READING: 2 Timothy 4
In his final exhortation, Paul charges his associate to preach and teach the Word; to correct, rebuke, and encourage; and to endure hardship and do the work of an evangelist (4:1–5). Paul concludes this epistle with thoughts about his future reward with Christ and with personal remarks and requests (4:6–22).
As Paul’s last recorded epistle (written during his second Roman imprisonment in AD 67), 2 Timothy serves as his final testament to the world. He reviews Christ’s faithfulness in his past and commissions Timothy to carry on the good work of proclaiming Christ in the present. He also looks ahead to the future when he will be rewarded with the crown of righteousness after being brought safely to the Lord’s heavenly kingdom.
Prayer
Lord, by Your grace, may I be able to say at the end of my earthly sojourn, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith” (4:7).
Meditation passage: verses 1–2, 5, 7–8, 18