2 Timothy 4

So I solemnly charge you, in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge those who are alive and those who have died, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom:

1I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;

Note"Quick" here is the old English word for living, as in "the quick and the dead." It has nothing to do with speed. "Appearing" translates a Greek word used of a god or a ruler showing himself in public, and of a royal visit to a city; it is the word behind English "epiphany." The word for "charge" is a solemn one, close to putting someone under oath with named witnesses present.

2Preach the message. Be ready to do it when it is convenient and when it is not. Correct people, warn them, and encourage them, with great patience and careful teaching.

2Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.

Note"Be instant" in 1611 meant be urgent and standing ready, pressing at the task; it does not mean instantaneous. "In season, out of season" means at convenient moments and inconvenient ones alike. "Longsuffering" is patience that holds up under provocation, and "doctrine" simply means teaching, with no sense of a formal creed.

3The time is coming when people will not put up with healthy teaching. Instead, they will follow their own desires and pile up teachers for themselves who will tell them what their ears itch to hear.

3For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;

Note"Sound" translates a Greek word meaning healthy or in good health, the root of English "hygiene," so the picture is of teaching that keeps a person well. "Lusts" in 1611 English meant desires of any kind, not sexual desire in particular. The itching ears are the hearers' own: they collect teachers who will scratch the itch by saying what they want to hear.

4They will stop listening to the truth and will turn aside to made-up stories.

4And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.

Note"Fables" translates the Greek word "mythos," meaning a tale or story as opposed to a report of fact. In this period it often carried the sense of an invented religious tale.

5But you must keep a clear head in everything. Put up with hard times. Do the work of telling people the good news. Carry out your service to the full.

5But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.

Note"Watch thou" translates a word that literally means to be sober rather than drunk, used more widely for staying clear-headed and alert. "Evangelist" is a Greek word carried over into English rather than translated; it means one who announces good news. "Make full proof of thy ministry" means carry your service through to the finish, and "ministry" here is the ordinary Greek word for service or errand-running.

6As for me, my life is already being poured out like an offering, and the time for me to leave is here.

6For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.

Note"Ready to be offered" translates a verb meaning to be poured out as a drink offering: wine poured out beside or over a sacrifice, a rite familiar to both Jewish and Greek and Roman worshipers. The image is of a life being emptied out. "Departure" translates a word used for unyoking an animal, striking a tent, or loosing a ship from its mooring, and it was a common polite way of speaking of death.

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

7I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:

NoteAll three phrases come from the world of the athletic games. "Fought a good fight" uses the noun for a contest in the arena, covering wrestling and boxing as well as racing, and "my course" is the running track or the race run on it. "Kept the faith" can mean held on to what was entrusted to him, and was also a stock phrase for keeping one's word or staying loyal.

8From now on there is a crown waiting for me, the crown of righteousness. The Lord, the judge who judges rightly, will give it to me on that day. And he will give it not only to me but to everyone who has longed for his appearing.

8Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.

NoteThe "crown" is not a royal crown but a wreath, usually of leaves, placed on the head of the winner at the games or given for public honor. Greek used a different word for a king's diadem. "Laid up" means stored away and reserved, as goods are kept in a strongroom. "That day" is a standing phrase for the day of judgment.

9Do your best to come to me soon.

9Do thy diligence to come shortly unto me:

10For Demas has left me, because he loved this present world, and he has gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, and Titus to Dalmatia.

10For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia.

NoteThessalonica was a major port city in Macedonia, in the north of what is now Greece. Galatia was an inland region in central Asia Minor, modern Turkey. Dalmatia lay on the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea, in the area of modern Croatia. "This present world" translates a word meaning the present age or the current state of things, rather than the planet.

11Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is a help to me in this work.

11Only Luke is with me. Take Mark, and bring him with thee: for he is profitable to me for the ministry.

NoteMark is usually identified with the John Mark of Acts, who had left Paul and Barnabas partway through an earlier journey and became the cause of a sharp split between them. "Profitable to me for the ministry" means useful to me in the work, "ministry" again being the ordinary word for service.

12I have sent Tychicus to Ephesus.

12And Tychicus have I sent to Ephesus.

