Chapter 4

  I do fully testify, then, before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who is about to judge living and dead at his manifestation and his reign --  

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  preach the word; be earnest in season, out of season, convict, rebuke, exhort, in all long-suffering and teaching,  

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  for there shall be a season when the sound teaching they will not suffer, but according to their own desires to themselves they shall heap up teachers -- itching in the hearing,  

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  and indeed, from the truth the hearing they shall turn away, and to the fables they shall be turned aside.  

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  And thou -- watch in all things; suffer evil; do the work of one proclaiming good news; of thy ministration make full assurance,  

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  for I am already being poured out, and the time of my release hath arrived;  

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  the good strife I have striven, the course I have finished, the faith I have kept,  

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  henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of the righteousness that the Lord -- the Righteous Judge -- shall give to me in that day, and not only to me, but also to all those loving his manifestation.  

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  Be diligent to come unto me quickly,  

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  for Demas forsook me, having loved the present age, and went on to Thessalonica, Crescens to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia,  

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  Lukas only is with me; Markus having taken, bring with thyself, for he is profitable to me for ministration;  

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  and Tychicus I sent to Ephesus;  

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  the cloak that I left in Troas with Carpus, coming, bring thou and the books -- especially the parchments.  

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  Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil; may the Lord repay to him according to his works,  

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  of whom also do thou beware, for greatly hath he stood against our words;  

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  in my first defence no one stood with me, but all forsook me, (may it not be reckoned to them!)  

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  and the Lord stood by me, and did strengthen me, that through me the preaching might be fully assured, and all the nations might hear, and I was freed out of the mouth of a lion,  

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  and the Lord shall free me from every evil work, and shall save [me] -- to his heavenly kingdom; to whom [is] the glory to the ages of the ages! Amen.  

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  Salute Prisca and Aquilas, and Onesiphorus' household;  

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  Erastus did remain in Corinth, and Trophimus I left in Miletus infirm;  

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  be diligent to come before winter. Salute thee doth Eubulus, and Pudens, and Linus, and Claudia, and all the brethren.  

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  The Lord Jesus Christ [is] with thy spirit; the grace [is] with you! Amen.  

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