2 Timothy 4

Preach the Word

1 ¹I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, ²who is to judge the living and the dead, and by ³his appearing and his kingdom:

2 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; ⁴reprove, rebuke, and ⁵exhort, with complete patience and teaching.

3 ⁶For the time is coming when people will not endure ⁷sound^[a] teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions,

4 and ⁸will turn away from listening to the truth and ⁹wander off into myths.

5 As for you, ¹⁰always be sober-minded, ¹¹endure suffering, do the work of ¹²an evangelist, ¹³fulfill your ministry.

6 For ¹⁴I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my ¹⁵departure has come.

7 ¹⁶I have fought the good fight, ¹⁷I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.

8 Henceforth there is ¹⁸laid up for me ¹⁹the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, ²⁰the righteous judge, will award to me on ²¹that Day, and not only to me but also to all ²²who have loved his appearing.

Personal Instructions

9 ²³Do your best to come to me soon.

10 For ²⁴Demas, ²⁵in love with ²⁶this present world, ²⁷has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia,^[b]28Titus to Dalmatia.

11 ²⁹Luke alone is with me. Get ³⁰Mark and bring him with you, for he is very useful to me for ministry.

12 ³¹Tychicus I have sent to Ephesus.

13 When you come, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas, also the books, and above all the parchments.

14 ³²Alexander the coppersmith did me great harm; ³³the Lord will repay him according to his deeds.

15 Beware of him yourself, for he strongly opposed our message.

16 At my first defense no one came to stand by me, but all deserted me. ³⁴May it not be charged against them!

17 But ³⁵the Lord stood by me and ³⁶strengthened me, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and ³⁷all the Gentiles might hear it. So ³⁸I was rescued ³⁹from the lion's mouth.

18 The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and bring me safely into his heavenly kingdom. ⁴⁰To him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

Final Greetings

19 Greet ⁴¹Prisca and Aquila, and ⁴²the household of Onesiphorus.

20 Erastus remained at Corinth, and I left ⁴³Trophimus, who was ill, at Miletus.

21 ⁴⁴Do your best to come before winter. Eubulus sends greetings to you, as do Pudens and Linus and Claudia and all the brothers.^[c]

22 The Lord be ⁴⁵with your spirit. ⁴⁶Grace be with you.^[d]

2 Timothy 4 Commentary

Chapter 4

The apostle solemnly charges Timothy to be diligent, though many will not bear sound doctrine. (1-5) Enforces the charge from his own martyrdom, then at hand. (6-8) Desires him to come speedily. (9-13) He cautions, and complains of such as had deserted him; and expresses his faith as to his own preservation to the heavenly kingdom. (14-18) Friendly greetings and his usual blessing. (19-22)

Verses 1-5 People will turn away from the truth, they will grow weary of the plain gospel of Christ, they will be greedy of fables, and take pleasure in them. People do so when they will not endure that preaching which is searching, plain, and to the purpose. Those who love souls must be ever watchful, must venture and bear all the painful effects of their faithfulness, and take all opportunities of making known the pure gospel.

Verses 6-8 The blood of the martyrs, though not a sacrifice of atonement, yet was a sacrifice of acknowledgment to the grace of God and his truth. Death to a good man, is his release from the imprisonment of this world, and his departure to the enjoyments of another world. As a Christian, and a minister, Paul had kept the faith, kept the doctrines of the gospel. What comfort will it afford, to be able to speak in this manner toward the end of our days! The crown of believers is a crown of righteousness, purchased by the righteousness of Christ. Believers have it not at present, yet it is sure, for it is laid up for them. The believer, amidst poverty, pain, sickness, and the agonies of death, may rejoice; but if the duties of a man's place and station are neglected, his evidence of interest in Christ will be darkened, and uncertainty and distress may be expected to cloud and harass his last hours.

Verses 9-13 The love of this world, is often the cause of turning back from the truths and ways of Jesus Christ. Paul was guided by Divine inspiration, yet he would have his books. As long as we live, we must still learn. The apostles did not neglect human means, in seeking the necessaries of life, or their own instruction. Let us thank the Divine goodness in having given us so many writings of wise and pious men in all ages; and let us seek that by reading them our profiting may appear to all.

Verses 14-18 There is as much danger from false brethren, as from open enemies. It is dangerous having to do with those who would be enemies to such a man as Paul. The Christians at Rome were forward to meet him, ( Acts 28 ) , but when there seemed to be a danger of suffering with him, then all forsook him. God might justly be angry with them, but he prays God to forgive them. The apostle was delivered out of the mouth of the lion, that is, of Nero, or some of his judges. If the Lord stands by us, he will strengthen us in difficulties and dangers, and his presence will more than supply every one's absence.

Verses 19-22 We need no more to make us happy, than to have the Lord Jesus Christ with our spirits; for in him all spiritual blessings are summed up. It is the best prayer we can offer for our friends, that the Lord Jesus Christ may be with their spirits, to sanctify and save them, and at last to receive them to himself. Many who believed as Paul, are now before the throne, giving glory to their Lord: may we be followers of them.

