Letters to the Churches

without natural affection, implacable, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, not lovers of those who are good,

traitors, heady, lofty, lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God,

having a form of piety, and its power having denied; and from these be turning away,

for of these there are those coming into the houses and leading captive the silly women, laden with sins, led away with desires manifold,

always learning, and never to a knowledge of truth able to come,

and, even as Jannes and Jambres stood against Moses, so also these do stand against the truth, men corrupted in mind, disapproved concerning the faith;

but they shall not advance any further, for their folly shall be manifest to all, as theirs also did become.

And thou--thou hast followed after my teaching, manner of life, purpose, faith, long-suffering, love, endurance,

the persecutions, the afflictions, that befell me in Antioch, in Iconium, in Lystra; what persecutions I endured, and out of all the Lord did deliver me,

and all also who will to live piously in Christ Jesus shall be persecuted,

and evil men and impostors shall advance to the worse, leading astray and being led astray.

And thou--be remaining in the things which thou didst learn and wast entrusted with, having known from whom thou didst learn,

and because from a babe the Holy Writings thou hast known, which are able to make thee wise--to salvation, through faith that is in Christ Jesus;

every Writing is God-breathed, and profitable for teaching, for conviction, for setting aright, for instruction that is in righteousness,

that the man of God may be fitted--for every good work having been completed.

I do fully testify, then, before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who is about to judge living and dead at his manifestation and his reign--

preach the word; be earnest in season, out of season, convict, rebuke, exhort, in all long-suffering and teaching,

for there shall be a season when the sound teaching they will not suffer, but according to their own desires to themselves they shall heap up teachers--itching in the hearing,

and indeed, from the truth the hearing they shall turn away, and to the fables they shall be turned aside.

And thou--watch in all things; suffer evil; do the work of one proclaiming good news; of thy ministration make full assurance,

for I am already being poured out, and the time of my release hath arrived;

the good strife I have striven, the course I have finished, the faith I have kept,

henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of the righteousness that the Lord--the Righteous Judge--shall give to me in that day, and not only to me, but also to all those loving his manifestation.

Be diligent to come unto me quickly,

for Demas forsook me, having loved the present age, and went on to Thessalonica, Crescens to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia,