Evening Devotion

¹ Bless the LORD, O my soul! O LORD my God, you are very great! You are clothed with splendor and majesty,
² covering yourself with light as with a garment, stretching out the heavens like a tent.
³ He lays the beams of his chambers on the waters; he makes the clouds his chariot; he rides on the wings of the wind;
⁴ he makes his messengers winds, his ministers a flaming fire.
⁵ He set the earth on its foundations, so that it should never be moved.
⁶ You covered it with the deep as with a garment; the waters stood above the mountains.
⁷ At your rebuke they fled; at the sound of your thunder they took to flight.
⁸ The mountains rose, the valleys sank down to the place that you appointed for them.
⁹ You set a boundary that they may not pass, so that they might not again cover the earth.
¹⁰ You make springs gush forth in the valleys; they flow between the hills;
¹¹ they give drink to every beast of the field; the wild donkeys quench their thirst.
¹² Beside them the birds of the heavens dwell; they sing among the branches.
¹³ From your lofty abode you water the mountains; the earth is satisfied with the fruit of your work.
¹⁴ You cause the grass to grow for the livestock and plants for man to cultivate, that he may bring forth food from the earth
¹⁵ and wine to gladden the heart of man, oil to make his face shine and bread to strengthen man’s heart.
¹⁶ The trees of the LORD are watered abundantly, the cedars of Lebanon that he planted.
¹⁷ In them the birds build their nests; the stork has her home in the fir trees.
¹⁸ The high mountains are for the wild goats; the rocks are a refuge for the rock badgers.
¹⁹ He made the moon to mark the seasons; the sun knows its time for setting.
²⁰ You make darkness, and it is night, when all the beasts of the forest creep about.
²¹ The young lions roar for their prey, seeking their food from God.
²² When the sun rises, they steal away and lie down in their dens.
²³ Man goes out to his work and to his labor until the evening.
²⁴ O LORD, how manifold are your works! In wisdom have you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures.
²⁵ Here is the sea, great and wide, which teems with creatures innumerable, living things both small and great.
²⁶ There go the ships, and Leviathan, which you formed to play in it.
²⁷ These all look to you, to give them their food in due season.
²⁸ When you give it to them, they gather it up; when you open your hand, they are filled with good things.
²⁹ When you hide your face, they are dismayed; when you take away their breath, they die and return to their dust.
³⁰ When you send forth your Spirit, they are created, and you renew the face of the ground.
³¹ May the glory of the LORD endure forever; may the LORD rejoice in his works,
³² who looks on the earth and it trembles, who touches the mountains and they smoke!
³³ I will sing to the LORD as long as I live; I will sing praise to my God while I have being.
³⁴ May my meditation be pleasing to him, for I rejoice in the LORD.
³⁵ Let sinners be consumed from the earth, and let the wicked be no more! Bless the LORD, O my soul! Praise the LORD! (ESV)

To the choirmaster: according to Jeduthun. A Psalm of Asaph.
¹ I cry aloud to God, aloud to God, and he will hear me.
² In the day of my trouble I seek the Lord; in the night my hand is stretched out without wearying; my soul refuses to be comforted.
³ When I remember God, I moan; when I meditate, my spirit faints. Selah
⁴ You hold my eyelids open; I am so troubled that I cannot speak.
⁵ I consider the days of old, the years long ago.
⁶ I said, “Let me remember my song in the night; let me meditate in my heart.” Then my spirit made a diligent search:
⁷ “Will the Lord spurn forever, and never again be favorable?
⁸ Has his steadfast love forever ceased? Are his promises at an end for all time?
⁹ Has God forgotten to be gracious? Has he in anger shut up his compassion?” Selah
¹⁰ Then I said, “I will appeal to this, to the years of the right hand of the Most High.”
¹¹ I will remember the deeds of the LORD; yes, I will remember your wonders of old.
¹² I will ponder all your work, and meditate on your mighty deeds.
¹³ Your way, O God, is holy. What god is great like our God?
¹⁴ You are the God who works wonders; you have made known your might among the peoples.
¹⁵ You with your arm redeemed your people, the children of Jacob and Joseph. Selah
¹⁶ When the waters saw you, O God, when the waters saw you, they were afraid; indeed, the deep trembled.
¹⁷ The clouds poured out water; the skies gave forth thunder; your arrows flashed on every side.
¹⁸ The crash of your thunder was in the whirlwind; your lightnings lighted up the world; the earth trembled and shook.
¹⁹ Your way was through the sea, your path through the great waters; yet your footprints were unseen.
²⁰ You led your people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron. (ESV)

