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النشر الإلكتروني

THE

SECOND EPISTLE TO TIMOTHY.

This Epistle was written by Paul the Apostle from Rome, during his second imprisonment, about the year of our Lord 65, one year before he was beheaded.

It contains four chapters.

CHAP. I.

1 PAUL, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, especially commissioned to declare the promise of everlasting life, which is in and by Christ Jesus,

2 To Timothy my dearly beloved son in the faith [begotten, converted by me :] Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

3 I thank God, whom in the religion of my forefathers [perfected in Christ] I serve with a pure conscience, that without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers night and day;

4 Greatly desiring to see thee, being mindful of the tears shed at our last parting; that I may be filled with joy ;

5 When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt in thy grandmother Lois, converted to the faith before thee [Acts xvi. 1], and in thy mother Eunice, and, I am persuaded, that dwells in thee also.

6 Wherefore I write to put thee in remembrance, to incite thee to stir up [put in action] the grace of God which was given thee by the putting on of my hands.

7 For God hath not given us the Holy Spirit that we should be idle or afraid to use it; but that we should exercise it with all power, firmness, and resolution, and with all love towards God and man, and in all discretion.

8 Be not thou therefore ashamed of bearing testimony of our Lord Jesus Christ, neither be ashamed of me a prisoner for his sake; but rather be thou partaker of the affliction [persecution] of the gospel, according to the power which God hath given thee;

9 Of that God who hath saved us and called us with [unto] an holy calling, not according to our works [obedience, deserts], but according to his own purpose and grace [his own choosing, free gift], which was given us in the promise of redemption through Christ, before the world began;

10 Hidden in the secret councils of God heretofore, but now made manifest by the appearing [coming, ministry, death and resurrection] of our Saviour Jesus

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Christ, who hath abolished everlasting death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel :

11 Whereunto I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles.

12 For the which cause I also suffer these things [persecution, imprisonment]; nevertheless, I am not ashamed [disheartened]: for I know in whom I have believed [trusted], and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him [my life, my soul, my every hope and fear,] against that day when he shall come again in his glorious majesty, to judge both the quick and the dead.

13 Hold fast therefore, son Timothy, the form of sound words [doctrine] which thou hast heard from me, with that faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.

14 The good gift which was given into thy trust, hold thou fast, by the help of the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us.

15 This thou knowest, that all they which are in Asia be turned away from me [are ashamed of me in my distress], of whom are Phygellus and Hermogenes.

16 The Lord give mercy unto the house of Onesiphorus; for he oft refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain [imprisonment]:

17 But when he was in Rome, he sought me out very diligently, and found me.

18 The Lord grant unto him that he may find mercy of the Lord in that day [the final judgment]: and in how many things he ministered unto me at Ephesus, thou knowest very well.

CHAP. II.

1 THOU therefore, my son, be strong [bold, confident] in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.

2 And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.

3 Thou therefore endure hardship [reproaches, persecution] as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.

4 No man who goeth to war as a soldier, entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; but that, being free from all other concerns, he may be ready to give himself wholly to his duty, and please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.

5 And if a man strive for mastery [reward] in the public games, yet he doth not obtain the crown [prize] unless he strive according to the rules.

6 So the husbandman must first labour and then be a partaker of the fruits.

7 Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things.

8 Remember, this is the true doctrine, that Jesus Christ was born, made man of the seed of David, and was raised from the dead according to the gospel which I have preached :

9 For which truth I suffer trouble, as an evil doer, even unto bonds [imprisonment;] but though I be bound, the word of God is free, spreading over all the world.

10 Therefore I endure all things for the sake of

those whom God hath chosen to know and follow the way of salvation, that by the example of my sufferings they may have patience, and obtain eternal glory which is in Christ Jesus.

11 It is a faithful saying: for if we be dead to this world with him, we shall also live again and for ever with him.

12 If we suffer even as he did suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we by disobedience and the love of this world deny him, he also will deny us :

13 If we believe not [if we would cloak our unrighteousness under this plea,] yet he abideth faithful [his word and his judgments will stand fast]. He cannot deny himself.

14 Of these things put them in remembrance, charging them before the Lord that they strive not about words of no profit but to the turning the hearers from the truth.

15 Study to shew thyself approved of God, a workman [minister] that needeth not to be ashamed of his ministry, rightly dividing [preaching, measuring out] the word of God.

16 But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.

17 And their word will eat as doth a canker, into the heart of all true religion: of which are Hymeneus [1 Tim. i. 20] and Philetus ;

18 Who have erred from the truth, saying that by the light of the gospel all is accomplished, and Christ having risen from the dead cometh not again; and thus overthrow the faith of some.

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