26 Oct. Paul writes his last letter from a prison cell in Rome
"From Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God...
To Timothy, a dear child to me:
Grace, mercy and peace to you from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord."
"I thank God as I always mention you in my prayers, day and night. I serve him, doing what I know is right as my ancestors did. Remembering that you cried for me, I want very much to see you so I can be filled with joy."
"I remember your true faith. That faith first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice, and I know you now have that same faith. This is why I remind you to keep using the gift God gave you when I laid my hands on you."
"Now let it grow, as a small flame grows into a fire. God did not give us a spirit that makes us afraid, but a spirit of power and love and self-control."
"So do not be ashamed to tell people about our Lord Jesus, and do not be ashamed of me, in prison for the Lord. But suffer with me for the Good News..."
"I am suffering now because I tell the Good News, but I am not ashamed, because I know Jesus, the One in whom I have believed. And I am sure he is able to protect what he has trusted me with until that day."
"Follow the pattern of true teachings that you heard from me in faith and love, which are in Christ Jesus. Protect the truth that you were given; protect it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us."
"You know that everyone in the country [the Roman province] of Asia has left me, even Phygelus and Hermogenes. May the Lord show mercy to the family of Onesiphorus, who has often helped me and was not ashamed that I was in prison. When he came to Rome, he looked eagerly for me until he found me. May the Lord allow him to find mercy from the Lord on that day. You know how many ways he helped me in Ephesus."
(2 Timothy 1:1-18)
This letter is the last letter written by Paul of which we still have a copy. It was written after Paul had returned to Rome following his ‘fourth missionary journey’ and had been imprisoned in the Mamertine Prison alongside the Forum at the foot of the Capitoline Hill shortly before his execution in c.67AD.
It's not known who carried the letter from Rome to Ephesus, but it could well have been Tychicus, whom Paul sent to assist Timothy in Ephesus (see 2 Timothy 4:12).
In this final letter, written just before his death, Paul gives further advice to his young fellow-worker Timothy, who had been left in charge of the church at Ephesus (see 1 Timothy 1:3).
Timothy had been imprisoned and then released, probably during the persecution of Christians by Emperor Nero following the Great Fire of Rome in 64AD or possibly after the outbreak of the Romano-Jewish War in 66AD (see Hebrews 13:23).
In the face of persecution, Timothy is encouraged to endure all suffering and to witness faithfully to his living faith in Jesus Christ.
Paul begins his letter by greeting his “dear child” in Christ and prays that he will receive grace, mercy and peace “from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord” (2 Timothy 1:2).
He thanks God for Timothy, and hopes to see him soon. He recalls when he laid hands on Timothy to commission him, and remembers the faith of Timothy’s mother Eunice and his grandmother Lois (see Acts 16:1-3).
Paul urges Timothy to continue witnessing for Jesus and not to be ashamed of working with him, even though Paul is now “in prison for the Lord” (2 Timothy 1:8).
Timothy should hold on to the good things he was taught “with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us” (2 Timothy 1:14).
Paul is sad that he's been deserted by Phygelus and Hermogenes from the Roman province of Asia, but he rejoices that Onesiphorus – who had worked for Paul in Ephesus – has arrived in Rome, and, having searched for Paul, has found him in prison.
The photo shows the 'inner cell' of the Mamertine prison in Rome where Paul was held shortly before his death.
You can read more from Paul's Second Letter to Timothy @ https://www.thebiblejourney.org/…/pauls-2nd-letter-to-timo…/