A Song of Ascents.
¹ When the LORD restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dream.
² Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with shouts of joy; then they said among the nations, “The LORD has done great things for them.”
³ The LORD has done great things for us; we are glad.
⁴ Restore our fortunes, O LORD, like streams in the Negeb!
⁵ Those who sow in tears shall reap with shouts of joy!
⁶ He who goes out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing, shall come home with shouts of joy, bringing his sheaves with him.

A Song of Ascents. Of Solomon.
¹ Unless the LORD builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain.
² It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives to his beloved sleep.
³ Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, the fruit of the womb a reward.
⁴ Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one’s youth.
⁵ Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them! He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate. (ESV)

⁵⁷ When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who also was a disciple of Jesus.
⁵⁸ He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate ordered it to be given to him.
⁵⁹ And Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen shroud
⁶⁰ and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had cut in the rock. And he rolled a great stone to the entrance of the tomb and went away. (ESV)

¹ Then he commanded the steward of his house, “Fill the men’s sacks with food, as much as they can carry, and put each man’s money in the mouth of his sack,
² and put my cup, the silver cup, in the mouth of the sack of the youngest, with his money for the grain.” And he did as Joseph told him.
³ As soon as the morning was light, the men were sent away with their donkeys.
⁴ They had gone only a short distance from the city. Now Joseph said to his steward, “Up, follow after the men, and when you overtake them, say to them, ‘Why have you repaid evil for good?
⁵ Is it not from this that my lord drinks, and by this that he practices divination? You have done evil in doing this.’”
⁶ When he overtook them, he spoke to them these words.
⁷ They said to him, “Why does my lord speak such words as these? Far be it from your servants to do such a thing!
⁸ Behold, the money that we found in the mouths of our sacks we brought back to you from the land of Canaan. How then could we steal silver or gold from your lord’s house?
⁹ Whichever of your servants is found with it shall die, and we also will be my lord’s servants.”
¹⁰ He said, “Let it be as you say: he who is found with it shall be my servant, and the rest of you shall be innocent.”
¹¹ Then each man quickly lowered his sack to the ground, and each man opened his sack.
¹² And he searched, beginning with the eldest and ending with the youngest. And the cup was found in Benjamin’s sack.
¹³ Then they tore their clothes, and every man loaded his donkey, and they returned to the city.
¹⁴ When Judah and his brothers came to Joseph’s house, he was still there. They fell before him to the ground.
¹⁵ Joseph said to them, “What deed is this that you have done? Do you not know that a man like me can indeed practice divination?”
¹⁶ And Judah said, “What shall we say to my lord? What shall we speak? Or how can we clear ourselves? God has found out the guilt of your servants; behold, we are my lord’s servants, both we and he also in whose hand the cup has been found.”
¹⁷ But he said, “Far be it from me that I should do so! Only the man in whose hand the cup was found shall be my servant. But as for you, go up in peace to your father.”
¹⁸ Then Judah went up to him and said, “Oh, my lord, please let your servant speak a word in my lord’s ears, and let not your anger burn against your servant, for you are like Pharaoh himself.

³² For your servant became a pledge of safety for the boy to my father, saying, ‘If I do not bring him back to you, then I shall bear the blame before my father all my life.’
³³ Now therefore, please let your servant remain instead of the boy as a servant to my lord, and let the boy go back with his brothers.
³⁴ For how can I go back to my father if the boy is not with me? I fear to see the evil that would find my father.” (ESV)

²⁸ And one of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, asked him, “Which commandment is the most important of all?”
²⁹ Jesus answered, “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.
³⁰ And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’
³¹ The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”
³² And the scribe said to him, “You are right, Teacher. You have truly said that he is one, and there is no other besides him.
³³ And to love him with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbor as oneself, is much more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.”
³⁴ And when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And after that no one dared to ask him any more questions.
³⁵ And as Jesus taught in the temple, he said, “How can the scribes say that the Christ is the son of David?
³⁶ David himself, in the Holy Spirit, declared, “‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand, until I put your enemies under your feet.”’
³⁷ David himself calls him Lord. So how is he his son?” And the great throng heard him gladly.
³⁸ And in his teaching he said, “Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes and like greetings in the marketplaces
³⁹ and have the best seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at feasts,
⁴⁰ who devour widows’ houses and for a pretense make long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation.”
⁴¹ And he sat down opposite the treasury and watched the people putting money into the offering box. Many rich people put in large sums.
⁴² And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which make a penny.
⁴³ And he called his disciples to him and said to them, “Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box.
⁴⁴ For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.” (ESV)

¹ On the day when Moses had finished setting up the tabernacle and had anointed and consecrated it with all its furnishings and had anointed and consecrated the altar with all its utensils,
² the chiefs of Israel, heads of their fathers’ houses, who were the chiefs of the tribes, who were over those who were listed, approached
³ and brought their offerings before the LORD, six wagons and twelve oxen, a wagon for every two of the chiefs, and for each one an ox. They brought them before the tabernacle.
⁴ Then the LORD said to Moses,
⁵ “Accept these from them, that they may be used in the service of the tent of meeting, and give them to the Levites, to each man according to his service.”
⁶ So Moses took the wagons and the oxen and gave them to the Levites.
⁷ Two wagons and four oxen he gave to the sons of Gershon, according to their service.
⁸ And four wagons and eight oxen he gave to the sons of Merari, according to their service, under the direction of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest.
⁹ But to the sons of Kohath he gave none, because they were charged with the service of the holy things that had to be carried on the shoulder.
¹⁰ And the chiefs offered offerings for the dedication of the altar on the day it was anointed; and the chiefs offered their offering before the altar.
¹¹ And the LORD said to Moses, “They shall offer their offerings, one chief each day, for the dedication of the altar.”
¹² He who offered his offering the first day was Nahshon the son of Amminadab, of the tribe of Judah.
¹³ And his offering was one silver plate whose weight was 130 shekels, one silver basin of 70 shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering;
¹⁴ one golden dish of 10 shekels, full of incense;
¹⁵ one bull from the herd, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering;
¹⁶ one male goat for a sin offering;
¹⁷ and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Nahshon the son of Amminadab.
¹⁸ On the second day Nethanel the son of Zuar, the chief of Issachar, made an offering.
¹⁹ He offered for his offering one silver plate whose weight was 130 shekels, one silver basin of 70 shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering;
²⁰ one golden dish of 10 shekels, full of incense;
²¹ one bull from the herd, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering;
²² one male goat for a sin offering;
²³ and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Nethanel the son of Zuar.
²⁴ On the third day Eliab the son of Helon, the chief of the people of Zebulun:
²⁵ his offering was one silver plate whose weight was 130 shekels, one silver basin of 70 shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering;
²⁶ one golden dish of 10 shekels, full of incense;
²⁷ one bull from the herd, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering;
²⁸ one male goat for a sin offering;
²⁹ and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Eliab the son of Helon.
³⁰ On the fourth day Elizur the son of Shedeur, the chief of the people of Reuben:
³¹ his offering was one silver plate whose weight was 130 shekels, one silver basin of 70 shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering;
³² one golden dish of 10 shekels, full of incense;
³³ one bull from the herd, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering;
³⁴ one male goat for a sin offering;
³⁵ and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Elizur the son of Shedeur.
³⁶ On the fifth day Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai, the chief of the people of Simeon:
³⁷ his offering was one silver plate whose weight was 130 shekels, one silver basin of 70 shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering;
³⁸ one golden dish of 10 shekels, full of incense;
³⁹ one bull from the herd, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering;
⁴⁰ one male goat for a sin offering;
⁴¹ and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai.
⁴² On the sixth day Eliasaph the son of Deuel, the chief of the people of Gad:
⁴³ his offering was one silver plate whose weight was 130 shekels, one silver basin of 70 shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering;
⁴⁴ one golden dish of 10 shekels, full of incense;
⁴⁵ one bull from the herd, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering;
⁴⁶ one male goat for a sin offering;
⁴⁷ and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Eliasaph the son of Deuel.
⁴⁸ On the seventh day Elishama the son of Ammihud, the chief of the people of Ephraim:
⁴⁹ his offering was one silver plate whose weight was 130 shekels, one silver basin of 70 shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering;
⁵⁰ one golden dish of 10 shekels, full of incense;
⁵¹ one bull from the herd, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering;
⁵² one male goat for a sin offering;
⁵³ and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Elishama the son of Ammihud.
⁵⁴ On the eighth day Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur, the chief of the people of Manasseh:
⁵⁵ his offering was one silver plate whose weight was 130 shekels, one silver basin of 70 shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering;
⁵⁶ one golden dish of 10 shekels, full of incense;
⁵⁷ one bull from the herd, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering;
⁵⁸ one male goat for a sin offering;
⁵⁹ and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur.
⁶⁰ On the ninth day Abidan the son of Gideoni, the chief of the people of Benjamin:
⁶¹ his offering was one silver plate whose weight was 130 shekels, one silver basin of 70 shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering;
⁶² one golden dish of 10 shekels, full of incense;
⁶³ one bull from the herd, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering;
⁶⁴ one male goat for a sin offering;
⁶⁵ and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Abidan the son of Gideoni. (ESV)

