1Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, according to the promise of the life which is in Christ Jesus, 2to Timothy, my beloved child: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
3I thank God, whom I serve as my forefathers did, with a pure conscience. How unceasing is my memory of you in my petitions, night and day 4longing to see you, remembering your tears, that I may be filled with joy; 5having been reminded of the sincere faith that is in you, which lived first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, in you also.
6For this cause, I remind you that you should stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. 7For God didn’t give us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control. 8Therefore don’t be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner; but endure hardship for the Good News according to the power of God, 9who saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given to us in Christ Jesus before times eternal, 10but has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who abolished death, and brought life and immortality to light through the Good News. 11For this I was appointed as a preacher, an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles. 12For this cause I also suffer these things.
Yet I am not ashamed, for I know him whom I have believed, and I am persuaded that he is able to guard that which I have committed to him against that day.
13Hold the pattern of sound words which you have heard from me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. 14That good thing which was committed to you, guard through the Holy Spirit who dwells in us.
15This you know, that all who are in Asia turned away from me, of whom are Phygelus and Hermogenes. 16May the Lord grant mercy to the house of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain, 17but when he was in Rome, he sought me diligently and found me 18(the Lord grant to him to find the Lord’s mercy in that day); and in how many things he served at Ephesus, you know very well.
Paul's farewell letter in Second Timothy represents Paul's final letter written just before his death during the apostle's second Roman imprisonment. The apostle had no hope of release since his departure was imminent (4:6). The letter is deeply personal. Paul desires to impart some final instructions to Timothy. Moreover, although Paul is courageous in the face of his coming death, it is clear that he is lonely and longs to see Timothy one last time.
Unfortunately, Timothy, Paul's protégé and pastor at Ephesus, had become passive in his ministerial calling. Several reasons account for Timothy's non-assertiveness including his youthfulness (1 Tim 4:12), sickliness (1 Tim 5:23), and natural timidity (1:7). The Neronian persecution as well as Paul's recent arrest also played a role in Timothy's intimidation (1:8). As the baton of spiritual truth was being passed from the apostolic generation, the Church was in a precarious position. Christian truth ran the risk of succumbing to error and false teaching, had Timothy's generation not aggressively pursued their spiritual roles. Thus, for the sake of his spiritual heirs, Paul wrote 2 Tim for the purpose of encouraging Timothy not to shy away from fulfilling his calling.
First, Paul calls Timothy to courage (1:6), to use his spiritual gift (1:7), and to not be ashamed of the gospel (1:8-14). Paul even uses Timothy's heritage (1:1-5) as well as various personal examples (1:15-18) to motivate Timothy. In chapter two, Paul provides ten metaphors describing faithful endurance. Next, Paul warns of the coming apostasy (3:1‒4:8). After giving the general characteristics of apostasy (3:1-9, 12-13), the apostle then instructs Timothy regarding how to cope in the midst of it. Timothy must imitate Paul's endurance (3:10-11) and preach Scripture (3:14‒4:8). Paul concludes by noting the times that God had met the deepest needs in his own life (4:9-22). If God had helped Paul in this way, He would do the same for Timothy. Thus, Timothy can boldly go forward in doing what God has called him to do.