1You therefore, my child, be strengthened in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 2The things which you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit the same things to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. 3You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. 4No soldier on duty entangles himself in the affairs of life, that he may please him who enrolled him as a soldier. 5Also, if anyone competes in athletics, he isn’t crowned unless he has competed by the rules. 6The farmer who labors must be the first to get a share of the crops. 7Consider what I say, and may the Lord give you understanding in all things.
8Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, of the offspring of David, according to my Good News, 9in which I suffer hardship to the point of chains as a criminal. But God’s word isn’t chained. 10Therefore I endure all things for the chosen ones’ sake, that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. 11This saying is trustworthy:
“For if we died with him,
we will also live with him.
12If we endure,
we will also reign with him.
If we deny him,
he also will deny us.
13If we are faithless,
he remains faithful;
for he can’t deny himself.”
14Remind them of these things, charging them in the sight of the Lord that they don’t argue about words to no profit, to the subverting of those who hear.
15Give diligence to present yourself approved by God, a workman who doesn’t need to be ashamed, properly handling the Word of Truth. 16But shun empty chatter, for it will go further in ungodliness, 17and those words will consume like gangrene, of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus: 18men who have erred concerning the truth, saying that the resurrection is already past, and overthrowing the faith of some. 19However, God’s firm foundation stands, having this seal: “The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Let every one who names the name of the Lord depart from unrighteousness.”
20Now in a large house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of clay. Some are for honor and some for dishonor. 21If anyone therefore purges himself from these, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified, and suitable for the master’s use, prepared for every good work.
22Flee from youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. 23But refuse foolish and ignorant questionings, knowing that they generate strife. 24The Lord’s servant must not quarrel, but be gentle toward all, able to teach, patient, 25in gentleness correcting those who oppose him. Perhaps God may give them repentance leading to a full knowledge of the truth, 26and they may recover themselves out of the devil’s snare, having been taken captive by him to do his will.
For a number of years many biblical scholars and archaeologists have questioned the historicity of King David. In the 20th century, this began to change because of three important finds. First, Avraham Biran discovered at Tel Dan an Aramaic stela, dated approximately 841 B.C. that mentioned the House of David, a usage in the ancient world clearly referring to the founder of a dynasty, and written about 150 years after David’s death.
The pertinent section of the text reads:
“[I killed Jeho]ram son of [Ahab] king of Israel,
and [I] killed [Ahaz]iahu son of [Jehoram kin]g
of the House of David.”(Tel Dan Inscription, lines 7b-8a)
The Mesha stela, dating to the 9th century B.C. (also known as Moabite Stone) reveals the designation House of David (though some recent scholars have argued that it speaks of the Moabite king Balak), as well as the name of Yahweh, God of Israel. The text speaks of Judah’s occupation of part of southern Moab.
The pertinent section of the text reads:
"altars of Yahweh, and I brought them before Chemosh. (line 18)
. . .
“And the house [of Da]vid (bt[d]wd) dwelt in Horonen
[. . .] and Kamosh said to me: “Go down!
Fight against Horonen.”
(Mesha Inscription, lines 31b-32a)
Last of all is the engraving of Pharoah Shoshenq I of Egypt at Karnak, where he has a lengthy list of place names in Israel, Judah, the Negev, and nearby locations, in which the name of David is mentioned (the heights of Dwt).
The pertinent section of the text reads:
“highlands/heights of David”
(Shoshenq I [Shishak in OT] Inscription, number 105 + 106)
(See K. A. Kitchen, On the Reliability of the Old Testament, 92-93), André Lemaire, “‘House of David’ Restored in Moabite Inscription” Biblical Archaeology Review 20:3 (May/June 1994, Michael D. Coogan, ed., The Oxford History of the Biblical World, pp. 175-176, and Iain Provan, V. Philips Long, and Tremper Longman III, A Biblical History of Israel, p. 216 [basis of texts and translations above]).