²¹ And at the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.
²² And when the time came for their purification according to the Law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord
²³ (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every male who first opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”)
²⁴ and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the Law of the Lord, “a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.”
²⁵ Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him.
²⁶ And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ.
²⁷ And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law,
²⁸ he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said,
²⁹ “Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word;
³⁰ for my eyes have seen your salvation
³¹ that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,
³² a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.”
³³ And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him.
³⁴ And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed
³⁵ (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.”
³⁶ And there was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived with her husband seven years from when she was a virgin,
³⁷ and then as a widow until she was eighty-four. She did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day.
³⁸ And coming up at that very hour she began to give thanks to God and to speak of him to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.
³⁹ And when they had performed everything according to the Law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth.
⁴⁰ And the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom. And the favor of God was upon him. (ESV)

Of David.
¹ Contend, O LORD, with those who contend with me; fight against those who fight against me!
² Take hold of shield and buckler and rise for my help!
³ Draw the spear and javelin against my pursuers! Say to my soul, “I am your salvation!”
⁴ Let them be put to shame and dishonor who seek after my life! Let them be turned back and disappointed who devise evil against me!
⁵ Let them be like chaff before the wind, with the angel of the LORD driving them away!
⁶ Let their way be dark and slippery, with the angel of the LORD pursuing them!
⁷ For without cause they hid their net for me; without cause they dug a pit for my life.
⁸ Let destruction come upon him when he does not know it! And let the net that he hid ensnare him; let him fall into it—to his destruction!
⁹ Then my soul will rejoice in the LORD, exulting in his salvation.
¹⁰ All my bones shall say, “O LORD, who is like you, delivering the poor from him who is too strong for him, the poor and needy from him who robs him?” (ESV)

