Paul's powerful, highly personal letter to Timothy continues in 3:10 with appeals for his disciple's enduring loyalty. A considerable portion of 2 Timothy is devoted to railing against the wickedness and deceitfulness of "impostors" - false teachers abusing Scripture and using it for selfish gain. After dealing with these deceivers, Paul turns his attention again to Timothy. To highlight the disparity between the unbecoming conduct of "impostors" and what Paul expects Timothy to embody, verses 10 and 14 begin with the declaration su de - "you however" or "but as for you."

Paul expects exemplary conduct from Timothy based on the presence of two critical forces in his life - the witness of the tradition and his own knowledge of Scripture. This young man's faith had been nurtured through the…