2 Timothy 4 — Greek text and reception
Each card preserves the Greek reading and its textual and reception notes. This source provides a Greek study edition; Hebrew counterparts and Hebrew–Greek classifications are not supplied.
Chapter 4
Fulfill the service
Verse 4:1
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
I charge you before God and Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom:
Textual & Reception Notes
Text: The charge is before God and Christ Jesus, judge of living and dead; the appearing and kingdom are accusatives invoked in the charge, not a supplied temporal at. Reception: Chrysostom discusses both judgment at the appearing and invoking that appearing as witness (Homily 9, on 4:1). [CHR9]
Verse 4:2
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
proclaim the word; be ready in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with all patience and teaching.
Textual & Reception Notes
Text: Five commands retain their distinct actions: proclaim, be ready, reprove, rebuke and exhort. In season and out of season are held together with all patience and teaching. Reception: Chrysostom compares correction and consolation to coordinated medical care (Homily 9, on 4:2). [CHR9]
Verse 4:3
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
For a time will come when they will not endure sound teaching, but according to their own desires they will heap up teachers for themselves, having their hearing tickled,
Textual & Reception Notes
Text: The hearers accumulate teachers according to their own desires. Tickled hearing preserves the passive ear image and the preference for gratifying teaching. Reception: Chrysostom notes that the hearers choose a multitude of teachers to please themselves (Homily 9, on 4:3). [CHR9]
Verse 4:4
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
and they will turn their hearing away from the truth and turn aside to myths.
Textual & Reception Notes
Text: Turning hearing away from truth and turning aside to myths express linked movement in opposite directions. The text does not name particular myths here. Reception: Chrysostom takes the warning as preparation for endurance and timely instruction (Homily 9, on 4:4). [CHR9]
Verse 4:5
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
But you, be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your service.
Textual & Reception Notes
Text: Be sober, endure hardship, do an evangelist's work and fulfill your service remain distinct commands. The verse defines an activity without supplying a later institutional rank. Reception: Chrysostom links evangelistic service with vigilance and readiness for hardship (Homily 9, on 4:5). [CHR9]
The finished course
Verse 4:6
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
For I am already being poured out, and the time of my departure has arrived.
Textual & Reception Notes
Text: Already being poured out retains spendō's libation metaphor; departure is a second image. The sentence does not specify an execution method. Reception: Chrysostom develops the drink-offering as total self-offering (Homily 9, on 4:6). [CHR9]
Verse 4:7
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
I have struggled in the good struggle; I have finished the course; I have kept the faith.
Textual & Reception Notes
Text: The three perfect verbs present struggle, course and fidelity as completed achievements with continuing significance. The repeated first person preserves the personal testimony. Reception: Chrysostom reads the statement as consolation for Timothy rather than self-display (Homily 9, on 4:7). [CHR9]
Verse 4:8
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
From now on the crown of righteousness is laid up for me, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give back to me on that day, and not to me alone but also to all who have loved His appearing.
Textual & Reception Notes
Text: The righteous Judge awards the crown on that day; the promise explicitly extends beyond Paul to all who have loved His appearing. Reception: Chrysostom sees the widened promise as special encouragement for Timothy (Homily 9, on 4:8). [CHR9]
Companions and the Lord’s help
Verse 4:9
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
Be diligent to come to me soon,
Textual & Reception Notes
Text: Be diligent to come soon is an urgent personal request; the text gives no travel date or assurance that the visit occurred. Reception: Chrysostom reads the request in light of Paul's imprisonment and desire to see Timothy (Homily 10, on 4:9–13). [CHR10]
Verse 4:10
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
for Demas deserted me, having loved the present age, and went to Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia; Titus to Dalmatia.
Textual & Reception Notes
Text: Love of the present age is attributed to Demas, not automatically to Crescens or Titus. Galatia is the selected destination; the three destinations remain separate. Reception: Chrysostom distinguishes Demas's desertion from the others' journeys (Homily 10, on 4:10). Bunyan explicitly reuses Demas as a temptation to material gain (Pilgrim's Progress, Part I, §§266–271, especially §269). [CHR10] [BUN]
Verse 4:11
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
Luke alone is with me. Take Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for service.
Textual & Reception Notes
Text: Luke's presence and Mark's requested arrival are distinct. Useful for service gives the reason for bringing Mark; no prior dispute is narrated here. Reception: Chrysostom emphasizes ongoing gospel service in Paul's request for Mark (Homily 10, on 4:11). [CHR10]
Verse 4:12
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
But I sent Tychicus to Ephesus.
