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.
Labs Kristus kareivis
1 Tu, mans dēls, smelies spēku žēlastībā, kas ir Kristū Jēzū, 2 un visu, ko no manis esi dzirdējis daudzu liecinieku priekšā, nodod tālāk uzticamiem cilvēkiem, kas arī citus spētu mācīt. 3 Panes ciešanas līdz ar mani kā krietns Kristus Jēzus kareivis. 4 Neviens, kas dien karaspēkā, neiesaistās sadzīves rūpēs – viņš lūko izpatikt tam, kas viņu izraudzījis dienestam. 5 Arī tas, kas piedalās sacīkstēs, uzvaras vainagu var saņemt vien tad, ja cīnās likumīgi. 6 Zemkopim, kas sūri strādā, pirmajam jānobauda no saviem augļiem. 7 Pārdomā, ko es saku, – gan Kungs tev dos izpratni it visā. 8 Atceries Jēzu Kristu – no Dāvida dzimuma –, kas tika augšāmcelts no mirušajiem pēc mana evaņģēlija. 9 Viņa dēļ es ciešu pārestības, pat važās tiku iekalts kā ļaundaris, – bet Dieva vārdu nevar saistīt važās. 10 Tādēļ es visas ciešanas panesu izredzēto dēļ, lai arī viņi Kristū Jēzū gūtu glābšanu un mūžīgo godību. 11 Uzticami ir šie vārdi:
ja līdz ar viņu esam miruši, līdz ar viņu dzīvosim.
12 Ja izturēsim, kopā arī valdīsim,
ja noliegsim, arī viņš mūs noliegs.
13 Ja būsim neuzticami, viņš paliks uzticams,
jo viņš pats sevi nevar noliegt.
Dieva apstiprināts darbinieks
14 To visu atgādini un brīdini, piesaukdams Dievu par liecinieku, neizraisot vārdu karu; ne pie kā derīga tas nenovedīs, tikai kaitēs tiem, kas to dzird. 15 Sevi pašu centies nodot Dieva rīcībā kā noderīgu un nevainojamu darbinieku, kas pareizi māca patiesības vārdu. 16 No pasaulīgas tukšvārdības gan izvairies; tādi arvien vairāk nonāks bezdievībā, 17 un viņu vārdi ies plašumā kā gangrēna. Pie tiem pieder arī Himenejs un Filēts, 18 kas novirzījušies no patiesības ceļa, runādami, ka augšāmcelšanās ir jau notikusi, tādējādi graujot dažiem ticību. 19 Bet stiprais Dieva pamats stāv ar šādu zīmogu: Dievs pazīst savējos un: lai atstājas no nelietības ikviens, kas izrunā Kunga vārdu. 20 Lielā namā nav tikai zelta un sudraba trauki, bet arī koka un māla, un vieni domāti cēlam nolūkam, citi – necēlam. 21 Ja nu kāds sevi ir attīrījis no nešķīstā, tad viņš būs svētīts trauks, kas paredzēts cēlam nolūkam, lieti noderīgs saimniekam, sagatavots jebkuram labam darbam. 22 Bēdz no jaunības iekārēm un dzenies pēc taisnības, ticības, mīlestības un pēc miera kopā ar tiem, kas piesauc Kungu no tīras sirds. 23 Izvairies no muļķīgas un nemākulīgas spriedelēšanas, zinādams, ka tā noved pie strīdiem. 24 Kunga kalpam nevajag strīdēties, bet pret visiem būt laipnam – tādam, kas pamāca un ir iecietīgs, 25 tādam, kas pretinieku audzina ar lēnprātību. Varbūt Dievs reiz dos tiem mainīt prātu un vedīs pie patiesības saprašanas, 26 un tie attapušies atbrīvosies no velna izliktām lamatām, kurās sagūstīti, lai kalpotu viņa gribai.
