2 Timothy 1 (NET)

2 Timothy

Salutation

1 From Paul,1 an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, to further the promise2 of life in Christ Jesus, 2 to Timothy, my dear child. Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord!

Thanksgiving and Charge to Timothy

3 I am thankful to God, whom I have served with a clear conscience as my ancestors did,3 when I remember you in my prayers as I do constantly night and day.4 4 As I remember your tears, I long to see you,5 so that I may be filled with joy. 5 I recall6 your sincere faith7 that was alive first in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice, and I am sure8 is in you.

6 Because of this I remind you to rekindle God’s gift that you possess9 through the laying on of my hands. 7 For God did not give us a Spirit10 of fear but of power and love and self-control. 8 So do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord11 or of me, a prisoner for his sake, but by12 God’s power accept your share of suffering13 for the gospel. 9 He is the one who saved us14 and called us with a holy calling, not based on15 our works but on his own purpose and grace, granted to us in Christ Jesus before time began,16 10 but now made visible through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus. He17 has broken the power of death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel! 11 For this gospel18 I was appointed a preacher and apostle and teacher.19 12 Because of this, in fact, I suffer as I do.20 But I am not ashamed, because I know the one in whom my faith is set21 and I am convinced that he is able to protect what has been entrusted to me22 until that day.23 13 Hold to the standard24 of sound words that you heard from me and do so with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.25 14 Protect that good thing26 entrusted to you, through the Holy Spirit who lives within us.

15 You know that everyone in the province of Asia27 deserted me, including Phygelus and Hermogenes. 16 May the Lord grant mercy to the family of Onesiphorus, because he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my imprisonment.28 17 But when he arrived in Rome,29 he eagerly searched for me and found me. 18 May the Lord grant him to find mercy from the Lord on that day!30 And you know very well all the ways he served me in Ephesus.31

1tn Grk “Paul.” The word “from” is not in the Greek text, but has been supplied to indicate the sender of the letter. 2tn Grk “for the promise…” or possibly “in accordance with the promise…” 3tn Grk “from my ancestors.” 4tn Or “as I do constantly. By night and day I long to see you…” 5tn Grk “longing to see you, remembering your tears” (as a continuation of the preceding clause). Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation. 6tn Grk “recalling” (as a continuation of the preceding clause). Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation. 7tn Grk “the sincere faith in you.” 8tn Or “convinced.” 9tn Grk “that is in you.” 10tn Or “a spirit,” denoting the human personality under the Spirit’s influence as in 1 Cor 4:21; Gal 6:1; 1 Pet 3:4. But the reference to the Holy Spirit at the end of this section (1:14) makes it likely that it begins this way also, so that the Holy Spirit is the referent. 11tn Grk “the testimony of our Lord.” 12tn Or “according to.” 13tn Grk “suffer hardship together,” implying “join with me in suffering.” 14tn More literally, “who saved us,” as a description of God in v. 8. Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation. 15tn Or “according to,” or “by.” 16tn Grk “before eternal times.” 17tn Grk “having broken…and having brought…” (describing Christ). Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here (and at the beginning of v. 11) in the translation. 18tn Grk “for which.” 19tc Most mss (א² C D F G Ψ 1739 1881 Ï latt sy co) have ἐθνῶν (eqnwn, “of the Gentiles”) after “teacher.” The shorter reading has poorer external credentials (א* A I 1175 pc), but is preferred because ἐθνῶν probably represents a gloss added by copyists familiar with 1 Tim 2:7. There is no easy explanation for the omission of the word if it were original here. 20tn Grk “suffer these things.” 21tn Or “in whom I have believed.” 22sn What has been entrusted to me (Grk “my entrustment,” meaning either (1) “what I have entrusted to him” [his life, destiny, etc.] or (2) “what he has entrusted to me” [the truth of the gospel]). The parallel with v. 14 and use of similar words in the pastorals (1 Tim 6:20; 2 Tim 2:2) argue for the latter sense. 23sn That day is a reference to the day when Paul would stand before Christ to give account for his service (cf. 2 Tim 1:18; 1 Cor 3:13; 2 Cor 5:9-10). 24tn Or “pattern.” 25tn Grk “in faith and love in Christ Jesus.”sn With the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. This describes the manner in which Timothy must hold to the standard (similar to Paul’s call for him to give attention to his life and his teaching in 1 Tim 4:11-16). 26sn That good thing (Grk “the good deposit”) refers to the truth of the gospel committed to Timothy (cf. 1 Tim 6:20). 27tn Grk “Asia”; in the NT this always refers to the Roman province of Asia, made up of about one-third of the west and southwest end of modern Asia Minor. Asia lay to the west of the region of Phrygia and Galatia. The words “the province of” are supplied to indicate to the modern reader that this does not refer to the continent of Asia. 28tn Grk “my chain.” 29map For location see JP4-A1. 30sn That day is a reference to the day when Onesiphorus (v. 16) stands before Christ to give account for his service (cf. v. 12; 1 Cor 3:13; 2 Cor 5:9-10). 31tn Grk “all the ways he served in Ephesus.”map For location see JP1-D2; JP2-D2; JP3-D2; JP4-D2.