Cross References

• 1. 2 Timothy 2:14; 1 Timothy 5:21; 1 Timothy 6:13
• 2. See Acts 10:42
• 3. ver. 8; See 2 Thessalonians 2:8
• 4. 1 Timothy 5:20; Titus 1:13; Titus 2:15
• 5. 1 Timothy 4:13
• 6. 2 Timothy 3:1
• 7. See 1 Timothy 1:10
• 8. See 1 Timothy 6:20
• 9. See 1 Tim. 1: 4, 6
• 10. 1 Peter 1:13
• 11. 2 Timothy 1:8; 2 Timothy 2:3, 9
• 12. Acts 21:8; Ephesians 4:11
• 13. Colossians 4:17
• 14. Philippians 2:17
• 15. Philippians 1:23; [2 Peter 1:14]
• 16. See 1 Timothy 6:12
• 17. Acts 20:24
• 18. Colossians 1:5; 1 Peter 1:4
• 19. See James 1:12
• 20. Psalms 7:11
• 21. 2 Timothy 1:12
• 22. [Revelation 22:20]
• 23. 2 Timothy 1:4
• 24. Colossians 4:14; Philemon 24
• 25. See 1 John 2:15
• 26. 1 Timothy 6:17; Titus 2:12
• 27. [2 Timothy 1:15]
• 28. [Titus 3:12]
• 29. [See ver. 10 above]
• 30. See Acts 12:12
• 31. Acts 20:4; Ephesians 6:21; Colossians 4:7; Titus 3:12
• 32. See 1 Timothy 1:20
• 33. Psalms 62:12; Proverbs 24:12; [Nehemiah 6:14; Nehemiah 13:29; Psalms 28:4; Revelation 18:6]
• 34. [Acts 7:60]
• 35. Acts 23:11; Acts 27:23; [Matthew 10:19]
• 36. See 1 Timothy 1:12
• 37. See Acts 9:15
• 38. 2 Timothy 3:11
• 39. Psalms 22:21; [1 Samuel 17:37]
• 40. See Romans 11:36
• 41. See Acts 18:2
• 42. 2 Timothy 1:16
• 43. Acts 20:4; Acts 21:29
• 44. ver. 9
• 45. Galatians 6:18; Philemon 25
• 46. See Colossians 4:18

Footnotes

• [a]. Or healthy
• [b]. Some manuscripts Gaul
• [c]. Or brothers and sisters. The plural Greek word adelphoi (translated "brothers") refers to siblings in a family. In New Testament usage, depending on the context, adelphoi may refer either to men or to both men and women who are siblings (brothers and sisters) in God's family, the church
• [d]. The Greek for you is plural

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO 2 TIMOTHY 4

In this chapter the apostle charges Timothy to perform his office as an evangelist with great diligence, constancy, and faithfulness, with reasons for it; gives some hints of several particular persons mentioned, which made him very desirous that Timothy would come quickly to him; relates how things were with him when he made his first defence at Rome; and concludes the epistle with salutations, and his usual blessing. The charge is made in the most solemn manner in the sight of God; and of Christ, as Judge of quick and dead; and directs to the several parts of the ministerial work, and the manner in which they should be performed, 2Ti 4:1,2. The reason of which charge is, because the time was hastening on that sound doctrine would not be endured, and men would depart from the truth to fables and false teachers, 2Ti 4:3,4. Wherefore the apostle repeats his charge and exhortation to Timothy, though in other words, to be vigilant, patient, courageous, and faithful in the discharge of his office, 2Ti 4:5 adding a fresh reason moving to it, taken from the apostle's death being at hand; which is expressed by a sacrifice, and by a departure out of the world, 2Ti 4:6 which leads him to give an account of his past conduct in fighting the good fight, finishing his course, and keeping the faith, 2Ti 4:7 and of his firm belief of eternal glory and happiness, 2Ti 4:8 and next he desires Timothy to use all diligence to come quickly to him, 2Ti 4:9 his reasons for which were, because he had scarce anybody with him: one had forsook him through love of the world; another was gone to Thessalonica; a third to Galatia, and a fourth to Dalmatia; only Luke the evangelist was with him; and as for Tychicus, he had sent him to Ephesus: he therefore desires he would bring Mark with him, and his cloak, books, and parchments he had left at Troas, 2Ti 4:10-13 and then takes notice of persons that had used him ill, particularly Alexander the coppersmith; he wishes justice might be done him; and advises Timothy to beware of him, because of his opposition to the doctrines of the Gospel, 2Ti 4:14,15 and also of others that neglected him, who forsook him when he defended himself: however, he prays that this might not be charged upon them; and observes the goodness of God in standing by him and delivering him; and expresses his faith and confidence that he should be delivered and preserved safe to eternal glory, 2Ti 4:16-18 and next follow the apostle's salutations of some persons at Ephesus, and an account of two others, one at Corinth, and another at Miletum; and a repetition of his request to Timothy, to come quickly to him, and before winter; and then some salutations of persons at Rome, sent by Timothy; and the whole is concluded with the apostle's usual benediction, 2Ti 4:19-22.