TRV
Translation
King James Version
Greatly desiring to see thee, being mindful of thy tears, that I may be filled with joy;
Complete Jewish Bible
I am reminded of your tears, and I long to see you, so that I might be filled with joy.
American Standard Version
longing to see thee, remembering thy tears, that I may be filled with joy;
World English Bible Messianic
longing to see you, remembering your tears, that I may be filled with joy;
Geneva Bible (1599)
Desiring to see thee, mindefull of thy teares, that I may be filled with ioy:
Young's Literal Translation
desiring greatly to see thee, being mindful of thy tears, that with joy I may be filled,
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In the KJVVerse 29,814 of 31,102
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Commentary on 2 Timothy 1 verses 1–5
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.
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.
Here is, I. The inscription of the epistle Paul calls himself an apostle by the will of God, merely by the good pleasure of God, and by his grace, which he professes himself unworthy of. According to the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus, or according to the gospel. The gospel is the promise of life in Christ Jesus; life is the end, and Christ the way, Joh 14:6. The life is put into the promise, and both are sure in Christ Jesus the faithful witness; for all the promises of God in Christ Jesus are yea, and all amen, Co2 1:20. He calls Timothy his beloved son. Paul felt the warmest affection for him both because he had been an instrument of his conversion and because as a son with his father he had served with him in the gospel. Observe, 1. Paul was an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God; as he did not receive the gospel of man, nor was taught it, but had it by the revelation of Jesus Christ (Gal 1:12), so his commission to be an apostle was not by the will of man, but of God: in the former epistle he says it was by the commandment of God our Saviour, and here by the will of God. God called him to be an apostle. 2. We have the promise of life, blessed be God for it: In hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised before the world began, Tit 1:2. It is a promise to discover the freeness and certainty of it. 3. This, as well as all other promises, is in and through Jesus Christ; they all take their rise from the mercy of God in Christ, and they are sure, so that we may safely depend on them. 4. The grace, mercy, and peace, which even Paul's dearly beloved son Timothy wanted, comes from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord; and therefore the one as well as the other is the giver of these blessings, and ought to be applied to for them. 5. The best want these blessings, and they are the best we can ask for our dearly-beloved friends, that they may have grace to help them in the time of need, and mercy to pardon what is amiss, and so may have peace with God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
II. Paul's thanksgiving to God for Timothy's faith and holiness: he thanks God that he remembered Timothy in his prayers. Observe, Whatever good we do, and whatever good office we perform for our friends, God must have the glory of it, and we must give him thanks. It is he who puts it into our hearts to remember such and such in our prayers. Paul was much in prayer, he prayed night and day; in all his prayers he was mindful of his friends, he particularly prayed for good ministers, he prayed for Timothy, and had remembrance of him in his prayers night and day; he did this without ceasing; prayer was his constant business, and he never forgot his friends in his prayers, as we often do. Paul served God from his forefathers with a pure conscience. It was a comfort to him that he was born in God's house, and was of the seed of those that served God; as likewise that he had served him with a pure conscience, according to the best of his light; he had kept a conscience void of offence, and made it his daily exercise to do so, Act 24:16. He greatly desired to see Timothy, out of the affection he had for him, that he might have some conversation with him, being mindful of his tears at their last parting. Timothy was sorry to part with Paul, he wept at parting, and therefore Paul desired to see him again, because he had perceived by that what a true affection he had for him. He thanks God that Timothy kept up the religion of his ancestors, Ti2 1:5. Observe, The entail of religion descended upon Timothy by the mother's side; he had a good mother, and a good grandmother: they believed, though his father did not, Act 16:1. It is a comfortable thing when children imitate the faith and holiness of their godly parents, and tread in their steps, Jo3 1:4. - Dwelt in thy grandmother and thy mother, and I am persuaded that in thee also. Paul had a very charitable opinion of his friends, was very willing to hope the best concerning them; indeed he had a great deal of reason to believe well of Timothy, for he had no man like-minded, Phi 2:20. Observe, 1. We are, according to St. Paul, to serve God with a pure conscience, so did his and our pious forefathers; this is to draw near with a true heart, in full assurance of faith, having our heart sprinkled from an evil conscience, Heb 10:22. 2. In our prayers we are to remember without ceasing our friends, especially the faithful ministers of Christ. Paul had remembrance of his dearly beloved son Timothy in his prayers night and day. 3. The faith that dwells in real believers is unfeigned; it is without hypocrisy, it is a faith that will stand the trial, and it dwells in them as a living principle. It was the matter of Paul's thanksgiving that Timothy inherited the faith of his mother Eunice and his grandmother Lois, and ought to be ours whenever we see the like; we should rejoice wherever we see the grace of God; so did Barnabas, Act 11:23, Act 11:24. I rejoiced greatly that I found of thy children walking in the truth, Jo2 1:4.
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 1–5. Public domain.
