You therefore, my child, be strengthened in the grace that is in AL-MASIH1 ‘ISA. 2The things which you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit the same to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also. 3You therefore must endure hardship, as a good soldier of AL-MASIH ‘ISA. 4No soldier on service entangles himself in the affairs of life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier. 5Also, if anyone competes in athletics, he is not crowned unless he has competed by the rules. 6The farmers who labour must be the first to get a share of the crops. 7Consider what I say, and may the Lord give you understanding in all things.
8Remember ‘ISA2 AL-MASIH, risen from the dead, of the seed of Dawud3, according to my Injil4, 9in which I suffer hardship to the point of chains as a criminal. But the Word of God is not chained. 10Therefore I endure all things for the sake of the chosen ones, that they also may obtain the salvation which is in AL-MASIH ‘ISA with eternal glory. 11This saying is faithful:
If we 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. He cannot deny himself.
14Remind them of these things, charging them in the sight of the Lord5, that they do not argue about words, to no profit, to the subverting of those who hear.
15Give diligence to present yourself approved by God, a workman who does not need to be ashamed, properly handling the Word of Truth. 16But shun empty chatter, for they will proceed further in ungodliness, 17and their word will consume like gangrene, of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus; 18men who have erred concerning the truth, saying that the resurrection is already past, and overthrowing the faith of some. 19However God’s firm foundation stands, having this seal,
And,
“Let everyone who names the Name of the LORD depart from unrighteousness.” 8
20Now in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of clay. Some are for honour, and some for dishonour. 21If anyone therefore purges himself from these, he will be a vessel for honour, sanctified, and suitable for the master’s use, prepared for every good work.
22Flee youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. 23But refuse foolish and ignorant questionings, knowing that they generate strife. 24The Lord’s servant must not quarrel, but be gentle towards all, able to teach, patient, 25in gentleness correcting those who oppose him: perhaps God may give them repentance leading to a full knowledge of the truth, 26and they may recover themselves out of the snare of Iblis9, having been taken captive by him to his will.
- 2:1 AL-MASIH – an Arabic title equivalent to the Messiah (Hebrew) or Christ (Greek), all of which mean the Anointed One, that is, God’s Chosen One. In ancient times, divinely-appointed kings, priests and prophets were anointed with oil to signify their appointment to office. All of them point ahead to God’s ultimate Anointed One, the Messiah, AL-MASIH. Al-Kitab unanimously points to ‘ISA Ibn Maryam as the only person worthy to bear the title AL-MASIH. He is the one whom God sent into this world to save people from sin, and to usher in God’s Kingdom at his Second Coming. ↩︎
- 2:8 ‘ISA – The names ‘ISA (Arabic), ISHO (Syriac) and JESUS (Greek, IESOUS) are all derived from the Hebrew name YEHOSHUA, which means “YAHWEH saves.” (YAHWEH is God’s personal name revealed to Prophet Musa in the Taurat, Exodus 3:15 – God said moreover to Musa, “You shall tell Bani-Israel this, ‘YAHWEH, the God of your fathers, the God of Ibrahim, the God of Ishaq, and the God of Yaqub, has sent me to you.’ This is my Name forever, and this is how I am to be remembered to all generations.”) ↩︎
- 2:8 seed of Dawud, it was prophesied that the Messiah, AL-MASIH, would be descended from the Prophet-King Dawud. Armiya 23:5 says: “Behold, the days are coming,” says YAHWEH, “when I will raise to Dawud a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land.” (YAHWEH is God’s personal name revealed to Prophet Musa in the Taurat, Exodus 3:15 – God said moreover to Musa, “You shall tell Bani-Israel this, ‘YAHWEH, the God of your fathers, the God of Ibrahim, the God of Ishaq, and the God of Yaqub, has sent me to you.’ This is my Name forever, and this is how I am to be remembered to all generations.”) ↩︎
- 2:8 Injil, this Arabic word is derived from Euangel (Greek) and means “good news” or “Gospel” (old English for ‘good news’). Depending on context, Injil can refer to,
1. the whole Christian New Testament containing 27 books,
2. the first 4 books of the New Testament, that is, the Injil according to Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, or,
3. the message or “good news” of forgiveness of sins through ‘ISA AL-MASIH, revealed in the holy Injil (or New Testament). ↩︎ - 2:14 Lord, translated from the Greek kurios. Depending on context, it can refer to: 1. God, 2. ’ISA AL-MASIH, 3. men in authority, such as kings, landlords, etc., 4. a respectful salutation meaning, “sir.” ↩︎
- 2:19 LORD, the use of all capital letters means that the original Hebrew text of the quotation uses God’s Name, YAHWEH, which God-fearing Jews to this day do not say out of respect. YAHWEH is the Name God revealed to Prophet Musa in the Taurat, Exodus 3:15 – God said moreover to Musa, “You shall tell Bani-Israel this, ‘YAHWEH, the God of your fathers, the God of Ibrahim, the God of Ishaq, and the God of Yaqub, has sent me to you.’ This is my Name forever, and this is how I am to be remembered to all generations.” ↩︎
- 2:19 Quoting from the Taurat, Numbers 16:4-5 which says: When Musa heard it, he fell on his face: and he spoke to Qarun and to all his company, saying, “In the morning YAHWEH will show who are his, and who is holy, and will cause him to come near to him: even him whom he shall choose will he cause to come near to him.” ↩︎
- 2:19 This resonates with the Taurat, Numbers 16 where those who would follow Prophet Musa’s leadership were told to get away from the tents of Qarun, Dathan and Abiram. Numbers 16:23-27, 31-34 says: YAHWEH spoke to Musa, saying, “Speak to the congregation, saying, ‘Get away from around the tent of Qarun, Dathan, and Abiram.’” Musa rose up and went to Dathan and Abiram; and the elders of Israel followed him. He spoke to the congregation, saying, “Depart, please, from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs, lest you be consumed in all their sins.” So they moved away from the tent of Qarun, Dathan, and Abiram, on every side: and Dathan and Abiram came out, and stood at the door of their tents, and their wives, and their sons, and their little ones.
It happened, as he [Musa] finished speaking all these words, that the ground split apart under them; and the earth opened its mouth, and swallowed them up, and their households, and all the men who sided with Qarun, and all their goods. So they, and all sided with them, went down alive into the grave: and the earth closed on them, and they perished from among the assembly. All Israel that were around them fled at their cries; for they said, “Lest the earth swallow us up.” ↩︎ - 2:26 Iblis, derived from the Greek diabolos, which also gives rise to the English word, devil. ↩︎