[It is] a faithful saying: For if we be dead with [him], we shall also live with [him]:
It is a faithful {G4103} saying {G3056}: For {G1063} if {G1487} we be dead with {G4880} him, we shall {G4800} also {G2532} live with {G4800} him:
Here is a statement you can trust:
If we have died with him,
we will also live with him.
This is a trustworthy saying: If we died with Him, we will also live with Him;
Faithful is the saying: For if we died with him, we shall also live with him:
-
Romans 6:8
Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: -
Colossians 3:3
For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. -
Colossians 3:4
When Christ, [who is] our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. -
1 Timothy 1:15
This [is] a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. -
Romans 6:5
For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also [in the likeness] of [his] resurrection: -
2 Corinthians 4:10
Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. -
John 14:19
Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also.
2 Timothy 2:11 (KJV) presents a foundational truth of Christian faith, often considered part of an early Christian hymn or creed. It serves as a profound encouragement to believers, especially those enduring hardship or persecution, by linking present suffering with future glory.
Context
This verse is part of a series of "faithful sayings" that Paul includes in his pastoral epistles to emphasize core Christian doctrines. In 2 Timothy 2:10, Paul speaks of enduring all things for the sake of the elect. The verses immediately following this one (2 Timothy 2:12-13) continue this theme of perseverance and its corresponding outcomes, contrasting faithfulness with denial. Paul is instructing Timothy, his spiritual son and a young leader, on the steadfastness required in ministry and discipleship amidst trials, anchoring his exhortations in reliable Christian truths.
Key Themes and Messages
Linguistic Insights
The phrase "faithful saying" (Greek: pistos logos) was likely a common expression or even a short creedal statement used among early Christians. It signifies a truth that is reliable, trustworthy, and worthy of full acceptance. The Greek verbs synapothanomen ("dead with him") and syzēsomen ("live with him") both begin with the prefix syn-, meaning "with" or "together." This emphasizes the profound and inseparable union believers have with Christ in both His death and His life, highlighting a shared experience and destiny.
Practical Application
For believers today, 2 Timothy 2:11 serves as a powerful anchor of hope and a call to intentional living: