Dr. Paul’s last Letter and 2nd Contemporary History to Timothy
Introduction:
Dr. Paul’s last contemporary history, concerning Jesus and correctly serving Him in ‘the Faith’, which He has revealed for His Kingdom. Dr. Paul is aware that this incarceration is likely his last and he probably will not survive the charges and punishment. There were no genuine charges, except being disliked to the point of hatred by some in the Roman Empire. It is not certain, but thought, that he was in jail and had received his 2nd trial in Rome, when he wrote this contemporary history. Dr. Paul’s worry seems to be whether Timothy, who has worked beside him almost daily for nearly twenty years, will continue the work of planting, developing, and organizing Jesus’ Kingdom at the same level of leadership, intensity, and accuracy necessary for Its proper continuous spread to all mankind, as each generation must do.
Note: We provide an outline and Greek verb tenses, as in the other Letters of the New Covenant, but not in all the Letters. They are only a guide for helping students to study better, exactly what the Text is saying. You might disagree with the outlines, which is ok. But you ought to create your own.
Date: A.D. 64-66
Text:
(1st) Paul, an Apostle of Christ Jesus by God’s Will, according to the Promise of Life, which is [only] in Christ Jesus, to my beloved child Timothy: [A] Grace, [B] mercy, and, [C] peace from God the [unique] Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. {1:2}
(2nd) I thank God (whom I serve from my forefathers with a pure conscience), constantly [A] remembering you in my prayers, night and day, [B] longing to see you (remembering your tears), [C] that I may be filled with joy. I remember the genuine faith, which is in you, dwelling [1] first in your grandmother Lois, and [2] in your mother Eunice, and [3] I am confident that it is in you also. {1:5}
For this cause, I remind you [A] to rekindle God’s gift, which is yours by the laying on of my hands. [1] God did not give us a spirit of cowardice, but more so, [a] of power and [b] love and [c] good sense. Therefore, [2] you should not be ashamed either [a] of the testimony of our Lord, or [b] of me, His prisoner, but more so, it is imperative [B] that you join with me in suffering for the Good News, according to God’s power. {1:8}
[C] He [1] saved us, and [2] called us with a sacred calling, [a] not according to our works, [b] but according to His own [1] purpose and [2] Grace, which [a] was given us in Christ Jesus before times eternal, and [b] has now been revealed through the appearance of our Savior Christ Jesus. [D] He has, indeed: [1] abolished death, and [2] has brought to light-[a] life and [b] immortality- [3] through the Good News, for which I was appointed [a] a preacher and [b] an Apostle and [c] a teacher.{1:11}
On account of ‘this’, I am suffering these things, but more so, I am not ashamed, because I know [oida] Him Whom I have [continued to] trusted [->|], and I am [still] confident [->|] that He can guard the deposit which I have entrusted with Him until ‘that Day’. {1:12}
(3rd) [A] You must hold the pattern of wholesome words, which you have heard from me in [1] Faith and [2] Love, [3] that [are] in Christ Jesus. [B] You must guard the precious deposit entrusted to you through the Holy Spirit who lives in us.
[1] You know [oida] this, that all who are in Asia have abandoned me (of whom are Phygelus and Hermogenes). [2] May the Lord grant mercy to the house of Onesiphorus, as [a] he often refreshed me, and [b] was not ashamed of my chains. [c] When he was in Rome, he searched diligently and found me. [d] May the Lord grant that he may find mercy from the Lord in ‘that Day’. [e] You understand better than I the ways he served in Ephesus. {1:18}
[C]You, therefore, my child, must be strong in the Grace that is in Christ Jesus. The things [1] you have heard from me, through many witnesses, [2] it is imperative that [a] you entrust to reliable people, [b] who will be able to teach others also. [3] You ought to suffer hardship [stand] with me as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. [a] No soldier involves himself with this life’s affairs, [b] that he may please the one who enlisted him. Also, [4] if one enters an athletic contest, he cannot win, unless he follows the rules. [5] The working farmer ought to be the first to share in the harvest. {2;6}
[D] You must give attention to what I am saying, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything. Keep in mind that Jesus Christ, [1] of David’s offspring, [2] was raised from the dead [3] according to my Good News, [a] for which I suffer wicked treatment, [b] even to bonds, [c] as a criminal. But God’s Message [is] not bound! Because of this, I endure all things for the sake of the chosen ones, that they may obtain the salvation in Christ Jesus with eternal splendor! {2:10}
(4th) The Word, reliable! [A] If we die with Him, we will also live with Him; [B] if we endure, we will also reign with Him; [C] if we deny Him, He will also deny us; [D] if we are unreliable, He continues to be reliable, because He cannot deny Himself. {2:13}
[A] You must [1] remind them of these things, [2] charging them before God [a] to shun word-battles, which are useful for nothing, [b] but which ruin the listeners. [Is.8:12-22]
[B] You must do your best to present yourself approved to God, [1] an unashamed workman, [2] directing correctly [cutting straight] ‘the Message of Truth’. [C]You must avoid profane and empty babblings, for [1] they lead on to more godlessness. [a] Their message will spread as gangrene, of whom are Hymeneus and Philetus, [b] who have deviated [miss aimed] from ‘the Truth’, [c] saying that the resurrection has already taken place; and [d] they are overturning ‘the Faith’ of some. [2] However, God’s foundation stands solid, having this certification, “The Lord knows those who are His,” [Num.16:5; Nah.1:7] and “Let everyone calling on the Lord’s Name depart from wrongdoing.” {2:19}
