| Chapter 4 1
I am conjuring you in the sight of God and Christ Jesus, Who is about to be judging the
living and the dead, in accord with His advent and His kingdom:
2 Herald the word. Stand by it, opportunely,
inopportunely, expose, rebuke, entreat, with all patience and teaching.
3 For the era will be when they will not tolerate sound
teaching, but, their hearing being tickled, they will heap up for themselves teachers in
accord with their own desires,
4 and, indeed, they will be turning their hearing away
from the truth, yet will be turned aside to myths.
5 Yet you be sober in all things; suffer evil as an ideal
soldier of Christ Jesus; do the work of an evangelist; fully discharge your service.
6 For I am already a libation, and the period of my
dissolution is imminent.
7 I have contended the ideal contest. I have finished my
career. I have kept the faith.
8 Furthermore, there is reserved for me the wreath of
righteousness, which the Lord, the just Judge, will be paying to me in that day; yet not
to me only, but also to all who love His advent.
9 Endeavor to come to me quickly,
10 for Demas, loving the current eon, forsook me and went
to Thessalonica, Crescens to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia.
11 Luke only is with me. Taking Mark, lead him back with
you, for he is useful to me for service.
12 Now Tychicus I dispatch to Ephesus.
13 When you come, bring the traveling cloak which I left
in Troas with Carpus, and the scrolls, especially the vellums.
14 Alexander the coppersmith displayed to me much evil:
the Lord will be paying him in accord with his acts --
15 whom you also guard against, for very much has he
withstood words of ours.
16 At my first defense no one came along with me, but all
forsook me.
17 May it not be reckoned against them! Yet the Lord
stood beside me, and He invigorates me, that through me the heralding may be fully
discharged, and all the nations should hear; and I am rescued out of the mouth of the
lion.
18 The Lord will be rescuing me from every wicked work
and will be saving me for His celestial kingdom: to Whom be glory for the eons of the
eons. Amen!
19 Greet Prisca and Aquila and the household of
Onesiphorus.
20 Erastus remains in Corinth, yet Trophimus, being
infirm,
21 I left in Miletus. Endeavor to come before winter.
Greeting you is Eubulus and Pudens and Linus and Claudia and all the brethren.
22 The Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit! Grace be
with you! Amen! |