1 This letter comes from Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus chosen by God, sent to tell about the promise of real life that is in Christ Jesus. 2 I'm sending it to you Timothy, my dear son. May you have grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. 3 I'm always thinking of you and I'm so thankful to God, whom I serve as my ancestors did, with a clear conscience. I never forget to mention you in my prayers. 4 I remember how you cried, and I so want to see you! That would make me really happy. 5 I keep in mind your sincere trust in God, the same trust that your grandmother Lois and mother Eunice also had—and I know that same trust continues in you. 6 That's why I want to remind you to revitalize God's gracious gift to you which you received when I placed my hands on you. 7 God didn't give us a spirit that makes us fearful, but a spirit of power and love and good sense. 8 So don't be ashamed to tell others about our Lord, or be ashamed of me. Instead be ready to share in suffering for the good news as God gives you strength. 9 He is the one who has saved us and called us to live a holy life—not through what we do, but by God's own plan and through his grace. 10 He gave this grace to us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, and is now revealed in the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus. He destroyed death, making life and immortality brilliantly clear through the good news. 11 I was appointed speaker, apostle, and teacher of this good news. 12 That's also the reason I'm suffering all this, but I'm not ashamed, because I know whom I've trusted. I'm confident that he can look after what I've entrusted to him until the Day he returns. 13 You should follow the model of good advice that you learned from me, with an attitude of trust and love in Christ Jesus. 14 Guard the truth that was entrusted to you through the Holy Spirit who lives in us. 15 You already know that everyone from Asia has abandoned me, including Phygelus and Hermogenes. 16 May the Lord be kind to the family of Onesiphorus, because he often took care of me and wasn't embarrassed about me being in prison. 17 When he was in Rome, he took the trouble to search for me, and he found me. 18 May the Lord grant him his blessing in the Day of Judgment. (Timothy, you're very much aware of how much Onesiphorus did for me when he was in Ephesus.)
2 Timothy · Free Bible Version
2 Timothy 1 Free Bible Version
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
People & places in this chapter
From this site's family tree and Bible maps, only where those guides cite this chapter.
People
Eunice
Timothy's mother, whose sincere faith Paul recalls; she shared it with her mother Lois.
Cited in the guide: 2 Timothy 1:5
Hermogenes
One of those in Asia who turned away from Paul.
Cited in the guide: 2 Timothy 1:15
Lois
Timothy's grandmother, in whom a sincere faith first lived.
Cited in the guide: 2 Timothy 1:5
Onesiphorus
A man who often refreshed Paul and was not ashamed of his chains, searching for him eagerly in Rome; Paul greets his household.
Cited in the guide: 2 Timothy 1:16; 2 Timothy 4:19
Phygelus
One of those in Asia who turned away from Paul.
Cited in the guide: 2 Timothy 1:15
Cross references (17)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Hebrews 9:15; John 17:3; John 10:28; 2 Corinthians 1:1; 1 John 5:11–13
- 2 2 Timothy 2:1; 1 Timothy 1:2; Acts 16:1; Romans 1:7; Philippians 4:1
- 3 Romans 1:8–9; Hebrews 13:8; Acts 24:14; Acts 23:1; Acts 22:3
- 4 2 Timothy 4:9; 1 Thessalonians 2:17–3:1; Philippians 1:8; 2 Timothy 4:21; Revelation 21:4
- 5 1 Timothy 1:5; Acts 16:1; 2 Timothy 3:15; 1 Timothy 4:6; 2 Corinthians 6:6
- 6 1 Timothy 4:14; 1 Peter 4:10–11; Romans 12:6–8; 1 Thessalonians 5:19; 2 Peter 3:1
- 7 Romans 8:15; 1 John 4:18; John 14:27; Galatians 5:22; Luke 10:19
- 8 Romans 1:16; Mark 8:38; 1 Peter 4:13–15; 2 Timothy 4:5; Revelation 12:11
- 9 Ephesians 2:8–9; Titus 3:4–5; Ephesians 1:3–4; Romans 11:5–6; Romans 16:25
- 10 1 John 1:2; Romans 16:26; Titus 2:11; 2 Peter 3:18; Hebrews 2:14–15
- 11 1 Timothy 2:7; Ephesians 3:7–8; Acts 9:15; 1 Timothy 1:7
- 12 Jude 24; 2 Timothy 1:8; 1 Peter 4:19; 2 Timothy 4:8; Hebrews 7:25
- 13 Titus 1:9; 2 Timothy 3:14; Philippians 4:9; Romans 6:17; 2 Timothy 2:2
- 14 John 14:17; Romans 8:13; 1 Timothy 6:20; 2 Timothy 1:12; 1 Corinthians 3:16
- 15 2 Timothy 4:16; Philippians 2:21; 2 Timothy 4:10–11; Acts 19:10; Acts 19:27
- 16 2 Timothy 4:19; Philemon 20; Ephesians 6:20; Hebrews 10:34; Philemon 7
- 18 Hebrews 6:10; 2 Timothy 1:12; 1 Timothy 1:3; Luke 8:3; Acts 19:1
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
What is the reason of his writing this second Epistle to Timothy? He had said, "I hope to come unto thee shortly" (1 Tim. iii.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 13 (1889)
Such an earth was the godly Onesiphorus, unto whose house Thou didst give mercy, because he frequently refreshed Thy Paul, and was not ashamed of his chain. This did also the brethren, and such fruit did they bear, who out of Macedonia supplied what was wanting unto him.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 1 (1886)
And again, writing to Timothy, That good thing which was committed to thee guard through the Holy Ghost which was given to us.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 7 (1894)
"God hath revealed him to us," it is said, "by (dia) the spirit;" and in another place, "That good thing which was committed unto thee keep by (dia) the Holy Ghost;" and again, "To one is given by (dia) the spirit the word of wisdom."
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 8 (1895)
… speaks of the grace which is given to the saints: "Not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began; but is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour." He speaks of the grace as given at a time when those to whom it …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 2 (1887)