2 Timothy 4

Preach the Word

1 I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom:2 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.3 For the time is coming when people will not endure soundt teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions,4 and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.5 As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

6 For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come.7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.8 Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.

Personal Instructions

9 Do your best to come to me soon.10 For Demas, in love with this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia,t Titus to Dalmatia.11 Luke alone is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is very useful to me for ministry.12 Tychicus I have sent to Ephesus.13 When you come, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas, also the books, and above all the parchments.14 Alexander the coppersmith did me great harm; the Lord will repay him according to his deeds.15 Beware of him yourself, for he strongly opposed our message.16 At my first defense no one came to stand by me, but all deserted me. May it not be charged against them!17 But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. So I was rescued from the lion's mouth.18 The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and bring me safely into his heavenly kingdom. To him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

Final Greetings

19 Greet Prisca and Aquila, and the household of Onesiphorus.20 Erastus remained at Corinth, and I left Trophimus, who was ill, at Miletus.21 Do your best to come before winter. Eubulus sends greetings to you, as do Pudens and Linus and Claudia and all the brothers.t

22 The Lord be with your spirit. Grace be with you.t

Titus 1

Greeting

1 Paul, a servantt of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the sake of the faith of God's elect and their knowledge of the truth, which accords with godliness,2 in hope of eternal life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages begant3 and at the proper time manifested in his word through the preaching with which I have been entrusted by the command of God our Savior;

4 To Titus, my true child in a common faith:
Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior.

Qualifications for Elders

5 This is why I left you in Crete, so that you might put what remained into order, and appoint elders in every town as I directed you—6 if anyone is above reproach, the husband of one wife,t and his children are believers and not open to the charge of debauchery or insubordination.7 For an overseer,t as God's steward, must be above reproach. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain,8 but hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined.9 He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in soundt doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it.

10 For there are many who are insubordinate, empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision party.11 They must be silenced, since they are upsetting whole families by teaching for shameful gain what they ought not to teach.12 One of the Cretans,t a prophet of their own, said, "Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons."t13 This testimony is true. Therefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith,14 not devoting themselves to Jewish myths and the commands of people who turn away from the truth.15 To the pure, all things are pure, but to the defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure; but both their minds and their consciences are defiled.16 They profess to know God, but they deny him by their works. They are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work.

Titus 2

Teach Sound Doctrine

1 But as for you, teach what accords with soundt doctrine.2 Older men are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness.3 Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good,4 and so train the young women to love their husbands and children,5 to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled.6 Likewise, urge the younger men to be self-controlled.7 Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity,8 and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us.9 Slavest are to be submissive to their own masters in everything; they are to be well-pleasing, not argumentative,10 not pilfering, but showing all good faith, so that in everything they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior.

11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people,12 training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age,13 waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.

15 Declare these things; exhort and rebuke with all authority. Let no one disregard you.