| Chapter 2 |
1 | Thou, therefore, my child, be strong in the grace that [is] in Christ Jesus,
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2 | and the things that thou didst hear from me through many witnesses, these things be committing to stedfast men, who shall be sufficient also others to teach;
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3 | thou, therefore, suffer evil as a good soldier of Jesus Christ;
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4 | no one serving as a soldier did entangle himself with the affairs of life, that him who did enlist him he may please;
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5 | and if also any one may strive, he is not crowned, except he may strive lawfully;
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6 | the labouring husbandman it behoveth first of the fruits to partake;
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7 | be considering what things I say, for the Lord give to thee understanding in all things.
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8 | Remember Jesus Christ, raised out of the dead, of the seed of David, according to my good news,
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9 | in which I suffer evil -- unto bonds, as an evil-doer, but the word of God hath not been bound;
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10 | because of this all things do I endure, because of the choice ones, that they also salvation may obtain that [is] in Christ Jesus, with glory age-during.
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11 | Stedfast [is] the word: For if we died together -- we also shall live together;
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12 | if we do endure together -- we shall also reign together; if we deny [him], he also shall deny us;
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13 | if we are not stedfast, he remaineth stedfast; to deny himself he is not able.
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14 | These things remind [them] of, testifying fully before the Lord -- not to strive about words to nothing profitable, but to the subversion of those hearing;
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15 | be diligent to present thyself approved to God -- a workman irreproachable, rightly dividing the word of the truth;
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16 | and the profane vain talkings stand aloof from, for to more impiety they will advance,
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17 | and their word as a gangrene will have pasture, of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus,
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18 | who concerning the truth did swerve, saying the rising again to have already been, and do overthrow the faith of some;
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19 | sure, nevertheless, hath the foundation of God stood, having this seal, 'The Lord hath known those who are His,' and 'Let him depart from unrighteousness -- every one who is naming the name of Christ.'
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20 | And in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth, and some to honour, and some to dishonour:
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21 | if, then, any one may cleanse himself from these, he shall be a vessel to honour, sanctified and profitable to the master -- to every good work having been prepared,
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22 | and the youthful lusts flee thou, and pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace, with those calling upon the Lord out of a pure heart;
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23 | and the foolish and uninstructed questions be avoiding, having known that they beget strife,
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24 | and a servant of the Lord it behoveth not to strive, but to be gentle unto all, apt to teach, patient under evil,
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25 | in meekness instructing those opposing -- if perhaps God may give to them repentance to an acknowledging of the truth,
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26 | and they may awake out of the devil's snare, having been caught by him at his will.
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