A Good Soldier of Christ Jesus
1 Timothy, my child, you must let Christ Jesus make you strong by his gift of undeserved grace. 2 You have often heard me teach. Now I want you to tell these same things to followers who can be trusted to tell others.
3 As a good soldier of Christ Jesus you must endure your share of suffering. 4 Soldiers on duty don't work at outside jobs. They try only to please their commanding officer. 5 No one wins an athletic contest without obeying the rules. 6 And farmers who work hard are the first to eat what grows in their field. 7 If you keep in mind what I have told you, the Lord will help you understand completely.
8 Keep your mind on Jesus Christ! He was from the family of David and was raised from death, just as my good news says. 9 And because of this message, I am locked up in jail and treated like a criminal. But God's good news isn't locked in jail, 10 and so I am willing to put up with anything. Then God's special people will be saved and given eternal glory because they belong to Christ Jesus. 11 Here is a true message:
“If we died with Christ,
we will live with him.
12 If we don't give up,
we will rule with him.
If we deny
that we know him,
he will deny
that he knows us.
13 If we are not faithful,
he will still be faithful.
Christ cannot deny
who he is.”
An Approved Worker
14 Don't let anyone forget these things. And with God as your witness, you must warn them not to argue about words. These arguments don't help anyone. In fact, they ruin everyone who listens to them. 15 Do your best to win God's approval as a worker who doesn't need to be ashamed and who teaches only the true message.
16 Keep away from worthless and useless talk. It only leads people farther away from God. 17 That sort of talk is like a sore that won't heal. And Hymenaeus and Philetus have been talking this way 18 by teaching that the dead have already been raised to life. This is far from the truth, and it is destroying the faith of some people.
19 But the foundation God has laid is solid. On it is written, “The Lord knows who his people are. So everyone who worships the Lord must turn away from evil.”
20 In a large house some dishes are made of gold or silver, while others are made of wood or clay. Some of these are special, and others are not. 21 This is also how it is with people. The ones who stop doing evil and make themselves pure will become special. Their lives will be holy and pleasing to their Master, and they will be able to do all kinds of good deeds.
22 Run from temptations that capture young people. Always do the right thing. Be faithful, loving, and easy to get along with. Worship with people whose hearts are pure. 23 Stay away from stupid and senseless arguments. These only lead to trouble, 24 and God's servants must not be troublemakers. They must be kind to everyone, and they must be good teachers and very patient.
25 Be humble when you correct people who oppose you. Maybe God will lead them to turn to him and learn the truth. 26 They have been trapped by the devil, and he makes them obey him, but God may help them escape.
1 Tad nu tu, mans bērns, topi spēcīgs žēlastībā, kas sakņojas Kristū Jēzū,
2 Un, ko tu esi dzirdējis no manis, daudziem lieciniekiem klāt esot, to cel priekšā uzticīgiem cilvēkiem, kas būs noderīgi mācīt atkal citus.
3 Cieti līdz ar citiem ļaunumu, būdams labs Kristus Jēzus kareivis.
4 Neviens, atrazdamies karapulkā, nepinas ar dzīves darīšanām, lai viņš varētu patikt karakungam.
5 Un jebšu kāds cīnās, viņš dabū vainagu tikai tad, kad viņš ir cīnījies pareizi.
6 Zemkopim, kas nodevies lauka darbam, pienākas pirmajam dabūt savu tiesu no augļiem.
7 Iegaumē, ko es tev saku. Gan jau dos tev tas Kungs saprašanu visās lietās.
8 Turi prātā Jēzu Kristu, kas uzmodināts no miroņiem, no Dāvida cilts, —pēc mana evaņģēlija.
9 Par to es ciešu, pat saites kā ļaundaris, bet Dieva vārds nav saistīts.
10 Tāpēc es visu panesu izredzēto dēļ, lai arī viņiem būtu daļa pie pestīšanas, kas dota Kristū Jēzū, un pie mūžīgas godības.
11 Patiess ir šis vārds: Ja mēs esam līdz miruši, tad mēs arī līdzi dzīvosim;
12 Ja mēs pastāvam ciešanās, tad mēs arī līdzi valdīsim; ja mēs aizliegsim, tad ari viņš aizliegs mūs;
13 Ja mēs esam neuzticīgi, viņš paliek uzticīgs, jo viņš nevar sevi pašu aizbēgt.
14 To visu atgādini, svinīgi pieko-dinādams Dieva priekšā, lai viņi nekarotu vārdiem; tas nekam neder, tas samaitā klausītājus.
15 Centies būt Dieva acīs krietns darbinieks, kam nav ko kaunēties un kas pareizi māca patiesības vārdu.
16 Bet no nesvētām un tukšām runām izvairies, jo viņi arvien dziļāk iestigs bezdievībā,
17 Un viņu vārdi kā ēdējs klimzdami klimtīs; tādi ir Himenajs un Filēts,
18 Kas ir noklīduši no patiesības, sacīdami, ka augšāmcelšanās esot jau notikusi, un sagroza dažiem ticību.
19 Taču stiprais Dieva pamats pastāv ar šādu zīmogu: tas Kungs pazīst savējos un lai atturas no netaisnības ikviens, kas daudzina tā Kunga vārdu.
20 Lielā namā ir netikvien zelta un sidraba trauki, bet arī koka un māla, un citi godam, bet citi negodam;
21 Ja tad nu kāds nošķīstās no tādām lietām, tad viņš būs trauks godam, svēts, derīgs tam Kungam, sataisīts ikkatram labam darbam.
22 Bēdz no jaunekļa iekārībām un dzenies pēc taisnības, ticības, mīlestības, miera ar tiem, kas piesauc to Kungu ar skaidru sirdi.
23 Bet aplamās un nemākulīgās prātošanas noraidi, zinot, ka tās rada kajus;
24 Bet mūsu Kunga kalpam nepienākas ķildoties, bet būt laipnam pret visiem, izveicīgam mācīšanā un panest ļaunumu,
25 Tādam, kas ar lēnprātību pamāca pretiniekus, —varbūt Dievs kādreiz dotu viņiem atgriezties pie patiesības atziņas,
26 Un viņi atkal atgūtu skaidru prātu atraisīdamies no velna valga, ar ko tie savaldzināti.
