Chapter 1

Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, by the will of God, in accordance with the promise of life in Christ Jesus,

to Timothy, my beloved son: grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and from Christ Jesus our Lord. Thanksgiving and Prayer

I give thanks to God, whom I serve as did my forefathers, with a clear conscience, that I remember thee without ceasing in my prayers night and day.

Recalling thy tears, I long to see thee, that I may be filled with joy.

I remember that unfeigned faith of thine, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois and in thy mother Eunice, and dwells, I am certain, in thee also. Paul's Example

For this reason I admonish thee to stir up the grace of God which is in thee by the laying on of my hands.

For God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of prudence.

Do not, therefore, be ashamed of testimony for our Lord, nor of me, his prisoner, but enter into my sufferings for the gospel through the power of God.

He has redeemed us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and the grace which was granted to us in Christ Jesus before this world existed,

but is now made known by the manifestation of our Savior Jesus Christ. He has destroyed death and brought to light life and incorruption by the gospel,

of which I have been appointed a preacher and an apostle and a teacher of the Gentiles.

That is why also I am suffering these things; yet I am not ashamed. For I know whom I have believed, and I am certain that he is able to guard the trust committed to me against that day.

Hold to the form of sound teaching which thou hast heard from me, in the faith and love which are Christ Jesus.

Guard the good trust through the Holy Spirit, who dwells in us. Loyalty and Defections

This thou knowest that all in the province of Asia have turned away from me, among them, Phigelus and Hermogenes.

May the Lord grant mercy to the house of Onesiphorus, because he often comforted me and was not ashamed of my chains;

but when he came to Rome, he sought me out diligently and found me.

May the Lord grant him to find mercy from the Lord on that day. And thou knowest very well the many services he rendered me at Ephesus.