2 Timothy 4
The full text of 2 Timothy 4 in the Trinity Bible Version — clear modern English, translated from the original Greek. Free to read.
1 In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I solemnly charge you:
2 Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; correct, rebuke, and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction.
3 For the time will come when people will not put up with sound teaching. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great many teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.
4 They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.
5 But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fully carry out your ministry.
6 For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time for my departure is near.
7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
8 Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.
9 Do your best to come to me quickly,
10 for Demas, because he loved this present world, has deserted me and has gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, and Titus to Dalmatia.
11 Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is helpful to me in my ministry.
12 I sent Tychicus to Ephesus.
13 When you come, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas, and my scrolls, especially the parchments.
14 Alexander the metalworker did me a great deal of harm. The Lord will repay him according to his deeds.
15 You too should be on your guard against him, because he strongly opposed our message.
16 At my first defense, no one came to my support; everyone deserted me. May it not be held against them.
17 But the Lord stood by me and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the nations might hear it. And I was delivered from the lion's mouth.
18 The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory forever and ever. Amen.
19 Greet Priscilla and Aquila and the household of Onesiphorus.
20 Erastus stayed in Corinth, and I left Trophimus sick in Miletus.
21 Do your best to get here before winter. Eubulus greets you, and so do Pudens, Linus, Claudia, and all the brothers and sisters.
22 The Lord be with your spirit. Grace be with you all.
Translation notes (11)
- 2 Timothy 4:1a Some manuscripts add kyriou, 'Lord', after 'God', thus reading 'God and Lord Jesus Christ'.
- 2 Timothy 4:3a Greek knēthomenoi tēn akoēn, 'having their hearing tickled' (κνηθόμενοι τὴν ἀκοήν), rendered here as 'itching ears', is an idiom for craving agreeable or novel instruction. Likewise episōreusousin didaskalous, 'they will heap up teachers' (ἐπισωρεύσουσιν διδασκάλους), stresses piling up many voices to suit their own epithymiai, 'desires'.
- 2 Timothy 4:6a Greek spendomai (σπένδομαι), 'I am being poured out as a libation', casts Paul's approaching death as a drink offering accompanying sacrifice; he uses the same verb in Philippians 2:17. Analysis (ἀνάλυσις), 'departure', literally denotes a loosing, as of a ship weighing anchor or a soldier breaking camp.
- 2 Timothy 4:7a The Greek phrase ton kalon agōna ēgōnismai (τὸν καλὸν ἀγῶνα ἠγώνισμαι), literally 'I have contested the good contest', uses a noun and verb from the same root; agōn could denote either an athletic contest or a military struggle. The second clause, ton dromon teteleka, 'I have finished the race', draws unambiguously on the imagery of the Greek stadium footrace.
- 2 Timothy 4:10a For Galatian, 'Galatia', some early witnesses, including Codex Sinaiticus and Codex Ephraemi Rescriptus, read Gallian, 'Gaul'. The variant may reflect the fact that Greek writers sometimes used Galatia itself for Gaul; either the Anatolian province or the western region could be meant. The phrase agapēsas ton nyn aiōna is literally 'having loved the present age'.
- 2 Timothy 4:11a "Helpful" translates euchrēstos (εὔχρηστος), 'useful'; "ministry" translates diakonia (διακονία), 'service'. Paul's commendation of Mark here contrasts with the dispute in Acts 15:38–39, indicating reconciliation and restored collaboration.
- 2 Timothy 4:13a Greek ta biblia, 'the books', ordinarily denotes papyrus scrolls, while membranas, 'parchments', is a Latin loanword for writings on treated animal skin, a more durable and costly material. The distinction suggests documents Paul valued especially, perhaps copies of the Scriptures or personal notebooks, though the text does not specify their contents.
- 2 Timothy 4:14a The earliest manuscripts read 'the Lord will repay' (apodōsei, which is a future tense verb); some later manuscripts read 'may the Lord repay' (apodōē, which expresses a wish). The translation here follows the future statement.
- 2 Timothy 4:16a Apologia (ἀπολογία), 'defense', is a technical legal term for a formal courtroom answer to charges; the 'first defense' likely refers to the preliminary hearing (prima actio) in Roman judicial procedure, at which advocates and supporting witnesses would normally appear. Paul's prayer echoes the wording of his phrase logistheiē, 'may it be reckoned', an accounting metaphor for charging guilt.
- 2 Timothy 4:17a The phrase errysthēn ek stomatos leontos, 'I was delivered from the lion's mouth', echoes the Septuagint wording of Psalm 22:21 and recalls Daniel's rescue from the lions' den. Whether Paul means Nero, the Roman court, or mortal danger generally, the image casts his deliverance in the language of Israel's prayers for rescue from deadly enemies.
- 2 Timothy 4:21a The Greek phrase hoi adelphoi pantes, meaning 'all the brothers,' is a term that in such greetings commonly includes the entire community, both brothers and sisters.
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