Kutoka kwa Paulo mtume wa Kristo Yesu kwa mapenzi ya Mungu, kulingana na ahadi ya uzima uliomo ndani ya Kristo Yesu. Kwa Timotheo, mwanangu mpendwa. Ninakutakia neema, rehema na amani kutoka kwa Mungu Baba na kwa Kristo Yesu Bwana wetu.

Paulo Amtia Moyo Timotheo

Ninamshukuru Mungu ninayemtumikia kwa dhamiri safi, kama walivyomtumikia baba zangu, ninapokukumbuka usiku na mchana katika sala zangu. Nikiyakumbuka machozi yako, ninatamani sana kukuona ili nijazwe furaha. Nakumbushwa kuhusu imani yako ya kweli, imani ambayo walikuwa nayo bibi yako Loisi na mama yako Eunike na ambayo nina hakika, unayo. Kwa sababu hii nakukum busha ukichochee kile kipawa ulichopewa na Mungu wakati nilipo kuwekea mikono. Maana Mungu hakutupatia roho ya woga bali roho ya nguvu, ujasiri na kiasi.

Basi usione haya kumshuhudia Bwana wetu, wala usinionee haya mimi niliye mfungwa kwa ajili yake, bali uishiriki taabu kwa ajili ya Habari Njema kwa kadiri ya nguvu upewayo na Mungu. Yeye ametuokoa na kutuita tupokee maisha ya utakatifu; si kwa sababu ya matendo yetu mema bali kwa sababu ya makusudio yake na neema yake. Tulipewa neema hii katika Kristo Yesu tangu milele 10 na sasa imedhihirishwa kwa kuja kwake Mwokozi wetu Kristo Yesu ambaye ameondoa kifo kabisa na kuleta uzima na kutokufa kwa njia ya Injili. 11 Nami nimechaguliwa kuwa mhubiri, mtume na mwalimu wa Injili hii. 12 Ndio sababu ninateseka hivi. Lakini sioni aibu kwa maana ninamjua huyo niliyemwamini na nina hakika ya kuwa anaweza kutunza kile nilichomkabidhi, mpaka siku ile.

13 Tumia kama kielelezo cha mafundisho sahihi maneno ya kweli ambayo umeyasikia kutoka kwangu pamoja na imani na upendo katika Kristo Yesu. 14 Linda ile kweli ambayo umekabidhiwa na Roho Mtakatifu aishiye ndani yetu. 15 Bila shaka unafahamu kuwa watu wote katika jimbo la Asia wameniacha, wakiwemo Filego na Hermogene. 16 Bwana aonyeshe huruma yake kwa jamaa ya Onesiforo kwa sababu alinitia moyo mara nyingi na hakuonea aibu minyororo yangu. 17 Bali alipofika Roma alinitafuta kwa bidii mpaka akanipata. 18 Bwana amwezeshe kupata rehema kutoka kwa Bwana siku ile. Unafahamu pia jinsi alivyoni saidia huko Efeso.

Paul, an apostle(A) of Christ Jesus by the will of God,(B) in keeping with the promise of life that is in Christ Jesus,(C)

To Timothy,(D) my dear son:(E)

Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.(F)

Thanksgiving

I thank God,(G) whom I serve, as my ancestors did, with a clear conscience,(H) as night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers.(I) Recalling your tears,(J) I long to see you,(K) so that I may be filled with joy. I am reminded of your sincere faith,(L) which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice(M) and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also.

Appeal for Loyalty to Paul and the Gospel

For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands.(N) For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid,(O) but gives us power,(P) love and self-discipline. So do not be ashamed(Q) of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner.(R) Rather, join with me in suffering for the gospel,(S) by the power of God. He has saved(T) us and called(U) us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done(V) but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, 10 but it has now been revealed(W) through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus,(X) who has destroyed death(Y) and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. 11 And of this gospel(Z) I was appointed(AA) a herald and an apostle and a teacher.(AB) 12 That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet this is no cause for shame,(AC) because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard(AD) what I have entrusted to him until that day.(AE)

13 What you heard from me,(AF) keep(AG) as the pattern(AH) of sound teaching,(AI) with faith and love in Christ Jesus.(AJ) 14 Guard(AK) the good deposit that was entrusted to you—guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.(AL)

Examples of Disloyalty and Loyalty

15 You know that everyone in the province of Asia(AM) has deserted me,(AN) including Phygelus and Hermogenes.

16 May the Lord show mercy to the household of Onesiphorus,(AO) because he often refreshed me and was not ashamed(AP) of my chains.(AQ) 17 On the contrary, when he was in Rome, he searched hard for me until he found me. 18 May the Lord grant that he will find mercy from the Lord on that day!(AR) You know very well in how many ways he helped me(AS) in Ephesus.(AT)