2 Timothy

This is the last letter Paul ever wrote. The atmosphere is heavy. Paul is no longer under house arrest; he is in a dark Roman dungeon, chained like a criminal, awaiting execution by Emperor Nero. Everyone has abandoned him except Luke. He writes this final letter to Timothy not to give management advice, but to say goodbye and pass the torch. It is intensely personal.

He asks Timothy to bring his coat because he is cold, and his books. But the core message is endurance. He compares the Christian life to a soldier, an athlete, and a farmer—all jobs that require suffering and patience. He famously declares, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race." With Paul's death approaching, the leadership of the early church falls to men like Timothy and the recipient of the next letter, Titus.