Single lesson
2 Timothy 1: Paul’s Greeting to Timothy
2 Timothy 1:1–2; 2 Timothy 1:3–12; 2 Timothy 1:13–18
These opening words begin the letter by showing how Paul identifies himself, who receives the letter, and how the greeting centres on God, Christ Jesus, and God’s promise of life. Even in two verses, the focus is clear and purposeful. This lesson also brings together Faithfulness under Persecution, Holding to Sound Teaching.
Before you teach
This passage is the letter’s greeting. Paul names himself as ‘an apostle of Jesus Christ’ and says this is ‘through the will of God’. He writes to Timothy, calls him ‘my beloved child’, and gives a greeting of grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
Explain the central teaching of 2 Timothy 1: Paul’s Greeting to Timothy, using two details from the reading. This greeting presents Paul’s role, Timothy as beloved, and the letter’s opening words as centred on God’s promised life in Christ Jesus and on grace, mercy, and peace from God. Endure hardship for the good news without shame, because God saved us, called us, and revealed life and immortality through Christ Jesus. This passage teaches Timothy to preserve sound teaching with faith, love, and the Holy Spirit, while learning from both unfaithfulness and loyal service.
Welcome: 2 Timothy 1: Paul’s Greeting to Timothy
5 minIntroduce “Paul’s Greeting to Timothy”, “Faithfulness under Persecution”, “Holding to Sound Teaching” and locate 2 Timothy 1:1–2; 2 Timothy 1:3–12; 2 Timothy 1:13–18. This greeting presents Paul’s role, Timothy as beloved, and the letter’s opening words as centred on God’s promised life in Christ Jesus and on grace, mercy, and peace from God. Invite each learner to name a detail or question they will listen for.
2 Timothy 1:1, 2 Timothy 1:2
Read and explain the passage
12 minPaul’s Greeting to Timothy (2 Timothy 1:1–2): Paul begins by naming himself and calling himself ‘an apostle of Jesus Christ’. He also says this is ‘through the will of God’. These words show how Paul describes his role at the start of the letter and place that role in relation to God’s will.
Faithfulness under Persecution (2 Timothy 1:3–12): Paul begins by thanking God and saying he remembers Timothy in his prayers night and day. He longs to see Timothy and remembers his tears. Paul also says Timothy has sincere faith, and that this faith lived first in his grandmother Lois and his mother Eunice, and is also in Timothy.
Holding to Sound Teaching (2 Timothy 1:13–18): Timothy is told to “hold the pattern of sound words” he has heard. A pattern is a form or model to keep. These are called sound words, meaning teaching that is healthy and reliable. Timothy is to hold them “in faith and love”, and those qualities are “in Christ Jesus”.
Read the selected verses together, pausing at “Paul’s Greeting to Timothy”, “Faithfulness under Persecution”, “Holding to Sound Teaching”. Use the source reading below and check the explanation against the words of the passage.
2 Timothy 1:1, 2 Timothy 1:3, 2 Timothy 1:4, 2 Timothy 1:5, 2 Timothy 1:13
Discuss the details and their meaning
8 minUse the three questions below. Begin with “How does Paul describe his role at the start of the letter?” and allow time to find the supporting verses. This passage teaches Timothy to preserve sound teaching with faith, love, and the Holy Spirit, while learning from both unfaithfulness and loyal service. Ask learners to explain which details support their answer and to identify a question they would like to explore further.
2 Timothy 1:1, 2 Timothy 1:7, 2 Timothy 1:15, 2 Timothy 1:16, 2 Timothy 1:17, 2 Timothy 1:18
Make and respond: Message and response chart
12 minWork on “2 Timothy 1: Paul’s Greeting to Timothy: Message and response chart”. Follow the materials and steps below, using “Paul’s Greeting to Timothy”, “Faithfulness under Persecution”, “Holding to Sound Teaching” as reading headings. Each learner should include at least two accurate details and their verse references. Share one observation from the finished sheet and explain how it connects with the central teaching.
