Chapter 4

¹I charge you in the sight of God and Christ Jesus who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom, ²preach the message; be at it in season and out of season; convince, reprove, exhort people, with perfect patience and willingness to teach. ³For a time will come when they will not listen to wholesome instruction, but will overwhelm themselves with teachers to suit their whims and tickle their fancies, ⁴and they will turn from listening to the truth and wander off after fictions. ⁵But you must always be composed; do not shrink from hardship; do your work as a missionary, and your whole duty as a minister.

⁶My life is already being poured out, and the time has come for my departure. ⁷I have had a part in the great contest, I have run my race, I have preserved my faith. ⁸Now the crown of uprightness awaits me, which the Lord, the upright judge, will award me on that Day, and not only me but also all who have loved and hoped for his appearing.

⁹Do your best to come to me soon, ¹⁰for Demas has deserted me for love of the present world, and has gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, and Titus to Dalmatia. ¹¹No one but Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is of great assistance to me, ¹²and I have sent Tychicus to Ephesus. ¹³When you come, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas, and the books, especially the parchments. ¹⁴Alexander, the metal-worker, did me a great deal of harm. The Lord will repay him for what he did. ¹⁵You too must be on your guard against him, for he vehemently opposed my teaching. ¹⁶At my first appearance in court no one came to help me; everybody deserted me. May no one lay it up against them! ¹⁷But the Lord stood by me, and gave me strength, so that I might make a full presentation of the message and let all the heathen hear it. So I was saved from the jaws of the lion. ¹⁸The Lord will rescue me from any harm and bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory forever and ever. Amen.

¹⁹Remember me to Prisca and Aquila, and to the members of the household of Onesiphorus. ²⁰Erastus stayed in Corinth. I left Trophimus sick at Miletus. ²¹Do your best to come before winter.

Eubulus wishes to be remembered to you, and so do Pudens, Linus, Claudia, and all the brothers.

²²The Lord be with your spirit. God bless you all.