2 Timothy 1:1
Παῦλος, ἀπόστολος Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ διὰ θελήματος Θεοῦ, κατ’ ἐπαγγελίαν ζωῆς τῆς ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ,
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus through the will of God, according to the promise of life, the life in Christ Jesus.
Paraphrase: Greetings from Paul, the one who Jesus called and sent and whom God chose to spread the good news of the promise of eternal life in Christ the Savior.
Comments:
2 Timothy 1:2
Τιμοθέῳ ἀγαπητῷ τέκνῳ· Χάρις, ἔλεος, εἰρήνη ἀπὸ Θεοῦ Πατρὸς καὶ Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν.
To Timothy, my dearly loved son; Grace, mercy, and peace from God our Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
Paraphrase: I write this letter to my son, Timothy, whom I dearly love. May God’s grace, mercy, and peace be richly multiplied to you as is possible now because of the person and work of Jesus Christ, our Lord who gave His life as a sacrifice for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father.
Comments:
2 Timothy 1:3
Χάριν ἔχω τῷ Θεῷ, ᾧ λατρεύω ἀπὸ προγόνων ἐν καθαρᾷ συνειδήσει, ὡς ἀδιάλειπτον ἔχω τὴν περὶ σοῦ μνείαν ἐν ταῖς δεήσεσίν μου νυκτὸς καὶ ἡμέρας,
Grace I have to God whom I worship from the forefathers with a pure conscience as unceasing I have a remembrance concerning you in my bonds night and day.
Paraphrase: Because of this, I am full of gratitude to God whom I worship just as my fathers did. Every day, I suffer in this prison having been accused of all manner of wrongdoing. Nevertheless, I make it my aim to preserve a good conscience, regardless of what charges are levelled against me, in all matters so that my life brings glory to God. I have plenty of time in this prison to pray, and I never fail to mention you before the throne of God both night and day.
Comments:
2 Timothy 1:4
ἐπιποθῶν σε ἰδεῖν, μεμνημένος σου τῶν δακρύων, ἵνα χαρᾶς πληρωθῶ,
longing to see you, remembering your tears in order that I might be full of joy.
Paraphrase: Oh how my heart breaks when I think of the times that we had together. I long to see you again, dear Timothy. I remember your love and the bitter tears you shed when I was arrested and we had to say good-bye. (2 Timothy 4:14) If I could see you again, I think my heart would burst for joy.
Comments:
2 Timothy 1:5
ὑπόμνησιν λαβὼν τῆς ἐν σοὶ ἀνυποκρίτου πίστεως, ἥτις ἐνῴκησεν πρῶτον ἐν τῇ μάμμῃ σου, Λωΐδι, καὶ τῇ μητρί σου, Εὐνίκῃ· πέπεισμαι δὲ ὅτι καὶ ἐν σοί.
receiving the recollection of the sincere faith in you which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in you also.
Paraphrase: The memory of your sincere faith and trust in Jesus comes back to me again and again. What a privilege it was for me to teach you the truths of our faith and to see you growing and being firmly established in Christ. (Colossians 2:7) Yes, this faith was the same faith that lived in the soul of your grandmother, Lois and also of your mother, Eunice. Never forget, dear Timothy, all the labor and care they invested in you to see you firmly established in Christ. God used them to bring that same faith and to plant it in you as well. I am certain of it!
Comments:
2 Timothy 1:6
Δι’ ἣν αἰτίαν ἀναμιμνῄσκω σε ἀναζωπυρεῖν τὸ χάρισμα τοῦ Θεοῦ, ὅ ἐστιν ἐν σοὶ διὰ τῆς ἐπιθέσεως τῶν χειρῶν μου.
On account of which reason, I remind you to light up again the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands.
Paraphrase: Now, my dear son, do not let all that care and labor be in vain. When you see what care your grandmother and mother took for you, be careful to add your labor and prayer to it. God has lit a fire in you, and your parents carefully tended that fire and built it up. Then came the day when the whole church gathered and set you apart for the work of the ministry. I remember the day so vividly; what a privilege it was for me to be among those who laid hands on you testifying that we saw the Holy Spirit upon you and His gifts within you. Now I call you to stir up those gifts which God has given you, to fan that fire into a flame, and to use these gifts to build up the kingdom of God and to bring glory to His Name.
