Paul continued his charge: "Watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry." Paul was about to finish his course, and he desired Timothy to take his place, guarding the church from the fables and heresies by which the enemy, in various ways, would endeavor to lead them from the simplicity of the gospel. He admonished him to shun all temporal pursuits and entanglements that would prevent him from giving himself wholly to his work for God; to endure with cheerfulness the opposition, reproach, and persecution 507 to which his faithfulness would expose him; to make full proof of his ministry by employing every means within his reach of doing good to those for whom Christ died.

Paulus vedblev med sin belæring: "Vær ædruelig under alle forhold, bær dine lidelser, gør en evangelists gerning, gør fyldest i din tjeneste." Paulus var ved at fuldende løbet og han ville gerne, at Timoteus skulle indtage hans plads og vogte menigheden for de fabler og vildfarelser, ved hvilke fjenden på forskellige måder ville forsøge at føre dem bort fra evangeliets enfoldighed. Han formanede ham til at sky alle timelige sysler og forviklinger, der kunne hindre ham i helt at give sig hen til arbejdet for Gud; med et glad sind at tåle modgang, bebrejdelser og forfølgelser, som han på grund af sin troskab kunne blive genstand for; at give fuldt bevis for sin prædikegerning ved at gøre brug af alle midler indenfor hans rækkevidde til at gøre godt mod dem, for hvem Kristus døde.