¹ Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God according to the promise of the life that is in Christ Jesus,
² To Timothy, my beloved child: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
³ I thank God whom I serve, as did my ancestors, with a clear conscience, as I remember you constantly in my prayers night and day.
⁴ As I remember your tears, I long to see you, that I may be filled with joy.
⁵ I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well.
⁶ For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands,
⁷ for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.
⁸ Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God,
⁹ who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began,
¹⁰ and which now has been manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel,
¹¹ for which I was appointed a preacher and apostle and teacher,
¹² which is why I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that day what has been entrusted to me.
¹³ Follow the pattern of the sound words that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.
¹⁴ By the Holy Spirit who dwells within us, guard the good deposit entrusted to you.
¹⁵ You are aware that all who are in Asia turned away from me, among whom are Phygelus and Hermogenes.
¹⁶ May the Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains,
¹⁷ but when he arrived in Rome he searched for me earnestly and found me—
¹⁸ may the Lord grant him to find mercy from the Lord on that day!—and you well know all the service he rendered at Ephesus.

¹ You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus,
² and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also.
³ Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus.
⁴ No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him.
⁵ An athlete is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules.
⁶ It is the hard-working farmer who ought to have the first share of the crops.
⁷ Think over what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything.
⁸ Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, the offspring of David, as preached in my gospel,
⁹ for which I am suffering, bound with chains as a criminal. But the word of God is not bound!
¹⁰ Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.
¹¹ The saying is trustworthy, for: If we have died with him, we will also live with him;
¹² if we endure, we will also reign with him; if we deny him, he also will deny us;
¹³ if we are faithless, he remains faithful— for he cannot deny himself.
¹⁴ Remind them of these things, and charge them before God not to quarrel about words, which does no good, but only ruins the hearers.
¹⁵ Do 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.
¹⁶ But avoid irreverent babble, for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness,
¹⁷ and their talk will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus,
¹⁸ who have swerved from the truth, saying that the resurrection has already happened. They are upsetting the faith of some.
¹⁹ But God’s firm foundation stands, bearing this seal: “The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Let everyone who names the name of the Lord depart from iniquity.”
²⁰ Now in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver but also of wood and clay, some for honorable use, some for dishonorable.
²¹ Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work.
²² So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.
²³ Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels.
²⁴ And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil,
²⁵ correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth,
²⁶ and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.

¹ But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty.
² For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy,
³ heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good,
⁴ treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,
⁵ having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.
⁶ For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions,
⁷ always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth.
⁸ Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men corrupted in mind and disqualified regarding the faith.
⁹ But they will not get very far, for their folly will be plain to all, as was that of those two men.
¹⁰ You, however, have followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness,
¹¹ my persecutions and sufferings that happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, and at Lystra—which persecutions I endured; yet from them all the Lord rescued me.
¹² Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,
¹³ while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.
¹⁴ But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it
¹⁵ and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.
¹⁶ All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,
¹⁷ that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

¹ I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom:
² preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.
³ For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions,
⁴ and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.
⁵ But as for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.
⁶ For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come.
⁷ I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
⁸ Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.
⁹ Do your best to come to me soon.
¹⁰ For Demas, in love with this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia.
¹¹ Luke alone is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is very useful to me for ministry.
¹² Tychicus I have sent to Ephesus.
¹³ When you come, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas, also the books, and above all the parchments.
¹⁴ Alexander the coppersmith did me great harm; the Lord will repay him according to his deeds.
¹⁵ Beware of him yourself, for he strongly opposed our message.
¹⁶ At my first defense no one came to stand by me, but all deserted me. May it not be charged against them!
¹⁷ But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. So I was rescued from the lion’s mouth.
¹⁸ The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and bring me safely into his heavenly kingdom. To him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.
¹⁹ Greet Prisca and Aquila, and the household of Onesiphorus.
²⁰ Erastus remained at Corinth, and I left Trophimus, who was ill, at Miletus.
²¹ Do your best to come before winter. Eubulus sends greetings to you, as do Pudens and Linus and Claudia and all the brothers.
²² The Lord be with your spirit. Grace be with you. (ESV)