Comments:
2 Timothy 1:7
οὐ γὰρ ἔδωκεν ἡμῖν ὁ Θεὸς πνεῦμα δειλίας, ἀλλὰ δυνάμεως, καὶ ἀγάπης, καὶ σωφρονισμοῦ.
For God did not give us a spirit of fear, but of power and love and self-discipline.
Paraphrase: Yes, I understand the challenges you face and the reproach that is heaped on all the disciples of Christ, but I call on you today to recognize the gift that is in you and to remember the One who gave it. God does not mean for His gifts to sit idle. (Matthew 25:24-30) He means for us to use them, so stop walking around on eggshells and cowering in a corner in a spirit of cowardly fear. Is this really the God that you believe in? Do not think that you serve God by avoiding every hardship and by always seeking the smoothest path for yourself. On the contrary, stand up in confidence and step out boldly in obedience to whatever God is calling you to do. God has given us the Holy Spirit, the third person of the holy Trinity. He fills us with a power that is not our own (Acts 1:8); He gives us a love that looks beyond our own interests, and He gives us the ability to rule our appetites and desires. (Galatians 5:16-17)
Comments:
2 Timothy 1:8
Μὴ οὖν ἐπαισχυνθῇς τὸ μαρτύριον τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν, μηδὲ ἐμὲ τὸν δέσμιον αὐτοῦ· ἀλλὰ συνκακοπάθησον τῷ εὐαγγελίῳ, κατὰ δύναμιν Θεοῦ,
Therefore, do not be ashamed of the witness of our Lord, neither of me His prisoner, but suffer hardship for the gospel according to the power of God.
Paraphrase: With this Spirit, dear brother, you do not need to be ashamed of the gospel which our Lord Jesus taught us, nor of me who am God’s prisoner. Many in our day are appalled that we would be disciples of a Man whose mission ended with Him being nailed to a cross. In the eyes of the world, He was such a failure. Such people do not understand, however, that Jesus’ death was His victory over sin and that His resurrection was the proof that He rules over death and the grave. Well then, this is real power; every other supposed power is just weakness. The gospel shows us the power of God which He puts forth for the salvation of His people and for the destruction of His enemies. His final victory is certain. So lay aside all embarrassment and shame and be ready to embrace the reproach of the cross as I have done. This is the best life.
Comments:
2 Timothy 1:9
τοῦ σώσαντος ἡμᾶς, καὶ καλέσαντος κλήσει ἁγίᾳ, οὐ κατὰ τὰ ἔργα ἡμῶν, ἀλλὰ κατὰ ἰδίαν πρόθεσιν καὶ χάριν, τὴν δοθεῖσαν ἡμῖν ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ πρὸ χρόνων αἰωνίων,
saving us and calling with a holy calling, not according to our works but according to His own purpose and grace which is given us in Christ Jesus before the times of the ages.
Paraphrase: Yes, the power of God is seen when He saves us from our sin and calls us out of our sinful lifestyle and to a life of holiness. This calling to salvation is based on the covenant which He made with His Son in eternity past for the salvation of His chosen people. What does this mean for us? It means that our salvation is not based on works which we have done but on the works which Christ did. Our salvation comes when we are brought into a saving union with Christ; and as a result of this union, all what Christ has done for us is given us as a free gift. We receive from Christ all that we need to be reconciled to God again. That is why this covenant is called by many a covenant of grace.
Comments:
2 Timothy 1:10
φανερωθεῖσαν δὲ νῦν διὰ τῆς ἐπιφανείας τοῦ Σωτῆρος ἡμῶν, Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ, καταργήσαντος μὲν τὸν θάνατον, φωτίσαντος δὲ ζωὴν καὶ ἀφθαρσίαν, διὰ τοῦ εὐαγγελίου,
But now is manifested through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, cancelling, on the one hand, death, but illuminating life and immortality through the gospel.
Paraphrase:
Comments:
2 Timothy 1:11
εἰς ὃ ἐτέθην ἐγὼ κήρυξ, καὶ ἀπόστολος, καὶ διδάσκαλος.
2 Timothy 1:12
Δι’ ἣν αἰτίαν καὶ ταῦτα πάσχω. ἀλλ’ οὐκ ἐπαισχύνομαι· οἶδα γὰρ ᾧ πεπίστευκα, καὶ πέπεισμαι ὅτι δυνατός ἐστιν τὴν παραθήκην μου φυλάξαι εἰς ἐκείνην τὴν ἡμέραν.
