1 So then, my child, be strong in the grace which is in Christ Jesus.
2 And the things which I have said to you before a number of witnesses, give to those of the faith, so that they may be teachers of others.
3 Be ready to do without the comforts of life, as one of the army of Christ Jesus.
4 A fighting man, when he is with the army, keeps himself free from the business of this life so that he may be pleasing to him who has taken him into his army.
5 And if a man takes part in a competition he does not get the crown if he has not kept the rules.
6 It is right for the worker in the fields to be the first to take of the fruit.
7 Give thought to what I say; for the Lord will give you wisdom in all things.
8 Keep in mind Jesus Christ, of the seed of David, who came back from the dead, as my good news gives witness:
9 In which I put up with the hardest conditions, even prison chains, like one who has done a crime; but the word of God is not in chains.
10 But I undergo all things for the saints, so that they may have salvation in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.
11 This is a true saying: If we undergo death with him, then will we be living with him:
12 If we go on to the end, then we will be ruling with him: if we say we have no knowledge of him, then he will say he has no knowledge of us:
13 If we are without faith, still he keeps faith, for he will never be untrue to himself.
14 Put these things before them, giving them orders in the name of the Lord to keep themselves from fighting about words, which is of no profit, only causing error in their hearers.
15 Let it be your care to get the approval of God, as a workman who has no cause for shame, giving the true word in the right way.
16 But take no part in wrong and foolish talk, for those who do so will go farther into evil,
17 And their words will be like poisoned wounds in the flesh: such are Hymenaeus and Philetus;
18 Men whose ideas are all false, who say that the coming back from the dead has even now taken place, overturning the faith of some.
19 But God's strong base is unchanging, having this sign, The Lord has knowledge of those who are his: and, Let everyone by whom the name of the Lord is named be turned away from evil.
20 Now in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but others of wood and earth, and some which are honoured and some without honour.
21 If a man makes himself clean from these, he will be a vessel for honour, made holy, ready for the master's use, ready for every good work.
22 But keep yourself from those desires of the flesh which are strong when the body is young, and go after righteousness, faith, love, peace, with those whose prayers go up to the Lord from a clean heart.
23 And put away foolish and uncontrolled questionings, seeing that they are a cause of trouble.
24 For it is not right for the Lord's servant to make trouble, but he is to be gentle to all, ready in teaching, putting up with wrong,
25 Gently guiding those who go against the teaching; if by chance God may give them a change of heart and true knowledge,
26 And so they may get themselves free from the net of the Evil One, being made the prisoners of the Lord's servant, for the purpose of God.
1 所以， 我儿啊， 你应当在基督耶稣的恩典里刚强起来，
2 又应当把你在许多见证人面前从我这里听见的， 交托给那些又忠心又能够教导别人的人。
3 你应当和我同受磨难， 好像基督耶稣的精兵。
4 当兵的人不让世务缠身， 为要使那招兵的人欢喜。
5 竞赛的人若不遵守规则， 就不能得冠冕。
6 劳力的农夫理当先尝果实。
7 你要想想我的话， 因为凡事主必给你领悟力。
8 你要记得那从死人中复活的耶稣基督， 他是大卫的后裔所生的， 这就是我所传的福音。
9 我为了这福音受了磨难， 甚至像犯人一样被捆绑起来； 可是， 神的话却不被捆绑。
10 因此， 我为了选民忍受一切， 好叫他们也可以得着在基督耶稣里的救恩， 和永远的荣耀。
11 "我们若与基督同死， 就必与他同活；
12 我们若能坚忍， 就必与他一同作王； 我们若不认他， 他必不认我们；
13 我们纵然不信， 他仍然是信实的， 因为他不能否定自己。"这话是可信的。
14 你要在 神面前把这些事提醒众人， 叮嘱他们不要作无益的争辩； 这只能败坏听见的人。
15 你应当竭力在 神面前作一个蒙称许、无愧的工人， 正确地讲解真理的道。
16 总要远避世俗的空谈， 因为这些必会引人进到更不敬虔的地步。
17 他们的话好像毒瘤一样蔓延； 他们当中有许米乃和腓理徒。
18 他们偏离了真道， 说复活的事已经过去了， 于是毁坏了一些人的信心。
19 然而， 神坚固的根基已经立定， 上面刻着这样的印： "主认识属于他的人"和"凡称呼主名的人都应当离开不义"。
20 在富贵人的家里（"富贵人的家里"原文作"大房子"）， 不但有金器、银器， 也有木器、瓦器； 有贵重的， 也有卑贱的。
21 人若自洁， 离开卑贱的事， 就必作贵重的器皿， 成为圣洁， 合主使用， 预备行各样的善事。
22 你应当逃避年轻人的私欲， 要和那些以清洁的心求告主的人， 一同追求公义、信心、爱心、和平。
23 你要拒绝愚蠢无知的问难； 你知道这些事会引起争论。
24 但主的仆人却不可争论， 总要待人温和， 善于教导， 存心忍耐，
25 以温柔劝导那些对抗的人， 或许 神给他们悔改的心， 可以认识真理。
26 他们虽然曾经被魔鬼掳去， 随从他的意思而行， 或许也能醒悟过来， 脱离魔鬼的陷阱。