A SPIRIT OF POWER, LOVE AND SELF-CONTROL

Passage: 2 Timothy 1:1-18

Key verse: 7

NIV

1 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)

2 To Timothy,(D) my dear son:(E)

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

Thanksgiving

3 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) 4 Recalling your tears,(J) I long to see you,(K) so that I may be filled with joy. 5 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

6 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) 7 For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid,(O) but gives us power,(P) love and self-discipline. 8 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. 9 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)

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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

Greeting

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

2 To Timothy, (D)my beloved child:

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

Guard the Deposit Entrusted to You

3 (F)I thank God (G)whom I serve, as did my ancestors, (H)with a clear conscience, as I remember you (I)constantly in my prayers night and day. 4 (J)As I remember your tears, (K)I long to see you, that I may be filled with joy. 5 I am reminded of (L)your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and (M)your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well. 6 For this reason I remind you (N)to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, 7 for God gave us (O)a spirit not of fear but (P)of power and love and self-control.

8 Therefore (Q)do not be ashamed of (R)the testimony about our Lord, nor of (S)me his prisoner, but (T)share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God, 9 (U)who saved us and (V)called us to[a] a holy calling, (W)not because of our works but because of (X)his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus (Y)before the ages began,[b] 10 and which now has (Z)been manifested through (AA)the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, (AB)who abolished death and (AC)brought life and (AD)immortality to light through the gospel, 11 (AE)for which I was appointed a preacher and apostle and teacher, 12 (AF)which is why I suffer as I do. But (AG)I am not ashamed, for (AH)I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until (AI)that day (AJ)what has been entrusted to me.[c] 13 (AK)Follow (AL)the pattern of (AM)the sound[d] words (AN)that you have heard from me, in (AO)the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. 14 By the Holy Spirit (AP)who dwells within us, guard (AQ)the good deposit entrusted to you.

15 You are aware that (AR)all who are in Asia turned away from me, among whom are Phygelus and Hermogenes. 16 May the Lord grant mercy to (AS)the household of Onesiphorus, for he often (AT)refreshed me and was not ashamed of (AU)my chains, 17 but when he arrived in Rome (AV)he searched for me earnestly and found me— 18 may the Lord grant him to find mercy from the Lord on (AW)that day!—and you well know all the service he (AX)rendered at Ephesus.

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Footnotes
  1. 2 Timothy 1:9 Or with
  2. 2 Timothy 1:9 Greek before times eternal
  3. 2 Timothy 1:12 Or what I have entrusted to him; Greek my deposit
  4. 2 Timothy 1:13 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
INTRODUCTION TO 2 TIMOTHY This second letter to Timothy is probably Paul's last letter. He wrote in 4:7, 'I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.' He was looking forward to the crown of righteousness which the Lord himself would give him. Paul was living on death row in a Roman dungeon. Most likely, Paul was in prison in Rome two times. The first time is recorded in Acts 28. At that time, he was under house arrest and he could teach the Bible one-to-one freely. After his release from prison, he evidently made a missionary journey which is not recorded in Acts. He may have gone to Spain (Ro 15), visited Crete (Tit 1:5), visited Philemon in Colosse (Phm 22), and spent some time in Philippi (Php 2:23-24; 1Ti 1:3). He returned to Rome. He was evidently alone when he was arrested and arraigned (4:16). As always, he found his trial an opportunity to preach the timeless Gospel of Jesus Christ. Now he was chained like a common criminal (2:9;1:16) in a cold dungeon. Tradition says that he was martyred under Emperor Nero in A.D. 66 or 67. Paul addresses Timothy as 'my dear son.' He longs to see him and asks him to come 'before winter.' Timothy is the pastor of the church in Ephesus. Paul wrote this letter to warn him of the dangers and temptations that would assail him, and to encourage him to be faithful to Jesus, and to his ministry, no matter what. Paul's own life backed up his words. He preached the Word in season and out of season. He fought the good fight, kept the faith, and finished the race victoriously, though he was in a Roman prison cell. We can learn from Paul's final letter how to run the race of faith to the end and win the victory! A SPIRIT OF POWER, LOVE AND SELF-CONTROL 1. A spirit of power, love and self-discipline (1-7) Timothy was like a dear son to Paul and a source of joy. Paul entrusted Timothy with the task of caring for God's flock in Ephesus and laid hands on him to commission and equip him. The Holy Spirit whom God gives to all who repent, believe and accept his mission does not make us timid, nor fearful; he gives us the Spirit of power, love and self-discipline to do his gospel work of saving souls. 2. Join with me in the suffering by the power of God (8-18) Paul invited Timothy to join him in suffering for the gospel. He challenged him to testify about Jesus boldly, for Jesus saved us and called us to live a holy life. Paul himself was suffering in chains in a Roman jail for his testimony. But he was not ashamed of his life or situation because he trusted in God. Paul taught Timothy to pattern his life according to sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ. Paul admonished him to do the work entrusted to him with the help of the Holy Spirit. After his arrest some deserted Paul, but Onesiphorus searched for Paul in prison and came to his aid. He had a spirit of power, love and self-control.

Prayer: God, give me a spirit of power, love, and self-discipline to do your gospel work and join in Christ's sufferings.

One Word: God's Spirit of power, love and self-control