1 I command you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at his appearing and his Kingdom: 2 preach the word; be urgent in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort with all patience and teaching. 3 For the time will come when they will not listen to the sound doctrine, but having itching ears, will heap up for themselves teachers after their own lusts, 4 and will turn away their ears from the truth, and turn away to fables. 5 But you be sober in all things, suffer hardship, do the work of an evangelist, and fulfil your ministry. 6 For I am already being offered, and the time of my departure has come. 7 I have fought the good fight. I have finished the course. I have kept the faith. 8 From now on, the crown of righteousness is stored up for me, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give to me on that day; and not to me only, but also to all those who have loved his appearing. 9 Be diligent to come to me soon, 10 for Demas left me, having loved this present world, and went to Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia; and Titus to Dalmatia. 11 Only Luke is with me. Take Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for service. 12 But I sent Tychicus to Ephesus. 13 Bring the cloak that I left at Troas with Carpus when you come—and the books, especially the parchments. 14 Alexander the coppersmith did much evil to me. The Lord will repay him according to his deeds. 15 Beware of him, for he greatly opposed our words. 16 At my first defence, no one came to help me, but all left me. May it not be held against them. 17 But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, that through me the message might be fully proclaimed, and that all the Gentiles might hear. So I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion. 18 And the Lord will deliver me from every evil work and will preserve me for his heavenly Kingdom. To him be the glory forever and ever. Amen. 19 Greet Prisca and Aquila, and the house of Onesiphorus. 20 Erastus remained at Corinth, but I left Trophimus at Miletus sick. 21 Be diligent to come before winter. Eubulus salutes you, as do Pudens, Linus, Claudia, and all the brothers. 22 The Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Grace be with you. Amen.
2 Timothy · World English Bible British Edition (with Deuterocanon)
2 Timothy 4 World English Bible British Edition (with Deuterocanon)
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
Notes on this text (1)
- "World English Bible" is a trademark of eBible.org; the text is shown unaltered.
People & places in this chapter
From this site's family tree and Bible maps, only where those guides cite this chapter.
People
Alexander
A coppersmith who did Paul great harm; a man of the same name was also handed over to Satan with Hymenaeus, possibly the same person.
Cited in the guide: 1 Timothy 1:20; 2 Timothy 4:14
Carpus
The man at Troas with whom Paul left his cloak.
Cited in the guide: 2 Timothy 4:13
Claudia
A woman who sends greetings to Timothy from Paul in Rome.
Cited in the guide: 2 Timothy 4:21
Crescens
A coworker who had gone to Galatia during Paul's last imprisonment.
Cited in the guide: 2 Timothy 4:10
Demas
A coworker of Paul who sends greetings from Rome, but later deserted him because he loved the present world.
Cited in the guide: Colossians 4:14; 2 Timothy 4:10; Philemon 24
Erastus
Named as the city treasurer who sends greetings in Romans, as a helper Paul sent into Macedonia with Timothy, and as one who stayed at Corinth; these are probably the same man.
Cited in the guide: Acts 19:22; Romans 16:23; 2 Timothy 4:20
Eubulus
One who sends greetings to Timothy from Paul in Rome.
Cited in the guide: 2 Timothy 4:21
Linus
One who sends greetings to Timothy from Paul in Rome.
Cited in the guide: 2 Timothy 4:21
Luke
Paul's beloved physician and coworker who stayed with him when others had left him in his final imprisonment.
Cited in the guide: Colossians 4:14; 2 Timothy 4:11; Philemon 24
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
Pudens
One who sends greetings to Timothy from Paul in Rome.
Cited in the guide: 2 Timothy 4:21
Trophimus
An Ephesian who accompanied Paul; Jews at Jerusalem falsely claimed Paul had brought him into the temple, and Paul later left him sick at Miletus.
