2 Timothy 2:3-15

3Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus.

4No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him.

5An athlete is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules.

6It is the hard-working farmer who ought to have the first share of the crops.

7Think over what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything.

8Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, the offspring of David, as preached in my gospel,

9for which I am suffering, bound with chains as a criminal. But the word of God is not bound!

10Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.

11The saying is trustworthy, for: If we have 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 cannot deny himself.

14Remind them of these things, and charge them before God not to quarrel about words, which does no good, but only ruins the hearers.

15Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.