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2 Timothy 1

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Salutation and Apostolic Authority 1–2

1
Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, according to the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus, ​
2
To Timothy, my dearly beloved son: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. ​

Paul's Thanksgiving for Timothy's Faith 3–5

3
I thank God, whom I serve from my forefathers with pure conscience, that without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers night and day; ​
4
Greatly desiring to see thee, being mindful of thy tears, that I may be filled with joy;
5
When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also. ​

Exhortation to Courage and Sound Doctrine 6–14

6
Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands. ​
7
For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. ​
8
Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God; ​
9
Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began, ​
10
But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel: ​
11
Whereunto I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles.
12
For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day. ​
13
Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. ​
14
That good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us. ​

Contrast: Desertion and Faithfulness 15–18

15
This thou knowest, that all they which are in Asia be turned away from me; of whom are Phygellus and Hermogenes. ​
16
The Lord give mercy unto the house of Onesiphorus; for he oft refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain: ​
17
But, when he was in Rome, he sought me out very diligently, and found me.
18
The Lord grant unto him that he may find mercy of the Lord in that day: and in how many things he ministered unto me at Ephesus, thou knowest very well. ​

Bible text: King James Version (1769 Blayney text) · Public domain

Study Notes for 2 Timothy 1

Verse 1

by the will of God — The opening of 2 Cor 1:1, 'Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God'. Apostolos is one sent as a delegate; his sending serves 'the promise of life' (epangelia, zoe), a life 'in Christ Jesus', which is to know 'the only true God, and Jesus Christ' (John 17:3).

Verse 2

my dearly beloved son — Agapetos, beloved, joined to teknon, child; Timothy is Paul's 'own son in the faith' (1 Tim 1:2). The greeting 'Grace, mercy, and peace' repeats that of 1 Tim 1:2, adding eleos, mercy, to the 'Grace to you and peace' of Rom 1:7.

Verse 3

whom I serve from my forefathers — Latreuo is to render worship. Paul serves the God of his fathers (Acts 24:14, 'so worship I the God of my fathers') 'with pure conscience' (cf. Acts 23:1). 'Without ceasing' is adialeiptos, unintermitted, and the remembrance holds 'night and day'.

Verse 5

unfeigned faith — Anypokritos, without hypocrisy, the faith 'unfeigned' of 1 Tim 1:5. It 'dwelt first' in Lois and Eunice; Acts 16:1 gives Timothy's mother as 'a Jewess, and believed', and 2 Tim 3:15 says he knew 'the holy scriptures' from a child. 'Persuaded' is peitho, as in v.12.

Verse 6

stir up the gift of God — Anazopureo, to re-enkindle, from the words for life and fire: to fan a fire back to flame. The gift (charisma) came 'by the putting on of my hands'; 1 Tim 4:14 speaks of it 'with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery'.

Verse 7

the spirit of fear — Deilia, timidity, set against three gifts: dynamis, power; agape, love; and sophronismos, discipline or self-control, rendered 'a sound mind'. The contrast resembles Rom 8:15, 'the spirit of bondage again to fear'; the fear is answered by power, as in Acts 1:8.

Verse 8

be not thou therefore ashamed — Epaischynomai, the verb of Rom 1:16, 'I am not ashamed of the gospel'; it returns of Paul in v.12 and of Onesiphorus in v.16. 'Be thou partaker of the afflictions' is the single verb synkakopatheo, to suffer hardship together, 'according to the power of God' (dynamis, as in v.7).

Verse 9

not according to our works — Prothesis, purpose, a setting forth: salvation rests on God's purpose and grace, as in Eph 2:8–9, 'Not of works, lest any man should boast', and Titus 3:5. 'Before the world began' is literally before eternal times (pro with chronos and aionios); cf. Eph 1:4, 'before the foundation of the world'.

Verse 10

abolished death — Katargeo, to render idle or powerless; cf. Heb 2:14, 'that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death', and 1 Cor 15:26. 'Appearing' is epiphaneia; 'bring to light' is photizo; 'immortality' is aphtharsia, incorruption. The grace of v.9 is 'made manifest' in him.

Verse 12

that which I have committed unto him — Parathēke, a deposit entrusted for safekeeping; v.14 uses the kindred parakatatheke and the same verb 'keep' (phylasso). 'Against that day' looks to the day of v.18 and 2 Tim 4:8, 'at that day'. The ground of confidence is a person: 'I know whom I have believed'.

Verse 13

the form of sound words — Hypotyposis, an outline or pattern, the sketch a copy follows. 'Sound' is hygiaino, healthy, the word of 'sound doctrine' (Titus 1:9). The pattern was 'heard of me', and Timothy is to pass it on 'to faithful men' (2 Tim 2:2), held 'in faith and love'.

Verse 14

That good thing which was committed unto thee — Parakatatheke, a trust, as 1 Tim 6:20, 'keep that which is committed to thy trust'. The verb 'keep' is that of v.12. The Spirit 'dwelleth' (enoikeo), the verb used of faith 'dwelt' in Lois and Eunice (v.5).

Verse 15

all they which are in Asia — Asia is the Roman province whose chief city was Ephesus, where 'all they which dwelt in Asia heard the word' (Acts 19:10). 'Turned away' is apostrepho, to turn from. It anticipates 'all men forsook me' (2 Tim 4:16); Phygellus and Hermogenes are named.

Verse 16

the house of Onesiphorus — Oikos, household; it is greeted again in 2 Tim 4:19. 'Refreshed' is anapsycho, to revive or cool; 'chain' is halysis, a fetter. 'Not ashamed' is the verb of vv.8 and 12: he did what Timothy is told to do.

Verse 18

find mercy of the Lord in that day — 'That day' is the day of v.12 and 2 Tim 4:8. 'Mercy' is eleos, the word of the greeting in v.2. 'Ministered' is diakoneo, to serve; the service 'at Ephesus', where Timothy remained (1 Tim 1:3), is one God does not forget (Heb 6:10).