2 Timothy 3

1 Don’t be naive. There are difficult times ahead.2 As the end approaches, people are going to be self-absorbed, money-hungry, self-promoting, stuck-up, profane, contemptuous of parents, crude, coarse,3 dog-eat-dog, unbending, slanderers, impulsively wild, savage, cynical,4 treacherous, ruthless, bloated windbags, addicted to lust, and allergic to God.5 They’ll make a show of religion, but behind the scenes they’re animals. Stay clear of these people.6 These are the kind of people who smooth-talk themselves into the homes of unstable and needy women and take advantage of them; women who, depressed by their sinfulness, take up with every new religious fad that calls itself “truth.”7 They get exploited every time and never really learn.8 These men are like those old Egyptian frauds Jannes and Jambres, who challenged Moses. They were rejects from the faith, twisted in their thinking, defying truth itself.

9 But nothing will come of these latest impostors. Everyone will see through them, just as people saw through that Egyptian hoax.
Keep the Message Alive10 You’ve been a good apprentice to me, a part of my teaching, my manner of life, direction, faith, steadiness, love, patience,11 troubles, sufferings—suffering along with me in all the grief I had to put up with in Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra. And you also well know that God rescued me!12 Anyone who wants to live all out for Christ is in for a lot of trouble; there’s no getting around it.13 Unscrupulous con men will continue to exploit the faith. They’re as deceived as the people they lead astray. As long as they are out there, things can only get worse.14 But don’t let it faze you. Stick with what you learned and believed, sure of the integrity of your teachers—15 why, you took in the sacred Scriptures with your mother’s milk! There’s nothing like the written Word of God for showing you the way to salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.16 Every part of Scripture is God-breathed and useful one way or another—showing us truth, exposing our rebellion, correcting our mistakes, training us to live God’s way.17 Through the Word we are put together and shaped up for the tasks God has for us.

2 Timothy 4

1 I can’t impress this on you too strongly. God is looking over your shoulder. Christ himself is the Judge, with the final say on everyone, living and dead. He is about to break into the open with his rule,2 so proclaim the Message with intensity; keep on your watch. Challenge, warn, and urge your people. Don’t ever quit. Just keep it simple.3 You’re going to find that there will be times when people will have no stomach for solid teaching, but will fill up on spiritual junk food—catchy opinions that tickle their fancy.4 They’ll turn their backs on truth and chase mirages.5 But you—keep your eye on what you’re doing; accept the hard times along with the good; keep the Message alive; do a thorough job as God’s servant.6 You take over. I’m about to die, my life an offering on God’s altar.7 This is the only race worth running. I’ve run hard right to the finish, believed all the way.8 All that’s left now is the shouting—God’s applause! Depend on it, he’s an honest judge. He’ll do right not only by me, but by everyone eager for his coming.9 Get here as fast as you can.10 Demas, chasing fads, went off to Thessalonica and left me here. Crescens is in Galatia province, Titus in Dalmatia.11 Luke is the only one here with me. Bring Mark with you; he’ll be my right-hand man12 since I’m sending Tychicus to Ephesus.13 Bring the winter coat I left in Troas with Carpus; also the books and parchment notebooks.14 Watch out for Alexander the coppersmith.15 Fiercely opposed to our Message, he caused no end of trouble. God will give him what he’s got coming.16 At my preliminary hearing no one stood by me. They all ran like scared rabbits. But it doesn’t matter—17 the Master stood by me and helped me spread the Message loud and clear to those who had never heard it. I was snatched from the jaws of the lion!18 God’s looking after me, keeping me safe in the kingdom of heaven. All praise to him, praise forever! Oh, yes!19 Say hello to Priscilla and Aquila; also, the family of Onesiphorus.20 Erastus stayed behind in Corinth. I had to leave Trophimus sick in Miletus.

21 Try hard to get here before winter.
Eubulus, Pudens, Linus, Claudia, and all your friends here send greetings.22 God be with you. Grace be with you.

Titus 1

1 I, Paul, am God’s slave and Christ’s agent for promoting the faith among God’s chosen people, getting out the accurate word on God and how to respond rightly to it.2 My aim is to raise hopes by pointing the way to life without end. This is the life God promised long ago—and he doesn’t break promises!3 And then when the time was ripe, he went public with his truth. I’ve been entrusted to proclaim this Message by order of our Savior, God himself.

4 Dear Titus, legitimate son in the faith: Receive everything God our Father and Jesus our Savior give you!
A Good Grip on the Message5 I left you in charge in Crete so you could complete what I left half-done. Appoint leaders in every town according to my instructions.6 As you select them, ask, “Is this man well-thought-of? Are his children believers? Do they respect him and stay out of trouble?”7 It’s important that a church leader, responsible for the affairs in God’s house, be looked up to—not pushy, not short-tempered, not a drunk, not a bully, not money-hungry.8 He must welcome people, be helpful, wise, fair, reverent, have a good grip on himself,9 and have a good grip on the Message, knowing how to use the truth to either spur people on in knowledge or stop them in their tracks if they oppose it.10 For there are a lot of rebels out there, full of loose, confusing, and deceiving talk. Those who were brought up religious and ought to know better are the worst.11 They’ve got to be shut up. They’re disrupting entire families with their teaching, and all for the sake of a fast buck.

12 One of their own prophets said it best:
The Cretans are liars from the womb,
barking dogs, lazy bellies.13 He certainly spoke the truth. Get on them right away. Stop that diseased talk of Jewish make-believe and made-up rules14 so they can recover a robust faith.15 Everything is clean to the clean-minded; nothing is clean to dirty-minded unbelievers. They leave their dirty fingerprints on every thought and act.

16 They say they know God, but their actions speak louder than their words. They’re real creeps, disobedient good-for-nothings.
A God-Filled Life