2 Timothy 4

General context

The writer gives a charge before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing: Preach the word, be instant in season, out of season, reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. The reason follows, that the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine but heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears, and turn from the truth unto fables, so Timothy is to watch in all things, endure afflictions and do the work of an evangelist. The writer then speaks of himself: he is now ready to be offered, the time of his departure is at hand, and he says I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith, with a crown of righteousness laid up for him and for all that love his appearing. Practical requests follow. Timothy is to come shortly, because Demas has forsaken him for this present world and gone to Thessalonica, Crescens to Galatia and Titus to Dalmatia, so that only Luke is with him; he is to bring Mark, profitable to me for the ministry, and the cloke left at Troas with Carpus, and the books, but especially the parchments. Alexander the coppersmith is named as having done much evil and withstood their words. At his first answer, the writer says, no man stood with me, but all men forsook me, and he asks that it not be laid to their charge, saying the Lord stood with him and strengthened him so that the Gentiles might hear, and that he was delivered out of the mouth of the lion. Greetings and instructions close the letter, including a request to come before winter.

Cited passages: 2 Timothy 4:1, 2 Timothy 4:2, 2 Timothy 4:3, 2 Timothy 4:4, 2 Timothy 4:5, 2 Timothy 4:6, 2 Timothy 4:7, 2 Timothy 4:8, 2 Timothy 4:9, 2 Timothy 4:10, 2 Timothy 4:11, 2 Timothy 4:12, 2 Timothy 4:13, 2 Timothy 4:14, 2 Timothy 4:15, 2 Timothy 4:16, 2 Timothy 4:17, 2 Timothy 4:18, 2 Timothy 4:19, 2 Timothy 4:20, 2 Timothy 4:21, 2 Timothy 4:22

2 Timothy 4 (KJV)

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Historical context

This is the chapter where the letter states most about its own situation. People are named as going, staying and remaining behind: Demas departed unto Thessalonica, Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia, Only Luke is with me, Tychicus sent to Ephesus, Erastus abode at Corinth and Trophimus left at Miletum sick, with greetings from Eubulus, Pudens, Linus, Claudia. A legal appearance has already happened, At my first answer no man stood with me, and the letter names no court, charge, judge or outcome, and does not say what being delivered out of the mouth of the lion refers to. A season is given, come before winter, but no date. Among the letter's own sentences Rome appears only in the first chapter, as the place where Onesiphorus searched for the writer. After the closing blessing this source prints a line calling Timotheus the first bishop of the church of the Ephesians and saying the letter was written from Rome when Paul was brought before Nero the second time; that line is not among the letter's own sentences, which name no emperor and no place of writing.

Cited passages: 2 Timothy 4:10, 2 Timothy 4:11, 2 Timothy 4:12, 2 Timothy 4:16, 2 Timothy 4:17, 2 Timothy 4:20, 2 Timothy 4:21, 2 Timothy 4:22, 2 Timothy 1:17

Literary context

A formal charge and a personal farewell are placed side by side. The charge packs five commands into one verse, Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, and the farewell answers with three finished actions in a row, I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith. Small practical requests then sit beside the language of a crown, so that a cloke, the books and the parchments arrive in the same paragraph as the righteous judge. The chapter's sharpest turn repeats one verb with a different subject: no man stood with me becomes the Lord stood with me. Names of those who left and those who remain alternate to the end, and the last instruction is a date on the calendar rather than a doctrine, come before winter.

Cited passages: 2 Timothy 4:2, 2 Timothy 4:7, 2 Timothy 4:8, 2 Timothy 4:10, 2 Timothy 4:11, 2 Timothy 4:13, 2 Timothy 4:16, 2 Timothy 4:17, 2 Timothy 4:21

Key moments

1. Preach the word (2 Timothy 4:2). The charge is given with five commands in one verse.
2. Itching ears (2 Timothy 4:3). A time is predicted when sound doctrine will not be endured.
3. The time of departure (2 Timothy 4:6). The writer says he is ready to be offered.
4. A finished course (2 Timothy 4:7). Three completed actions are stated together.
5. Demas has gone (2 Timothy 4:10). Companions are named as having left for other places.
6. The cloke and the books (2 Timothy 4:13). Timothy is asked to bring items left at Troas.
7. No man stood with me (2 Timothy 4:16). The writer describes his first hearing and asks mercy for those absent.

For reflection

The writer asks that those who forsook him not have it laid to their charge, in the same breath as naming who left. What does it mean to forgive and still keep the record?

People in this chapter

• Aquila
• Jesus Christ
• Luke
• Mark
• Paul
• Priscilla
• Timothy
• Titus
• Tychicus

Also indexed here:

• Alexander
• Carpus
• Claudia
• Crescens
• Demas
• Erastus
• Eubulus
• Linus
• Nero
• Onesiphorus
• Pudens
• Trophimus