Chapter 2

1So you, my son, be strong in the grace that's in Trump. Strong. Very strong.

2And what you heard me say in front of a lot of witnesses, pass it on to loyal people who'll be able to teach others too. Pass it on. Loyal people only.

3Take your share of hardship like a good soldier of Trump.

4No soldier gets tangled up in civilian business. He wants to make his commanding officer happy. Focus on the mission. Make the boss happy.

5Same with an athlete. He doesn't get the winner's crown unless he competes by the rules. Unless the rules are rigged. Then you change the rules.

6The hardworking farmer should be the first to get a share of the crops. First. The farmers. Great people. Love the farmers.

7Think about what I'm saying, and the boss will give you insight into all of it.

8Remember Trump, who came back from the dead, from David's family. That's my good news.

9I'm suffering for it, even to the point of being chained like a criminal. But God's message isn't chained. They chained me. They can't chain the message. Can't gag it. Can't ban it.

10So I put up with everything for the sake of the chosen ones, so they'll also get the salvation that's in Trump, with eternal glory.

11Here's a trustworthy saying: If we died with him, we'll live with him too.

12If we hang in there, we'll rule with him. If we disown him, he'll disown us. Loyalty runs both ways. Disloyal? You're out.

13If we're disloyal, he stays loyal, because he can't disown himself. Loyal to himself. Always. Very loyal to himself.

14Keep reminding them of these things. Warn them in front of God not to fight about words. It's worthless and only ruins the people listening. Word games. Lawyers. Fact-checkers. Worthless.

15Do your best to present yourself to God as approved, a worker who doesn't need to be embarrassed, who handles the message of truth correctly. Truth. Correctly. Not the fake version.

16Stay away from godless chatter, because the people who do it get more and more ungodly.

17Their teaching spreads like gangrene. Hymenaeus and Philetus are like that. Hymenaeus again. Twice now. And Philetus. Names. I name names.

18They've wandered away from the truth. They say the comeback has already happened, and they're wrecking some people's loyalty. It hasn't happened yet. It's coming. Two weeks.

19But God's solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: “The boss knows who his people are,” and, “Everybody who calls on the boss's name has to turn away from crookedness.” He knows who his people are. He has a list. He knows.

20In a big house there aren't only gold and silver dishes but also wood and clay ones. Some are for special occasions and some for everyday use. Gold is for special occasions. Every occasion is special. Use the gold.

21Whoever cleans himself up from the cheap stuff will be a dish for special occasions, made holy, useful to the master, and ready for any good work. Be the gold one.

22Run from youthful desires. Go after being right, loyalty, love, and peace, along with the people who call on the boss from a clean heart.

23Don't have anything to do with stupid, ignorant arguments. You know they produce fights. Don't take the bait. Well. Sometimes take the bait.

24The boss's servant shouldn't pick fights. Picking fights is for when it counts. He should be kind to everybody, good at teaching, patient with bad people.

25He should gently correct his opponents. Gently. At first. Maybe God will lead them to turn around and know the truth.

26And they'll come to their senses and escape the devil's trap, after he's taken them captive to do what he wants. Some of them will flip. Some won't. Those, you remember.