But avoid profane chatter, because those occupied with it will stray further and further into ungodliness,

and their message will spread its infection like gangrene. Hymenaeus and Philetus are in this group.

But keep away from youthful passions, and pursue righteousness, faithfulness, love, and peace, in company with others who call on the Lord from a pure heart.

For people will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy,

For some of these insinuate themselves into households and captivate weak women who are overwhelmed with sins and led along by various passions.

Preach the message, be ready whether it is convenient or not, reprove, rebuke, exhort with complete patience and instruction.

I have competed well; I have finished the race; I have kept the faith!

For Demas deserted me, since he loved the present age, and he went to Thessalonica. Crescens went to Galatia and Titus to Dalmatia.

Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is a great help to me in ministry.

Alexander the coppersmith did me a great deal of harm. The Lord will repay him in keeping with his deeds.

The Lord will deliver me from every evil deed and will bring me safely into his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for ever and ever! Amen.

in hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the ages began.

But now in his own time he has made his message evident through the preaching I was entrusted with according to the command of God our Savior.

The reason I left you in Crete was to set in order the remaining matters and to appoint elders in every town, as I directed you.

He must hold firmly to the faithful message as it has been taught, so that he will be able to give exhortation in such healthy teaching and correct those who speak against it.

A certain one of them, in fact, one of their own prophets, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.”

Such testimony is true. For this reason rebuke them sharply that they may be healthy in the faith

They profess to know God but with their deeds they deny him, since they are detestable, disobedient, and unfit for any good deed.

But as for you, communicate the behavior that goes with sound teaching.

Older men are to be temperate, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in endurance.