2 Timothy 1:1, 2 Timothy 1:10, 2 Timothy 1:18
Closing: return to Holding to Sound Teaching
3 minRevisit 2 Timothy 1:13–18. Invite a learner to summarise what the group has learned about Holding to Sound Teaching and another to support the summary with a verse. Give learners a moment to complete their response sheet. They can share a question or, if appropriate for the group, join the optional prayer.
2 Timothy 1:13, 2 Timothy 1:16, 2 Timothy 1:18
Questions to explore
How does Paul describe his role at the start of the letter?
Look for the exact words Paul uses about himself and the phrase that says how this is so.
2 Timothy 1:1
According to this passage, what does God give instead of fear?
Answer using Paul’s exact contrast and consider how power, love, and self-control would shape Timothy’s response.
2 Timothy 1:7
What contrast do you see between the people in Asia and Onesiphorus?
Compare “turned away from me” with “was not ashamed”, “sought me diligently”, and “served at Ephesus”.
2 Timothy 1:15, 2 Timothy 1:16, 2 Timothy 1:17, 2 Timothy 1:18
Make, think or respond
2 Timothy 1: Paul’s Greeting to Timothy: Message and response chart
What you’ll need
- plain paper or card
- pencils or pens
- a Bible or the source reading on this page
Try it together
- Fold a sheet into three panels or draw three columns. Label them “Instruction or encouragement”, “Reason given”, “Verse reference”.
- Read 2 Timothy 1:1–2; 2 Timothy 1:3–12; 2 Timothy 1:13–18. Use “Paul’s Greeting to Timothy”, “Faithfulness under Persecution”, “Holding to Sound Teaching” as your reading headings and add a short quotation or detail with its verse reference to each panel.
- Compare your notes with a partner. Check that every quotation is accurate and every conclusion has support in the passage.
- Choose one instruction or encouragement and write a practical response, explaining its connection with the reading.
The finished sheet keeps the details of 2 Timothy 1: Paul’s Greeting to Timothy connected to their Bible references and gives the group a way to explain what they noticed.
Adapt for your group
- For learners who need more support, prepare the reading headings “Paul’s Greeting to Timothy”, “Faithfulness under Persecution”, “Holding to Sound Teaching” and let them match short quotations to the correct heading.
- For confident readers, compare two sections of 2 Timothy 1:1–2; 2 Timothy 1:3–12; 2 Timothy 1:13–18. Ask for a written explanation with two supporting references and one question that the text leaves open.
An optional closing prayer
“God, help us listen carefully as we read 2 Timothy 1:1–2; 2 Timothy 1:3–12; 2 Timothy 1:13–18. Help us understand what we have read, ask thoughtful questions and respond with care for others. Amen.”
Read the Bible passage World English Bible Classic
2 Timothy 1
1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, according to the promise of the life which 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 my forefathers did, with a pure conscience. How unceasing is my memory of you in my petitions, night and day
4 longing to see you, remembering your tears, that I may be filled with joy;
5 having been reminded of the sincere faith that is in you, which lived first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, in you also.
6 For this cause, I remind you that you should stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands.
7 For God didn’t give us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control.
8 Therefore don’t be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner; but endure hardship for the Good News according to the power of God,
9 who saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given to us in Christ Jesus before times eternal,
10 but has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who abolished death, and brought life and immortality to light through the Good News.
11 For this I was appointed as a preacher, an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles.
12 For this cause I also suffer these things. Yet I am not ashamed, for I know him whom I have believed, and I am persuaded that he is able to guard that which I have committed to him against that day.
13 Hold the pattern of sound words which you have heard from me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.
14 That good thing which was committed to you, guard through the Holy Spirit who dwells in us.
15 This you know, that all who are in Asia turned away from me, of whom are Phygelus and Hermogenes.
16 May the Lord grant mercy to the house of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain,
17 but when he was in Rome, he sought me diligently and found me
18 (the Lord grant to him to find the Lord’s mercy in that day); and in how many things he served at Ephesus, you know very well.
World English Bible Classic. Public domain.