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John ChrysostomAD 407
Homily on 2 Timothy 1
"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; greatly desiring to see thee, being mindful of thy tears, that I might be filled with joy." "'I thank God,' he says, 'that I remember thee,' so much do I love thee." This is a mark of excessive love, when a man glories in his affection from loving so much. "I thank God," he says, "Whom I serve": and how? "With a pure conscience," for he had not violated his conscience. And here he speaks of his blameless life, for he everywhere calls his life his conscience. Or because I never gave up any good that I purposed, for any human cause, not even when I was a persecutor. Wherefore he says, "I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief" (1 Tim. i. 13); all but saying, "Do not suspect that it was done of wickedness." He properly commends his own disposition, that his love may appear sincere. For what he says is in fact, "I am not false, I do not think one thing and profess another." So in the book of Acts we read he was compelled to praise himself. For when they slandered him as a seditious man and an innovator, he said in his own defense, "Ananias said to me, The God of our fathers hath chosen thee that thou shouldest know His will, and see that Just One, and shouldest hear the voice of His mouth. For thou shalt be His witness unto all men of what thou hast seen and heard." (Acts xxii. 14, Acts xxii. 15) In the same manner here, that he may not, as if he had been forgetful, have the character of one void of friendship and conscience, he justly praises himself, saying, that "without ceasing I have remembrance of thee," and not simply that, but "in my prayers." That is, it is the business of my prayers, that which I constantly continue to perform. For this he shows by saying, "For this I besought God day and night, desiring to see thee." Mark his fervent desire, the intensity of his love. And again, his humility, how he apologizes to his disciples, and then he shows that it was not on light or vain grounds; and this he had shown us before, but again gives proof of it. "Being mindful of thy tears." It was natural for Timothy, when parting from him, to mourn and weep, more than a child torn away from the milk and from the breast of its mother. "That I may be filled with joy; greatly desiring to see thee." I would not willingly have deprived myself of so great a pleasure, though I had been of an unfeeling and brutal nature, for those tears coming to my remembrance would have been enough to soften me. But such is not my character. I am one of those who serve God purely; so that many strong motives urged me to come to thee. So then he wept. And he mentions another cause, and that of a consolatory kind.
OecumeniusAD 990
COMMENTARY ON 2 TIMOTHY
I give thanks to God, whom I have served from my ancestors with a pure conscience, that I unceasingly remember you in my prayers day and night, longing to see you, mindful of your tears, so that I may be filled with joy.
Do you see the excess of love? Paul says, I thank God that I remember you. This is love, when someone takes pride in loving someone.
with a pure conscience. How is it in a pure conscience? Where Paul originally was ignorant of Christ? They show that he was conscious of nothing evil in himself. For even if he persecuted, he persecuted out of zeal, and not according to human reasoning, like many who do so for glory, forming heresy; those who are conscious know great corruption. And he presents himself well, so that he may also show that his love for Timothy is genuine, and not receive the reputation of being unloving, not having gone to him, and promising these things.
unceasingly remember you. Not just unceasingly remember you, but "In my prayers." Not in a common way, Paul says, as I remember, but in prayers, both night and day.
longing to see you. Therefore, I did not voluntarily deprive myself of such great pleasure. You are truly worthy to be loved, both because of your tears and because of your faith and that of your ancestors. But notice that at the beginning Paul does not want to sadden Timothy as if he were not coming, but rather gives hope of seeing him: near the end, however, he implies that he will no longer see him in the flesh, saying: "For I am already being sacrificed, or offered." (2 Tim. 4:6) But here is the order: I have grace from God because I remember you, desiring to see you, so that I may be filled with joy. Then what is left in the middle: "mindful of your tears." Afterwards, lest it seem rash to love, Paul also adds the reason.
