§2.1Σὺ οὖν, τέκνον μου, ἐνδυναμοῦ ἐν τῇ χάριτι τῇ ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ, §2.2καὶ ἃ ἤκουσας παρʼ ἐμοῦ διὰ πολλῶν μαρτύρων, ταῦτα παράθου πιστοῖς ἀνθρώποις, οἵτινες ἱκανοὶ ἔσονται καὶ ἑτέρους διδάξαι.
You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus, and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful people, who will be able to teach others as well.
§2.3συνκακοπάθησον ὡς καλὸς στρατιώτης Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ.
Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus.
§2.4οὐδεὶς στρατευόμενος ἐμπλέκεται ταῖς τοῦ βίου πραγματίαις, ἵνα τῷ στρατολογήσαντι ἀρέσῃ·
No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits, so that he may please the enroller.
§2.5ἐὰν δὲ καὶ ἀθλῇ τις, οὐ στεφανοῦται ἐὰν μὴ νομίμως ἀθλήσῃ·
And if anyone competes as an athlete, he is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules.
§2.6τὸν κοπιῶντα γεωργὸν δεῖ πρῶτον τῶν καρπῶν μεταλαμβάνειν.
It is the hard-working farmer who ought to have the first share of the crops.
§2.7νόει ὃ λέγω· δώσει γάρ σοι ὁ κύριος σύνεσιν ἐν πᾶσιν.
Think over what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything.
§2.8μνημόνευε Ἰησοῦν Χριστὸν ἐγηγερμένον ἐκ νεκρῶν, ἐκ σπέρματος Δαυείδ, κατὰ τὸ εὐαγγέλιόν μου· §2.9ἐν ᾧ κακοπαθῶ μέχρι δεσμῶν ὡς κακοῦργος.
Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, the offspring of David, according to my gospel, for which I suffer hardship, even to the point of chains, like a criminal.
ἀλλὰ ὁ λόγος τοῦ θεοῦ οὐ δέδεται·
But the word of God is not chained.
§2.10διὰ τοῦτο πάντα ὑπομένω διὰ τοὺς ἐκλεκτούς, ἵνα καὶ αὐτοὶ σωτηρίας τύχωσιν τῆς ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ μετὰ δόξης αἰωνίου.
Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, so that they also may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory.
§2.11πιστὸς ὁ λόγος· εἰ γὰρ συναπεθάνομεν, καὶ συνζήσομεν· §2.12εἰ ὑπομένομεν, καὶ συμβασιλεύσομεν· εἰ ἀρνησόμεθα, κἀκεῖνος ἀρνήσεται ἡμᾶς· §2.13εἰ ἀπιστοῦμεν, ἐκεῖνος πιστὸς μένει, ἀρνήσασθαι γὰρ ἑαυτὸν οὐ δύναται.
The saying is trustworthy, for: If we have died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him; if we deny him, he also will deny us; if we are faithless, he remains faithful— for he cannot deny himself.
§2.14Ταῦτα ὑπο μίμνησκε, διαμαρτυρόμενος ἐνώπιον τοῦ θεοῦ, μὴ λογομαχεῖν, ἐπʼ οὐδὲν χρήσιμον, ἐπὶ καταστροφῇ τῶν ἀκουόντων.
Remind them of these things, and charge them before God not to wrangle about words, which does no good, but only ruins those who listen.
§2.15σπούδασον σεαυτὸν δόκιμον παραστῆσαι τῷ θεῷ, ἐργάτην ἀνεπαίσχυντον, ὀρθοτομοῦντα τὸν λόγον τῆς ἀληθείας.
Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly explaining the word of truth.
§2.16τὰς δὲ βεβήλους κενοφωνιας περιίστασο· ἐπὶ πλεῖον γὰρ προκόψουσιν ἀσεβείας, §2.17καὶ ὁ λόγος αὐτῶν ὡς γάγγραινα νομὴν ἕξει·
Avoid profane chatter, for it will lead people into more and more impiety, and their talk will spread like gangrene.
ὧν ἐστὶν Ὑμέναιος καὶ Φίλητος, §2.18οἵτινες περὶ τὴν ἀλήθειαν ἠστόχησαν, λέγοντες ἀνάστασιν ἤδη γεγονέναι, καὶ ἀνατρέπουσιν τήν τινων πίστιν.
Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, who have swerved from the truth by claiming that the resurrection has already taken place. They are upsetting the faith of some.
§2.19ὁ μέντοι στερεὸς θεμέλιος τοῦ θεοῦ ἕστηκεν, ἔχων τὴν σφραγῖδα ταύτην
"Ἔγνω Κύριος τοὺς ὄντας αὐτοῦ,"
καί Ἀποστήτω ἀπὸ ἀδικίας πᾶς ὁ
"ὀνομάζων τὸ ὄνομα Κυρίου. " §2.20ἐν μεγάλῃ δὲ οἰκίᾳ οὐκ ἔστιν μόνον σκεύη χρυσᾶ καὶ ἀργυρᾶ ἀλλὰ καὶ ξύλινα καὶ ὀστράκινα, καὶ ἃ μὲν εἰς τιμὴν ἃ δὲ εἰς ἀτιμίαν·
But God’s firm foundation stands, bearing this inscription: “The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Let everyone who names the name of the Lord turn away from wickedness.” In a large house there are utensils not only of gold and silver but also of wood and clay, some for special use, some for ordinary.
§2.21ἐὰν οὖν τις ἐκκαθάρῃ ἑαυτὸν ἀπὸ τούτων, ἔσται σκεῦος εἰς τιμήν, ἡγιασμένον, εὔχρηστον τῷ δεσπότῃ, εἰς πᾶν ἔργον ἀγαθὸν ἡτοιμασμένον.
All who cleanse themselves from these things will be utensils for special use, dedicated, useful to the owner of the house, ready for every good work.
§2.22τὰς δὲ νεωτερικὰς ἐπιθυμίας φεῦγε, δίωκε δὲ δικαιοσύνην, πίστιν, ἀγάπην, εἰρήνην μετὰ τῶν ἐπικαλουμένων τὸν κύριον ἐκ καθαρᾶς καρδίας.
Shun youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.
§2.23τὰς δὲ μωρὰς καὶ ἀπαιδεύτους ζητήσεις παραιτοῦ, εἰδὼς ὅτι γεννῶσι μάχας·
Have nothing to do with stupid and senseless controversies; you know that they breed quarrels.
§2.24δοῦλον δὲ κυρίου οὐ δεῖ μάχεσθαι, ἀλλὰ ἤπιον εἶναι πρὸς πάντας, διδακτικόν, ἀνεξίκακον, §2.25ἐν πραΰτητι παιδεύοντα τοὺς ἀντιδιατιθεμένους, μή ποτε δῴη αὐτοῖς ὁ θεὸς μετάνοιαν εἰς ἐπίγνωσιν ἀληθείας, §2.26καὶ ἀνανήψωσιν ἐκ τῆς τοῦ διαβόλου παγίδος, ἐζωγρημένοι ὑπʼ αὐτοῦ εἰς τὸ ἐκείνου θέλημα.
And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kindly to everyone, an apt teacher, patient, correcting opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant that they will repent and come to know the truth, and that they may escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will.