Cited in the guide: Acts 20:4; Acts 21:29; 2 Timothy 4:20
Cross references (22)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Acts 10:42; 2 Timothy 4:8; 1 Timothy 5:21; Matthew 16:27; 2 Timothy 2:14
- 2 1 Timothy 4:15–16; 1 Thessalonians 5:14; Revelation 3:19; 1 Timothy 4:13; Titus 2:15
- 3 2 Peter 2:1–3; 2 Timothy 3:1–6; 1 Timothy 4:1–3; 1 Timothy 1:10; Galatians 4:16
- 4 Zechariah 7:11; Acts 7:57; 2 Peter 1:16; 1 Timothy 1:4; 1 Timothy 4:7
- 5 2 Timothy 1:8; 2 Timothy 2:3; 1 Peter 1:13; Colossians 4:17; 2 Timothy 3:10–12
- 6 Philippians 1:23; Philippians 2:17; 2 Peter 1:14–15; Joshua 23:14; Genesis 48:21
- 7 1 Timothy 6:12; 1 Corinthians 9:24–27; Hebrews 12:1–2; Acts 20:24; Philippians 3:13–14
- 8 James 1:12; Revelation 2:10; 1 Peter 5:4; 1 Peter 1:4; Matthew 6:19–20
- 9 2 Timothy 1:4; 2 Timothy 4:21
- 10 1 John 2:15–16; 2 Timothy 1:15; Colossians 4:14–15; 1 John 5:4–5; Acts 16:6
- 11 Acts 12:12; Acts 12:25; Philemon 24; Acts 15:39; 2 Timothy 1:15
- 12 Ephesians 6:21; Acts 20:4; Titus 3:12; Colossians 4:7; 1 Timothy 1:3
- 13 Acts 16:11; 2 Corinthians 11:27; 1 Corinthians 4:11; Acts 16:8; Acts 20:5–12
- 14 1 Timothy 1:20; 2 Thessalonians 1:6; Psalm 28:4; 1 Samuel 24:12; Acts 19:33–34
- 15 2 Timothy 3:8; Philippians 3:2; Matthew 10:16–17
- 16 Acts 7:60; John 16:32; Mark 14:50; Psalm 31:11–13; Philippians 1:17
- 17 1 Peter 5:8; Philippians 1:12–14; Psalm 22:21; 1 Samuel 17:37; Daniel 6:22
- 18 Psalm 121:7; 2 Thessalonians 3:3; Jude 24–25; Matthew 6:13; John 10:28–30
- 19 Acts 18:2; 1 Corinthians 16:19; Romans 16:3–4; 2 Timothy 1:16–18; Acts 18:26
- 20 Acts 20:4; Acts 19:22; Philippians 2:26–27; Acts 21:29; Acts 20:15
- 21 2 Timothy 4:9; Philippians 4:22; Romans 16:21–23; 2 Timothy 1:4; 3 John 14
- 22 Philemon 25; Galatians 6:18; Colossians 4:18; Romans 1:7; Revelation 22:21
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).
It is worth while to enquire why he calls Timothy to him, inasmuch as he was intrusted with a Church, and a whole nation. It was not from arrogance.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 13 (1889)
and is departed unto Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia. Only Luke is with me." From this he shows that he was always attached to and inseparable from him.
… doth he grieve for certain trees, which did not afford him the fruit due unto him, when he saith, "At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge." For these fruits are due to those who minister spiritual doctrine, through their understanding of …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 1 (1886)
How then doth He say elsewhere, "Reprove, rebuke, exhort," and, "Them that sin rebuke before all?" And Christ too to Peter, "Go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone," and if he neglect to hear, add to thyself another also; and if not even so doth he yield, declare it to the church likewise?" And how hath …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)
For, being slain by them, He has risen again, and has requited them meanwhile by temporary discipline, save that for those who are not corrected He keeps it in store for the time when He shall judge the quick and the dead. For the Lord Jesus Himself, in pointing out that very man to the apostles as His betrayer, quoted …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 2 (1887)