Letters to the Churches

Without affection, without peace, slanderers, incontinent, unmerciful, without kindness,

Traitors, stubborn, puffed up, and lovers of pleasure more than of God:

Having an appearance indeed of godliness but denying the power thereof. Now these avoid.

For of these sort are they who creep into houses and lead captive silly women laden with sins, who are led away with divers desires:

Ever learning, and never attaining to the knowledge of the truth.

Now as Jannes and Mambres resisted Moses, so these also resist the truth, men corrupted in mind, reprobate concerning the faith.

But they shall proceed no farther: for their folly shall be manifest to all men, as theirs also was.

But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love, patience,

Persecutions, afflictions: such as came upon me at Antioch, at Iconium and at Lystra: what persecutions I endured, and out of them all the Lord delivered me.

And all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.

But evil men and seducers shall grow worse and worse: erring, and driving into error,

But continue thou in those things which thou hast learned and which have been committed to thee. Knowing of whom thou hast learned them:

And because from thy infancy thou hast known the holy scriptures which can instruct thee to salvation by the faith which is in Christ Jesus.

All scripture, inspired of God, is profitable to teach, to reprove, to correct, to instruct in justice:

That the man of God may be perfect, furnished to every good work.

I charge thee, before God and Jesus Christ, who shall judge the living and the dead, by his coming and his kingdom:

Preach the word: be instant in season, out of season: reprove, entreat, rebuke in all patience and doctrine.

For there shall be a time when they will not endure sound doctrine but, according to their own desires, they will heap to themselves teachers having itching ears:

And will indeed turn away their hearing from the truth, but will be turned unto fables.

But be thou vigilant, labour in all things, do the work of an evangelist, fulfil thy ministry. Be sober.

For I am even now ready to be sacrificed: and the time of my dissolution is at hand.

I have fought a good fight: I have finished my course: I have kept the faith.

As to the rest, there is laid up for me a crown of justice which the Lord the just judge will render to me in that day: and not only to me, but to them also that love his coming. Make haste to come to me quickly.

For Demas hath left me, loving this world, and is gone to Thessalonica:

Crescens into Galatia, Titus into Dalmatia.