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.
The word "apostle" (apostolos, αποστολος) is from the Greek word apostello (αποστελλω), meaning to send. Paul saw himself from the time of his commission by Jesus, and confirmation in Damascus, as one who was sent by God and not by his personal desire and was equal to being one of "the twelve" that Jesus originally commissioned (other than Matthias, Acts 1:26).
To be designated as an apostle, the apostle Peter stated the standards required in Acts 1:21-25. He said in verses 21-21 that one to be an apostle required that the man must have been with the apostles from the beginning of Jesus' ministry, beginning at the baptism of John through the resurrection and ascension of Jesus to heaven. An essential addition requirement for an apostle is stated in verses 23-25, the person would be chosen with God's approval.
Paul was of a unique apostle (1 Cor 15:7-10), as the apostle to the Gentiles, and he said that one who was an apostle did the works of an apostle in 2 Cor 12:11-12.