Read the Bible

¹ Paul an apostle of Jesus Christ, appointed by God to declare the promise, which Jesus Christ has made of eternal life; ² to Timothy, my dear son, grace, mercy and peace from God the father, and from Jesus Christ our Lord. ³ When I remember you, as I continually do in my prayers night and day, I give thanks to God, whom I serve with a pure conscience, after the example of my fore-fathers. ⁴ when I call to mind your affliction, it makes me ardently desire the exceeding pleasure I shall have in seeing you: ⁵ especially when I reflect upon the sincerity of your faith, and the attachment your grand-mother Lois first show'd, and then your mother Eunice, examples which I am persuaded you will follow.

⁶ For which reason I remind you to exert the divine gifts you received, when I gave you the imposition of hands. ⁷ for the spirit, which God has given us, is not a spirit of timidity, but of fortitude, of benevolence, and of moderation. ⁸ be not therefore asham'd of the testimony of the Lord, nor of me who am a prisoner upon his account. but share with me in the afflictions, which attend the gospel, supported as you are by the power of God, ⁹ who has saved us, and by the gospel hath called us to holiness, not in consideration of our works, but in pursuance of his own resolution, and the favour, which having been promised us by Jesus Christ several ages ago, ¹⁰ has now been display'd by the coming of Jesus Christ our saviour, who has defeated the power of death, by bringing a life of immortality to light thro' the gospel. ¹¹ For this I was establish'd the herald, the apostle, and doctor of the Gentiles. this has drawn upon me the evils I suffer. ¹² yet I am not ashamed, for I know in whom I have confided, and I am persuaded he is able to keep what I have committed to him against that day. ¹³ Keep that form of sound doctrine you receiv'd from me, which consists in christian faith and charity: ¹⁴ that valuable depositum do you preserve by the holy spirit, which resides in us.

¹⁵ You know that I have been abandon'd by all the Asiatics, by Phygellus and Hermogenes among the rest. ¹⁶ the Lord be favourable to the family of Onesiphorus; for he often reliev'd me, and was not asham'd of my chains: ¹⁷ but when he was at Rome, he enquired for me very diligently, and found me. ¹⁸ the Lord grant he may obtain mercy from him in that day, for you know very well what services de did me at Ephesus.