1I command you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at his appearing and his Kingdom: 2preach the word; be urgent in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort with all patience and teaching. 3For the time will come when they will not listen to the sound doctrine, but having itching ears, will heap up for themselves teachers after their own lusts, 4and will turn away their ears from the truth, and turn away to fables. 5But you be sober in all things, suffer hardship, do the work of an evangelist, and fulfill your ministry.
6For I am already being offered, and the time of my departure has come. 7I have fought the good fight. I have finished the course. I have kept the faith. 8From now on, the crown of righteousness is stored up for me, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give to me on that day; and not to me only, but also to all those who have loved his appearing.
9Be diligent to come to me soon, 10for Demas left me, having loved this present world, and went to Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia; and Titus to Dalmatia. 11Only Luke is with me. Take Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for service. 12But I sent Tychicus to Ephesus. 13Bring the cloak that I left at Troas with Carpus when you come—and the books, especially the parchments. 14Alexander the coppersmith did much evil to me. The Lord will repay him according to his deeds. 15Beware of him, for he greatly opposed our words.
16At my first defense, no one came to help me, but all left me. May it not be held against them. 17But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, that through me the message might be fully proclaimed, and that all the Gentiles might hear. So I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion. 18And the Lord will deliver me from every evil work and will preserve me for his heavenly Kingdom. To him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.
19Greet Prisca and Aquila, and the house of Onesiphorus. 20Erastus remained at Corinth, but I left Trophimus at Miletus sick. 21Be diligent to come before winter. Eubulus salutes you, as do Pudens, Linus, Claudia, and all the brothers.
22The Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Grace be with you. Amen.
The phrase translated here as “I am he” reads in Greek, “egō eimi”: literally, “I myself am.” Here and in John 8:58, Jesus applies to Himself the divine name, “I am” (cf. Exod 3:13-14) and thus identifies Himself as God. The New Testament confirms Jesus’ self-identification as God by referring to Him as God explicitly (John 1:1, 18; 20:28; Acts 20:28; Rom 9:5; Titus 2:13; Heb 1:8; 2 Pet 1:1) and ascribing to Him divine attributes like omnipresence (Eph 1:23; Col 1:17), omniscience (John 16:30; 21:17; Col 2:3), existence before creation (John 1:1; 17:5; Col 1:15-17; Heb 1:10; Rev 1:8, 17; 2:8), equality with God the Father (John 5:18; Phil 2:6), and even deity itself (Col 2:9).
Scripture credits Jesus, moreover, with performing acts that only God can perform: e.g. creating the universe (John 1:3, 10; Eph 3:9; Col 1:16; Heb 1:2, 10), preserving it (Col 1:17; Heb 1:3), forgiving sins (Matt 9:2 par; Luke 7:48; Acts 5:31; Col 3:13), saving human beings (Matt 1:21; Acts 5:31; Phil 3:20; 2 Tim 1:10; Titus 1:4; 2:13; 2 Pet 1:11; 2:20; 1 John 4:14; cf. Isa 43:11), and judging them (Matt 25:31-46; John 5:22, 27; Acts 10:42; 17:31; Rom 2:16; 14:10; 2 Cor 5:10; 2 Tim 4:1, 8). John, in fact, states that Christ performs every act whatsoever that the Father performs (John 5:19). The New Testament’s authors, moreover, endorse by precept and example the worship of Jesus with the reverence due to God alone (John 5:23; 20:28; 1 Cor 1:2; Rom 14:10-11; Phil 2:10-11; Heb 1:6; Rev 1:5-6). Scripture teaches, therefore, that Jesus is not only a man, but also God: one person with a divine as well as a human nature (cf. Phil 2:6-7).