NoteTychicus was one of Paul's traveling companions and carried letters for him. Ephesus was a large port city on the west coast of Asia Minor, in modern Turkey, and according to 1 Timothy 1:3 it was where Timothy was working.

13When you come, bring the coat I left at Troas with Carpus, and bring the books, especially the parchments.

13The cloke that I left at Troas with Carpus, when thou comest, bring with thee, and the books, but especially the parchments.

NoteThe "cloke" is a heavy outer garment of thick wool, worn over everything else and used as a blanket on the road; in a cold cell before winter it would matter a great deal. Troas was a port on the northwest coast of Asia Minor. The "books" are papyrus scrolls, and "the parchments" are sheets of treated animal skin, far more durable and far more expensive, used for documents meant to last. What they contained is not stated.

14Alexander the metalworker did me a great deal of harm. The Lord will pay him back for what he did.

14Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil: the Lord reward him according to his works:

NoteA "coppersmith" worked in copper and bronze, and the word was used loosely of metalworkers in general. The line about repayment is genuinely uncertain: the Greek verb form in the best manuscripts is a plain future, "the Lord will repay him," while other manuscripts and the King James read it as a wish, "the Lord reward him." The phrase "according to his works" is drawn from the Old Testament.

15You should watch out for him too, because he fought hard against what we say.

15Of whom be thou ware also; for he hath greatly withstood our words.

Note"Be thou ware" is simply the older form of "beware." "Withstood our words" means set himself against the message we speak.

16At my first hearing in court, no one stood up for me. Everyone deserted me. I pray that it will not be held against them.

16At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge.

Note"My first answer" is a legal term: "answer" translates "apologia," the speech a defendant made in his own defense in court. Roman cases often ran in stages, so this is a first hearing rather than the whole trial. "No man stood with me" reflects the Roman practice by which friends and patrons appeared alongside a defendant to vouch for his character.

17But the Lord stood by me and gave me strength, so that through me the message would be fully proclaimed and all the non-Jewish nations would hear it. And I was rescued from the lion's mouth.

17Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion.

Note"Gentiles" means everyone who is not Jewish, and the same Greek word also means the nations. "Delivered out of the mouth of the lion" is deliberately open: it could mean literal lions in the arena, or be a figure of speech for deadly danger, drawn from the Psalms and from the story of Daniel, or stand for the emperor or the Roman court. The text does not say which.

18The Lord will rescue me from every evil work and will bring me safely into his heavenly kingdom. Glory belongs to him forever and ever. Amen.

18And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

19Give my greetings to Prisca and Aquila, and to the household of Onesiphorus.

19Salute Prisca and Aquila, and the household of Onesiphorus.

NotePrisca is the same woman called Priscilla elsewhere in the New Testament; Prisca is the formal form of the name. She and her husband Aquila were tentmakers who worked alongside Paul. A "household" in this period meant everyone living under one roof, including relatives, servants and slaves, not just the immediate family.

20Erastus stayed at Corinth, and I left Trophimus sick at Miletus.

20Erastus abode at Corinth: but Trophimus have I left at Miletum sick.

Note"Miletum" is the King James spelling of Miletus, a port city on the coast of Asia Minor about thirty miles south of Ephesus. Corinth was a major city in southern Greece.

21Do your best to come before winter. Eubulus sends you his greetings, and so do Pudens, Linus, Claudia, and all the brothers and sisters.

21Do thy diligence to come before winter. Eubulus greeteth thee, and Pudens, and Linus, and Claudia, and all the brethren.

NoteThis is a practical deadline, not a figure of speech. Shipping across the Mediterranean largely stopped from about November to March because of storms, so anyone who missed the sailing season was stuck where he was until spring. "Brethren" is the standard term for fellow members of the group, covering women as well as men.

22May the Lord be with your spirit. Grace be with you all. Amen.

22The Lord Jesus Christ be with thy spirit. Grace be with you. Amen.

NoteThe two blessings differ in the Greek. "With thy spirit" is singular, addressed to Timothy alone; "grace be with you" is plural, addressed to a group, which suggests the letter was expected to be read out to a congregation. "Amen" is a Hebrew word meaning something like "so be it" or "this is firm," said to endorse what has just been spoken.