In a great house, there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but more so, also of wood and clay; some indeed are special, and some unto every-day use. Therefore, if one cleanses himself from these, [wrongdoings] he will be [1] a vessel of honor, [2] set apart, [3] useful to the Master, [4] prepared unto every good work. {2:21}
[D] You must shun [1] youthful lusts, and [2] must pursue: [a] righteousness, [b] faith, [c] love, and [d] peace with all those who call upon the Lord out of a pure heart. [E] You must keep away from [1] foolish and [2] stupid questions, [3] knowing that they breed quarrels. [F] The Lord’s slave must not [1] be quarrelsome, but more so, [2] be kind to all, [3] able in teaching, [4] patient, [5] gently correcting the opponents. Perhaps God may give them [1] a reform of mind and life [2] unto a ‘complete understanding’ of ‘the Truth’, and [3] that they may regain good sense, and [4] escape the devil’s trap, who captured them for his purpose. {2:26}
(5th) You must understand this, that in the last days, the times will be difficult. [1] People will have strong affection of self, [2] strong affection of money; [3] be conceited, [4] arrogant, [5] blasphemous, [6] disobedient to parents, [7] unthankful, [8] unholy, [9] without family affection, [10] irreconcilable, [11] slanderers, [12] uncontrollable, [13] savage, [14] haters of goodness, [15] betrayers, [16] headstrong, [17] puffed up; [18] have strong affection of pleasure, [19] rather than, strong affection of God, [20] holding to a form of religion, but [21] denying its power. It is imperative that you turn away from these! {3:5}
[22] Some of these: [1] sneak into houses and captivate weak women, [2] [are] overwhelmed in sins, [3] led by various kinds of desires, [4] always learning, but never able to come to a ‘full understanding’ of ‘the Truth’. [23] These folks oppose ‘the Truth’ in the same way that Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses. [24] They are depraved in mind, and [25] worthless concerning ‘the Faith’. But more so, [26] they will make no further progress, for their stupidity will be apparent to all, as theirs was also. But, you have closely followed: [A] ‘the Teaching’ of me, [B] the manner of life, [C] the purpose, [D] ‘the Faith’, [E] the patience, [F] the love, and [G] the steadfastness, [H] the persecutions, and [I] the sufferings, such as came to me in Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra; which persecutions I endured; and the Lord delivered me from all of them. {3:11}
In fact, all those wanting to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, but [1] wicked people and [2] impostors [3] will become worse, [4] deceiving and [5] being deceived. But, [A] you must stay firm in what you have learned, and [B] in the things of which you have been assured, [C] knowing [oida] [1] from whom you have learned them; and [2] that from a child you have known [oida] the holy Scriptures, [a] which are able to make you wise toward salvation [b] through ‘the Faith’ which [c] is in Christ Jesus. [A] Every ‘Scripture’ [is] [1] God-breathed and [2] profitable: [a] for teaching, [b] for reproof, [c] for correction, and [d] for instruction in righteousness, [B] that the person of God [1] may be equipped, [2] completely furnished for every good [Godlike] work. {3:17}
I charge you [A] in the sight of God, and [B] of Christ Jesus (Who will judge the living and the dead), and [C] by His appearance and [D] His Kingdom: [1] You must proclaim the WORD! [2] You must be ready in good and bad times! [3] You must: [a] correct, [b] reprove, and [c] exhort with all patience and teaching; [1] for the time will be when they will not tolerate wholesome ‘Teaching’. But more so, [2] according to their own desires, they will accumulate for themselves teachers, to have their ears tickled. [3] They will turn away their ears from ‘the Truth’ and will go astray after myths. [1] But you: must be alert in all things, [2] you must suffer wicked treatment, [3] must do the work of an Evangelist, [4] must fulfill your service. {4:5}
(6th) [A] I am already being poured out as a drink-offering, and [B] the time of my death is near. [C] I have fought a noble fight, [D] I have finished the race, [E] I have kept ‘the Faith’. Therefore, [1] a crown of righteousness is laid up for me, [2] which the Lord, the Righteous Judge, will give to me in that Day; [3] yet not to me only, but also to all those who have loved His appearance. {4:8}
You ought to do your best to come to me right away. Demas has deserted me, having loved this present world, and has gone to Thessalonica, Crescens to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia. Only Luke is with me. Receive Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful to me in the service.
I have sent Tychicus to Ephesus. When you come, you must bring the coat which I left at Troas with Carpus, and the scrolls, especially the parchments. Alexander the coppersmith has harmed me often; the Lord will repay him according to his works. You ought to avoid him, for he has greatly opposed our words. {4:15}
No one stood by me during my first defense, but more so, everyone deserted me. May it not be held against them. But the Lord [A] stood beside me and [B] strengthened me, [C] that ‘the Proclamation’ [1] might be fully proclaimed through me, and [2] that all the Gentiles might hear, and [D] I was rescued from the lion’s mouth. [E] The Lord will rescue me [1] from every wicked work and [F] will save me in His heavenly Kingdom. To Him is the praise forever and ever, amen.
You must greet Prisca and Aquila, and the house of Onesiphorus. Erastus remained at Corinth, and I left Trophimus sick at Miletus. You must do your best to come before winter. Eubulus and Pudens and Linus and Claudia and all the brothers greet you. May the Lord be with your spirit. Grace be with you.