2 Timothy 1:13
Ὑποτύπωσιν ἔχε ὑγιαινόντων λόγων, ὧν παρ’ ἐμοῦ ἤκουσας, ἐν πίστει καὶ ἀγάπῃ τῇ ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ.
The standard of healthy words, hold fast, which from me you heard in faith and love which are in Christ Jesus.
Paraphrase: Give your attention to the truths I taught you. I even wrote out a short statement of faith which you can use to help you stick close to the truth and not veer away from it. Furthermore, remember always to communicate the truth in such a way that your hearers can tell that you believe it yourself. Let them see your union with Christ in your words and conduct. Then they will see clearly that you love them and are seeking their eternal gain.
Comments:
Melancthon (p87):
He repeats the precept concerning the preservation of the purity of doctrine, which is very frequently recited in divine discourses. The sum of it is contained in this saying: ‘If anyone shall teach another Gospel, let him be anathema.’ Paul here uses a unique word: ‘hold fast the form of sound words,’ that is, that which was previously outlined for you. He wishes both the matters themselves to be retained and the modes of speaking that are clear and customary to the prophets and apostles. For although he does not superstitiously demand that the exact same words be recited everywhere, he nevertheless wishes ambiguities and logomachies [strife over words] to be avoided.
2 Timothy 1:14
τὴν καλὴν παραθήκην φύλαξον, διὰ Πνεύματος Ἁγίου, τοῦ ἐνοικοῦντος ἐν ἡμῖν.
Guard the good deposit through the Holy Spirit who is dwelling within us.
Paraphrase: These truths which I have tried hard to teach you are a sacred, precious deposit. One goal of your ministry should be to guard this deposit carefully in order that it may never be lost or compromised. You want to pass on this deposit to the next generation pure and uncorrupted. How thankful I am that God gives His blessed Spirit to teach and lead us into the truth and to keep us from going astray. (John 16:13)
Comments:
Keener notes that “Jewish teachers felt that they were passing on a sacred deposit to their disciples, who were expected to pass it on to others in turn. Keener, The IVP Bible Background Commentary, on 2 Ti 1:12–14.
2 Timothy 1:15
Οἶδας τοῦτο, ὅτι ἀπεστράφησάν με πάντες οἱ ἐν τῇ Ἀσίᾳ, ὧν ἐστιν Φύγελος καὶ Ἑρμογένης.
Knowing this, that all those in Asia have left me, of whom is Fugelos and Hermogenes.
Paraphrase: I am not sure if you have heard or not but let me share this with you. Nearly all the brothers who came from Asia have abandoned me in my hour of need. It’s hard for me to believe that even Fugelos and Hermogenes have not come to minister to me in my time of need.
Comments:
2 Timothy 1:16
Δῴη ἔλεος ὁ Κύριος τῷ Ὀνησιφόρου οἴκῳ, ὅτι πολλάκις με ἀνέψυξεν, καὶ τὴν ἅλυσίν μου οὐκ ἐπαισχύνθη.
The Lord show mercy to the house of Onesferou because many times he revived me and was not ashamed of my chains,
Paraphrase: In contrast to this shameful abandonment, I must tell you about Onesiferos. This kind man visited me again and again. While the others did not want to be associated with someone who was in prison, he was never ashamed to be seen with me. In all my sufferings here, he repeatedly gave me new courage to face another day. Surely this man will receive a wonderful reward for what he has done. (Mt 10:42)
Comments:
Δῴη = optative
2 Timothy 1:17
ἀλλὰ γενόμενος ἐν Ῥώμῃ, σπουδαίως ἐζήτησέν με καὶ εὗρεν.
but being in Rome, he looked hard for me and found.
Paraphrase: In fact, Onesiferos did not even come to Rome to see me. He was here on some other business; but when he discovered that I was in prison, he looked everywhere and finally found me. I was so glad to see him!
Comments:
2 Timothy 1:18
Δῴη αὐτῷ ὁ Κύριος εὑρεῖν ἔλεος παρὰ Κυρίου ἐν ἐκείνῃ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ! καὶ ὅσα ἐν Ἐφέσῳ διηκόνησεν βέλτιον, σὺ γινώσκεις.
May the Lord give to him to find mercy from the Lord in that day, and how much at Ephesus he served you know very well.
Paraphrase: What a grand thing it will be on that last great day when our Lord Jesus returns to give out the rewards that He promised to each Christian. Imagine the reward which this brother will receive! I know you have also personally benefitted from all what this man did to minister to you at Ephesus.
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