PREACH THE WORD

Passage: 2 Timothy 4:1-5

Key verse: 2

NIV

4 In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead,(A) and in view of his appearing(B) and his kingdom, I give you this charge:(C) 2 Preach(D) the word;(E) be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke(F) and encourage(G)—with great patience and careful instruction. 3 For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine.(H) Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.(I) 4 They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.(J) 5 But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship,(K) do the work of an evangelist,(L) discharge all the duties of your ministry.

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Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

Preach the Word

4 (A)I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, (B)who is to judge the living and the dead, and by (C)his appearing and his kingdom: 2 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; (D)reprove, rebuke, and (E)exhort, with complete patience and teaching. 3 (F)For the time is coming when people will not endure (G)sound[a] teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, 4 and (H)will turn away from listening to the truth and (I)wander off into myths. 5 As for you, (J)always be sober-minded, (K)endure suffering, do the work of (L)an evangelist, (M)fulfill your ministry.

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Footnotes
  1. 2 Timothy 4:3 Or healthy
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

1. I give you this charge (1-2)

Paul gave Timothy a solemn charge: 'Preach the Word.' He gave him this charge in the presence of God and Christ, who will judge the living and the dead; he will come again in glory and usher in his kingdom. In light of this sure fact, God's servants must preach the Word--whether we feel like it or not. We must teach the Bible with careful instruction and great patience, so that God's word may correct, rebuke and encourage both ourselves and others.

2. Keep your head (3-5)

Paul sees that a time will come when men do not want to hear the truth from the word of God. They will have itching ears to hear something different, something that does not interfere with the way they live. So they will listen to myths instead of to the truth. They will listen to what they want to hear--nothing else. What must we do? The man of God must keep his head in all situations. He must endure hardship, preach the gospel and serve God's flock as a shepherd.

Prayer: Lord, help me to be prepared to witness to Jesus' saving grace and power to anyone, anytime.

One Word: Preach the Word