Obrazy na stronie
PDF
ePub

22 Impose not hands lightly | upon any man, neither be partaker of other men's sins. Keep thyself chaste.

23 Do not still drink water: but use a little wine for thy stomach's sake, and thy frequent infirmities.

24 Some men's sins are manifest, going before to judgment: and some men they follow after.

25 In like manner also good deeds are manifest: and they that are otherwise, cannot be hid.

CHAP. VI.

Duties of servants: the danger of covetousness. Lessons for the rich.

WHOSOEVER are servants under the yoke, let them count their masters worthy of all honour; lest the name of the Lord and his doctrine be blasphemed.

2 But they that have believing masters, let them not despise them, because they are brethren, but serve them the rather, because they are faithful and beloved, who are partakers of the benefit. These things teach and exhort.

3 If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to the sound words of our Lord JESUS Christ, and to that doctrine which is according to godliness,

4 He is proud, knowing nothing, but sick about questions and strifes of words: from which arise envies, contentions, blasphemies, evil suspicions.

5 Conflicts of men corrupted in mind, and who are destitute of the truth, supposing gain to be godliness.

6 But godliness with contentment is great gain.

7 For we brought nothing into this world: and certainly we can carry nothing out.

8 But having food, and wherewith to be covered, with these we are content.

9 For they that will become rich, fall into temptation, and into the snare of the devil, and into many unprofitable and hurtful desires, which drown men into destruction and perdition.

10 For the desire of money is the root of all evils; which some coveting have erred from the faith, and have entangled themselves in many sorrows.

11 But thou, O man of God, fly these things: and pursue justice, godliness, faith, charity, patience, mildness.

12 Fight the good fight of faith: lay hold on eternal life whereunto thou art called, and hast confessed a good confession before many witnesses.

13 I charge thee before God, who quickeneth all things, and before Christ JESUS who gave testimony under Pontius Pilate, a good confession,

14 That thou keep the commandment without spot, blameless, unto the coming of our Lord JESUS Christ,

15 Which in his times he shall shew, d who is the Blessed and only Mighty, the King of kings, and Lord of lords.

16 Who only hath immortality, and inhabiteth light inaccessible, whom no man hath seen nor can see, to whom be honour and empire everlasting. Amen.

[blocks in formation]

17 Charge the rich of this world not to be high-minded, nor to trust in the uncertainty of riches, but in the living God (who giveth us abundantly all things to enjoy).

18 To do good, to be rich in good works, to give easily, to communicate to others.

19 To lay up in store for them

a Luke 12.

selves a good oundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on the true life.

20 O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding the profane novelties of words and oppositions of knowledge falsely so called.

21 Which some promising, have erred concerning the faith. Grace be with thee. Amen.

THE

SECOND EPISTLE OF ST. PAUL TO ΤΟ TIMOTHY.

In this Epistle the Apostle again instructs and admonishes TIMOTHY in what belonged to his office, as in the former; and also warns him to shun the conversation of those who had erred from the truth, describing at the same time their character. He tells him of his approaching death, and desires Aim to come speedily to him: It appears from this circumstance, that he wrote this second Epistle in the time of his last imprisonment at Rome, and not long before his martyrdom.

CHAP. I.

He admonishes him to stir up the grace he received by his ordination, and not to be discouraged at his sufferings, but to hold firm the sound doctrine of the gospel.

PAUL an apostle of JESUS Christ, by the will of God, according to the promise of life, which is in Christ JESUS.

2 To Timothy my dearly beloved son, grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father, and from Christ JESUS our Lord."

3 I give thanks to God, whom I serve from my forefathers with

$48

a pure conscience, that without ceasing I have a remembrance of thee in my prayers night and day.

4 Desiring to see thee, being mindful of thy tears, that I may be filled with joy.

5 Calling to mind that faith which is in thee unfeigned, which also dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and in thy mother Eunice, and I am certain that in thee also.

6 For which cause I admonish thee, that thou stir up the grace

of God. which is in thee by the imposition of my hands.

For God hath not given use spirit of fear: but of power, and of love, and of sobhety.

8 Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his pribut labour with the gospel according to the power of God,

9 Who hath delivered us and called us by his holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ JEsUs before the times of the world.

10 But is now made manifest by the illumination of our Saviour JESUS Christ, who hath destroyed death, and hath brought to light life and incorruption by the gospel:

11 Wherein I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and teacher of the gentiles.

12 For which cause I also suffer these things: but I am not ashamed. For I know whom I have believed, and I am certain that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him, against that day.

