| English Standard Version | NET Bible |
| 1I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: | 1I solemnly charge you before God and Christ Jesus, who is going to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: |
| 2preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. | 2Preach the message, be ready whether it is convenient or not, reprove, rebuke, exhort with complete patience and instruction. |
| 3For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, | 3For there will be a time when people will not tolerate sound teaching. Instead, following their own desires, they will accumulate teachers for themselves, because they have an insatiable curiosity to hear new things. |
| 4and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. | 4And they will turn away from hearing the truth, but on the other hand they will turn aside to myths. |
| 5As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. | 5You, however, be self-controlled in all things, endure hardship, do an evangelist's work, fulfill your ministry. |
| 6For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. | 6For I am already being poured out as an offering, and the time for me to depart is at hand. |
| 7I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. | 7I have competed well; I have finished the race; I have kept the faith! |
| 8Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing. | 8Finally the crown of righteousness is reserved for me. The Lord, the righteous Judge, will award it to me in that day--and not to me only, but also to all who have set their affection on his appearing. |
| 9Do your best to come to me soon. | 9Make every effort to come to me soon. |
| 10For Demas, in love with this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia. | 10For Demas deserted me, since he loved the present age, and he went to Thessalonica. Crescens went to Galatia and Titus to Dalmatia. |
| 11Luke alone is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is very useful to me for ministry. | 11Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is a great help to me in ministry. |
| 12Tychicus I have sent to Ephesus. | 12Now I have sent Tychicus to Ephesus. |
| 13When you come, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas, also the books, and above all the parchments. | 13When you come, bring with you the cloak I left in Troas with Carpas and the scrolls, especially the parchments. |
| 14Alexander the coppersmith did me great harm; the Lord will repay him according to his deeds. | 14Alexander the coppersmith did me a great deal of harm. The Lord will repay him in keeping with his deeds. |
| 15Beware of him yourself, for he strongly opposed our message. | 15You be on guard against him too, because he vehemently opposed our words. |
| 16At my first defense no one came to stand by me, but all deserted me. May it not be charged against them! | 16At my first defense no one appeared in my support; instead they all deserted me--may they not be held accountable for it. |
| 17But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. So I was rescued from the lion’s mouth. | 17But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, so that through me the message would be fully proclaimed for all the Gentiles to hear. And so I was delivered from the lion's mouth! |
| 18The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and bring me safely into his heavenly kingdom. To him be the glory forever and ever. Amen. | 18The Lord will deliver me from every evil deed and will bring me safely into his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for ever and ever! Amen. |
| 19Greet Prisca and Aquila, and the household of Onesiphorus. | 19Greetings to Prisca and Aquila and the family of Onesiphorus. |
| 20Erastus remained at Corinth, and I left Trophimus, who was ill, at Miletus. | 20Erastus stayed in Corinth. Trophimus I left ill in Miletus. |
| 21Do your best to come before winter. Eubulus sends greetings to you, as do Pudens and Linus and Claudia and all the brothers. | 21Make every effort to come before winter. Greetings to you from Eubulus, Pudens, Linus, Claudia, and all the brothers and sisters. |
| 22The Lord be with your spirit. Grace be with you. | 22The Lord be with your spirit. Grace be with you. |
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