mindful, Paul says, of your tears. For perhaps, being separated from Paul, Timothy was so distressed as even to weep. But the exceeding, "longing to see you so that I may be filled with joy," as if the mere sight alone were sufficient to fill me with joy.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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SUMMARY
In 2 Timothy 1:4, the Apostle Paul expresses a profound and heartfelt longing to reunite with his beloved spiritual son, Timothy. This verse, deeply personal and emotionally resonant, reveals Paul's tender affection and empathy, as he recalls Timothy's tears—likely shed during a previous, sorrowful parting. Paul anticipates that this reunion will bring him immense joy, underscoring the vital role of genuine fellowship and mutual care in the life of faith, even amidst the backdrop of Paul's impending suffering and death.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Paul's words in 2 Timothy 1:4 are rich with Pathos, as he appeals directly to the reader's emotions by expressing his intense longing and recalling Timothy's tears. This creates an immediate sense of intimacy and vulnerability, drawing the audience into the profound personal relationship between the two men. The phrase "thy tears" serves as a form of Metonymy or Synecdoche, where the physical act of weeping stands in for the deeper emotional state of sorrow, shared grief, or deep affection that characterized their parting or shared experiences. This concise image powerfully conveys a wealth of unspoken emotional history. Furthermore, the verse exhibits Anticipation, as Paul looks forward to a future state of being "filled with joy," contrasting his present difficult circumstances with the hopeful prospect of reunion. This forward-looking joy highlights the spiritual resilience and hope that permeated Paul's life and ministry, even in the shadow of martyrdom.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Paul's heartfelt expression in 2 Timothy 1:4 transcends a mere personal sentiment, offering profound theological insights into the nature of Christian fellowship and the source of spiritual joy. It underscores that the Christian life is not meant to be lived in isolation, but in deep, empathetic communion with fellow believers. Paul's longing for Timothy, his remembrance of tears, and his anticipation of joy reveal that genuine spiritual relationships are characterized by mutual affection, shared burdens, and a profound sense of refreshment derived from one another's presence and spiritual well-being. This reflects the very heart of the Trinitarian God, who exists in perfect relational communion, and calls His people into a similar, albeit imperfect, fellowship on earth. Our joy is often perfected not in solitary pursuits, but in the reciprocal love and encouragement found within the body of Christ, mirroring the joy of Christ in His disciples.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Paul's deeply personal words to Timothy offer a timeless model for authentic Christian relationships and a powerful reminder of what truly nourishes the soul. In an age often marked by superficial connections, this verse challenges us to cultivate genuine, empathetic bonds within the body of Christ. Are we truly "mindful of the tears" of those around us, not just their successes or public personas? Do we actively seek out opportunities for deep, soul-refreshing fellowship, understanding that our joy can be genuinely "filled" by the presence and well-being of our spiritual family? This verse invites us to move beyond mere acquaintance to a level of care that recognizes and cherishes the emotional landscape of others, finding profound joy in shared spiritual journeys and mutual encouragement. It reminds us that even in our own trials, the prospect of meaningful connection with fellow believers can be a powerful source of strength and delight.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why is Paul so emotional and personal in this letter?
Answer: Paul's deep emotional tone in 2 Timothy stems from several factors. Firstly, Timothy was his beloved spiritual son, discipled and mentored by Paul over many years, making their bond intensely personal and paternal. Secondly, this letter is likely Paul's final communication before his execution, giving it the weight of a dying man's last words and testament. He is passing the torch of ministry to Timothy, and his concern for Timothy's faithfulness and endurance is paramount. This context naturally evokes profound affection, urgency, and a desire for one last personal connection, as seen in his longing to see Timothy in 2 Timothy 1:4.
What do "thy tears" signify in this verse?
Answer: The "tears" of Timothy likely signify a moment of deep emotional distress or sorrow, possibly shed during a difficult parting from Paul, or perhaps reflecting Timothy's own struggles and anxieties in ministry. They represent a genuine expression of his affection for Paul, his concern for Paul's suffering, or the weight of the responsibilities he bore. Paul's remembrance of these tears highlights his empathy and the authentic, vulnerable nature of their relationship, demonstrating that he was attentive to Timothy's emotional state and cherished their shared experiences, as he often shared in the sufferings of his fellow believers (e.g., 2 Corinthians 11:29).
How can Paul anticipate being "filled with joy" when he is in prison and facing execution?
Answer: Paul's anticipation of joy, despite his dire circumstances, reveals a profound spiritual truth: his joy was not contingent on his external situation but on his relationship with Christ and the spiritual well-being of those he disicipled. For Paul, the prospect of seeing Timothy, knowing he was steadfast in the faith, and sharing fellowship, was a source of deep spiritual refreshment and "calm delight" (chará). This reflects a joy rooted in God's faithfulness and the fruit of his ministry, a joy that transcends suffering and imprisonment, as he often expressed in his letters (e.g., Philippians 4:4).
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Paul's deep longing, empathetic remembrance of tears, and anticipated joy in 2 Timothy 1:4 find their ultimate fulfillment and perfect expression in the person and work of Jesus Christ. Just as Paul yearned for intimate fellowship with Timothy, Christ Himself expressed a profound desire for communion with His disciples, particularly evident in His longing to share the Passover with them before His crucifixion (Luke 22:15). Moreover, Christ perfectly embodies the empathy Paul shows, being "mindful of tears" in a way that surpasses human capacity. He is the High Priest who sympathizes with our weaknesses, having been tempted in every way as we are, yet without sin (Hebrews 4:15). His own tears shed at the tomb of Lazarus profoundly demonstrate His shared grief and compassion for humanity's suffering (John 11:35). Finally, the "joy" Paul anticipates in reunion with Timothy points to the ultimate and eternal joy found in Christ's presence. Our greatest joy is found in the "fullness of joy" that is in God's presence and the "pleasures forevermore" at His right hand (Psalm 16:11). Through Christ, our relationships are redeemed and elevated, and the Holy Spirit unites us into a family where genuine affection, shared burdens, and profound spiritual joy are not merely aspirations but realities, all flowing from our union with the Head of the Church, Jesus Christ (Ephesians 4:15-16).