13 Hold the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me in faith, and in the love which is in Christ JESUS.

14 Keep the good thing committed to thy trust by the Holy Ghost, who dwelleth in us.

15 Thou knowest this that all

a Rom. 8. 15.- Titus 3. 5.-e That is, the beginning-d1 Tim. 2. 7.

CHAP. I. Ver. 10. By the illumina tion; that is, by the bright coming and Appearing of our Saviour.

[blocks in formation]

THOU therefore, my son, be strong in the grace which is in Christ JESUS:

2 And the things which thou hast heard of me by many witnesses, the same commend to faithful men, who shall be fit to teach others also.

3 Labour as a good soldier of Christ JESUS.

4 No man being a soldier to God, entangleth himself with secular business: that he may please him to whom he hath engaged himself.

5 For he also, that striveth for the mastery, is not crowned except he strive lawfully.

6 The husbandman, that laboureth, must first partake of

the fruits,

7 Understand what I say: for the Lord will give thee in all things understanding.

8 Be mindful that the Lord

Infra, 4. 19.

[ocr errors]

JESUS Christ is risen again from the dead, of the seed of David, according to my gospel.

9 Wherein 1 labour even unto bands, as an evil-doer: but the word of God is not bound.

10 Therefore I endure all things for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation, which is in Christ JESUS, with heavenly glory.

11 A faithful saying. For if we be dead with him, we shall live also with him:

12 If we suffer, we shall also reign with him. If we deny him, he will also deny us.

13 If we believe not, he continueth faithful, he cannot deny himself.

14 Of these things put them In mind, charging them before the Lord. Contend not in words, for it is to no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers.

20 But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth and some indeed to honour, but some unto ishonour.

21 If any man therefore shall cleanse himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified and profitable to the Lord, prepared unto every good work.

22 But flee thou youthful desires, and pursue justice, faith, charity, and peace with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

23 And avoid foolish and unlearned questions, knowing that they beget strifes.

24 But the servant of the Lord must not wrangle: but be mild towards all men, apt to teach, patient,

25 With modesty admonishthem that resist the truth: if peradventure God may give them repentance to know the truth,

15 Carefully study to presenting thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.

16 But shun profane and vain babblings: for they grow much towards ungodliness.

17 And their speech spreadeth like a canker: of whom are Hymeneus and Philetus:

18 Who have erred from the truth, saying that the resurrection is past already, and have subverted the faith of. sume.

19 But the sure foundation of God standeth firm, having this seal: the Lord knoweth who are his; and let every one depart from iniquity who nameth the name of the Lord.

Matt. 10. 33, Mark 8. 38.- Rom. 3.3.

26 And they may recover themselves from the snares of the devil, by whom they are held captive at his will.

CHAP. III.

The character of heretics of latter days: he exhorts Timothy to constancy. Of the great profit of the knowledge of the Scriptures.

KNO

NOW also this, that, din the last days, shall come on dangerous times,

2 Men shall be lovers of them

selves, covetous, haughty,proud, blasphemers, disobedient to pa rents, ungrateful, wicked,

c1 Tim. L. 4. and 7. Titus 3. 9.d1 Tim. 4. 1. 2 Pet. 3. 5. Jude 1. 18.

3 Without affection, without peace, slanderers, incontinent, unmerciful, without kindness,

4 Traitors, stubborn, puffed up, and lovers of pleasures more than of God:

5 Having an appearance indeed of godliness, but denying the power thereof. Now these avoid.

6 For of these sort are they who creep into houses, and lead captive silly women loaden with sins, who are led away with divers desires :

7 Ever learning, and never attaining to the knowledge of the truth.

8 Now as Jannes and Mambres resisted Moses, so these also resist the truth, men corrupted in mind, reprobate concerning the faith.

9 But they shall proceed no farther for their folly shall be manifest to all men, as theirs also,was.

10 But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, long-suffering, love, patience,

11 Persecutions, afflictions: such as came upon me at Antioch, at Iconium, and at Lystra: what persecutions I endured, and out of them all the Lord delivered me.

12 And all that will live godly in Christ JESUS, shall suffer persecution.

13 But evil men and seducers, shall grow worse and worse: erring, and driving into error.

14 But continue thou in those

[blocks in formation]
[blocks in formation]

part of divine Scripture is certami Ver. 16. All scripture, &c. Every profitable for all these ends. But, if we would have the whole rule of christian faith and practice, we must not be content with those Scriptures, which Timothy knew from his infancy, that is, with the Old Testament alone; nor yet with the New Testament, without taking along with it the traditions of the apostles, and the interpretation of the church, to which the apostles de livered both the book, and the tras meaning of it.

« PoprzedniaDalej »