In the letter, Paul tells Timothy not to have a "spirit of fear" and not to "be ashamed to talk openly about our Lord (Jesus)" (Chapter 1, verses 7 and 8). He also tells Timothy to come to visit him before winter, and to bring Mark with him (cf. "Philippians" Chapter 2, verse 22). He thought that "the time of his death was at hand" (Chapter 4 ,verse 6), and he tells his "son Timothy" to work hard and be strong in the face of false teachings, and to be faithful in all the duties of his office of pastor (Chapter 4, verses 1 to 5), knowing that he would someday stand before the Judge of the living and the dead (God).