Textual & Reception Notes
Text: Paul is the expressed sender of Tychicus to Ephesus. The verse does not specify whether this journey replaces Timothy or dates the dispatch. Reception: Chrysostom quotes this notice within his discussion of 4:9–13; he gives no separate explanation of Tychicus's assignment there (Homily 10). [CHR10]
Verse 4:13
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
When you come, bring the cloak which I left in Troas with Carpus, and the books, especially the parchments.
Textual & Reception Notes
Text: Cloak renders phailonēs; a carrying case is another proposed sense. Books and especially parchments remain distinct, with no invented titles or contents. Reception: Chrysostom records both garment and book-bag understandings (Homily 10, on 4:12–13). [CHR10]
Verse 4:14
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
Alexander the coppersmith showed me many evils; the Lord will repay him according to his works.
Textual & Reception Notes
Text: Alexander's trade is retained as coppersmith. The Lord will repay is future in this main text, not an optative prayer for retaliation. Reception: Chrysostom understands the repayment as prediction and preparation for opposition (Homily 10, on 4:14–15). [CHR10]
Verse 4:15
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
You too guard yourself against him, for he greatly opposed our words.
Textual & Reception Notes
Text: Timothy too must guard against Alexander because of opposition to our words. The instruction is caution, without an order to punish him. Reception: Chrysostom explicitly distinguishes avoidance from personal revenge (Homily 10, on 4:15). [CHR10]
Verse 4:16
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
At my first defense no one came to my side, but all deserted me. May it not be counted against them.
Textual & Reception Notes
Text: The first defense is not assigned a reconstructed date. None came to Paul's side; the final optative expresses a wish that their desertion not be charged to them. Reception: Chrysostom contrasts grievous abandonment with Paul's mercy toward his friends (Homily 10, on 4:16). [CHR10]
Verse 4:17
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
But the Lord stood beside me and empowered me, so that through me the proclamation might be fulfilled and all the nations might hear, and I was rescued from a lion’s mouth.
Textual & Reception Notes
Text: The Lord's support enables proclamation for all the nations. Lion's mouth is preserved without identifying a literal animal or particular adversary in the translation. Reception: Chrysostom interprets the strengthening as bold speech and the lion as Nero; the latter is his identification (Homily 10, on 4:17–18). [CHR10]
Verse 4:18
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
The Lord will rescue me from every evil work and save me into His heavenly kingdom. To Him be glory for the ages of ages. Amen.
Textual & Reception Notes
Text: Rescue from every evil work and salvation into the heavenly kingdom are joined; the doxology includes Amen here, unlike the letter's final verse. Reception: Chrysostom distinguishes preservation for the kingdom from escape from death (Homily 10, on 4:18). [CHR10]
Final greetings
Verse 4:19
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
Greet Prisca and Aquila and the household of Onesiphorus.
Textual & Reception Notes
Text: Prisca preserves the actual recognizable name form, without expanding it to Priscilla. Aquila and Onesiphorus's household are additional recipients of greeting. Reception: Chrysostom connects the greeting with honored service; his English quotation uses Priscilla (Homily 10, on 4:19). [CHR10]
Verse 4:20
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
Erastus remained in Corinth, but I left Trophimus sick in Miletus.
Textual & Reception Notes
Text: Erastus remained in Corinth, whereas Paul left Trophimus sick in Miletus. The sickness remains explicit without a diagnosis or claim of deficient faith. Reception: Chrysostom sees Trophimus's illness as evidence that apostolic miracles were not exercised on every occasion (Homily 10, on 4:20). [CHR10]
Verse 4:21
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
Be diligent to come before winter. Eubulus greets you, and Pudens and Linus and Claudia and all the brothers.
Textual & Reception Notes
Text: Before winter sharpens the request to come. Four named greeters and all the brothers are retained; Linus's name alone does not specify an ecclesiastical office. Reception: Chrysostom commends Claudia and reports Linus's Roman episcopal identification as something some say (Homily 10, on 4:21). [CHR10]
Verse 4:22
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
The Lord be with your spirit. Grace be with you all.
Textual & Reception Notes
Text: The selected text has Lord without Jesus Christ and no closing Amen. Your spirit is singular; you all makes the following plural hymōn audible without adding a new group. Reception: Chrysostom explains the closing blessing; his accessed English quotation has Lord Jesus Christ and grace with us, differing from this main text (Homily 10, on 4:22). [CHR10]