| Chapter 2 |
1 | Thou therefore, my child, be strengthened in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.
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2 | And the things which thou hast heard from me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.
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3 | Suffer hardship with [me], as a good soldier of Christ Jesus.
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4 | No soldier on service entangleth himself in the affairs of [this] life; that he may please him who enrolled him as a soldier.
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5 | And if also a man contend in the games, he is not crowded, except he have contended lawfully.
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6 | The husbandmen that laboreth must be the first to partake of the fruits.
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7 | Consider what I say; for the Lord shall give thee understanding in all things.
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8 | Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, of the seed of David, according to my gospel:
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9 | wherein I suffer hardship unto bonds, as a malefactor; but the word of God is not bound.
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10 | Therefore I endure all things for the elect's sake, that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.
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11 | Faithful is the saying: For if we died with him, we shall also live with him:
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12 | if we endure, we shall also reign with him: if we shall deny him, he also will deny us:
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13 | if we are faithless, he abideth faithful; for he cannot deny himself.
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14 | Of these things put them in remembrance, charging [them] in the sight of the Lord, that they strive not about words, to no profit, to the subverting of them that hear.
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15 | Give diligence to present thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, handling aright the word of truth.
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16 | But shun profane babblings: for they will proceed further in ungodliness,
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17 | and their word will eat as doth a gangrene: or whom is Hymenaeus an Philetus;
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18 | men who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already, and overthrow the faith of some.
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19 | Howbeit the firm foundation of God standeth, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his: and, Let every one that nameth the name of the Lord depart from unrighteousness.
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20 | Now in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some unto honor, and some unto dishonor.
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21 | If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honor, sanctified, meet for the master's use, prepared unto every good work.
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22 | after righteousness, faith, love, pace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.
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23 | But foolish and ignorant questionings refuse, knowing that they gender strifes.
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24 | And the Lord's servant must not strive, but be gentle towards all, apt to teach, forbearing,
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25 | in meekness correcting them that oppose themselves; if peradventure God may give them repentance unto the knowledge of the truth,
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26 | and they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him unto his will.
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