15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved,¹ a worker ^bwho has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth. 16 But ^cavoid ^dirreverent babble, for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness, 17 and their talk will spread like gangrene. Among them are ^eHymenaeus and Philetus, 18 who have swerved from the truth, ^fsaying that the resurrection has already happened. They are upsetting the faith of some. 19 But God’s firm foundation stands, bearing this seal: ^g“The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Let everyone ^hwho names the name of the Lord depart from iniquity.”

1 ^hI charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, ⁱwho is to judge the living and the dead, and by ^jhis appearing and his kingdom: 2 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; ^kreprove, rebuke, and ^lexhort, with complete patience and teaching. 3 ^mFor the time is coming when people will not endure ⁿsound¹ teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, 4 and ^owill turn away from listening to the truth and ^pwander off into myths.