbearing and willing to suffer wrong.25 He must correct his opponents with courtesy and gentleness, in the hope that God may grant that they will repent and come to know the Truth [that they will perceive and recognize and become accurately acquainted with and acknowledge it],26 And that they may come to their senses [and] escape out of the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him, [henceforth] to do His [God’s] will.