Second Timothy 4:1-22

II Timothy 4:1-4:

^4:1I throughly-witness before God and Christ Jesus the (one) being about to judge (people) living and dead-people (at) his shining-light and his kingdom – ^.2you must herald-forth the word, you must stand-on (it) well-timely (and) un-timely, you must refute, you must censure, you must encourage, in all patience and teaching; ^.3for there will be a time when they will not hold-themselves-up-with the teaching being sound but according to (their) own intense-yearnings they will heap onto themselves teachers being tickled-by the thing-heard (from those teachers) ^.4and indeed they will turn-away from the thing-heard of the truth but they will be turned-out onto the fables.

I throughly witness…. A 'witness' is someone who has information or knowledge of that-which he is attesting to, and can therefore confirm it on the strength of his own authority. Here the verb is "throughly-witness" – Paul fully affirms, testifies through the entire subject, thoroughly, making known the information and knowledge that he has regarding this subject.

I bear complete witness in the sight and presence of…

God (the First, Superior or Ultimate One, the One Who has power, executes judgment, and emanates what He is, His power and light; He is the only true God) and
Christ Jesus (the Anointed Jesus, the Messiah who has been resurrected and makes salvation available; he is God’s son and is second in command to God)
- the one being about to judge people living and dead-people (Christ Jesus is on the point of making decisions, on behalf of God, on the people who are alive when that time comes and the people who will have already died by that time; dead-people have no life at all in them until they will be caused to rise from death at a future time to receive Christ's judgment) at
  - a) his shining-light (his complete light being shone upon all, the illumination caused-by and emanating-from Christ Jesus, here referring to the time when he comes to be present to gather all of us holy-people/Christians together with him in the air and then we will be judged before his judgment-seat)
  - b) and his kingdom (the kingly or royal dominion and government and rule and territory and power, etc, belonging to Christ Jesus when he comes on earth to gather the rest of his people: those still alive and the rest of the dead who will be raised, and all these will be judged by him) –

…you (Timothy) must herald-forth the word (proclaim the spoken-account of God’s inner thoughts),

…you must stand-on it well-timely and un-timely (stand taking your position upon/over the word during opportune periods, specific occasions, precise seasons that may be considered by yourself or other people to be good-timing, well-timed, and during times that may be considered to lack time, no-time, bad-timing),

…you must refute (prove another to be wrong, convict and convince of error),

…you must censure (inflict penalty or infringement, reprimand, judge by estimating the correct honor or value due in a specific situation which is punishment for the offence committed),

…you must encourage (exhort, call others beside you as a father and mother invites their children near them to help them to do what is right),…

in all patience and teaching (within the sphere of action of every long-suffering, long-temperedness, long-forbearance toward/with others, and every authoritative instruction, doctrine, the contents of what is taught).

In truth, there will be a time (opportune period, specific occasion, precise season) when they will not hold themselves up with the teaching being sound (not hold themselves in an upright-position putting up with and enduring, sustaining themselves with the instruction, doctrine being healthy, in good health, well; this word ‘teaching’ includes the teaching itself and the action of teaching it).

But on the contrary, in accordance with their own intense-yearnings (their own strong-desires attached or fixed upon certain objects, in this context referring to things other-than God and the things of God, lusts) they will actively heap teachers onto themselves (one on-top of another on top of them pushing them down underneath) while they are being tickled by the thing-heard from those teachers (the listeners are feeling an exciting tingling sensation, being titillated while hearing what they teach, and crave to go to its source to stop it but at the same time wanting more and more of it).

And indeed they will turn away from the thing-heard of the truth (‘the truth’ refers to God’s essential reality, His inherent verity; they will turn away from the hearing, the report, what is spoken in order to be heard by them containing, consisting-of and which-is truth) but they will be turned out onto the fables (they will be caused to turn from where they should be, dislocated onto the legends, fictional stories, myths).

[Reference: Matthew 8:26, 12:16, 16:27, 17:18, 18:15, 24:30, 25:31; Acts 10:42, 17:31; Romans 14:10; I Corinthians 14:24, 15:51-57; II Corinthians 5:10; Ephesians 5:11-13, 6:10-18; Colossians 1:13; I Thessalonians 4:13-17; I Timothy 1:4, 6 and 10, 4:7, 5:15, 20 and 21, 6:3, 14, and 20; II Timothy 1:13, 3:16 and 17; Jude 1:9; Revelation chapters 19 and 20. See also the chart of events.]

Verses 5-8:

^.5But you must be sober in all-things, you must suffer-bad-things, you must do (the) work of a good-messager, you must fully-assure your ministry. ^.6For already I am poured and the time of my loosening-up stood-on² (me); ^.7I contested² the beautiful contest, I completed² the race, I kept² the belief; ^.8as-to-the-rest the crown of the righteousness is laid-away for me which the Lord, the righteous judge will give-away to me in that day, but not only to me but also to all the (people) having loved^1,2 his shining-light.

But emphatically you (Timothy)…

you must be sober in all-things (literally this would refer to being free from intoxicants, but it is used figuratively here by Paul meaning: be in control of your mind and body so that you are alert and receptive to what God and/or the Lord Jesus Christ may want to make known to you, and that you are not in a stupor, a daze, lethargic),
you must suffer-bad-things (experience, be affected by things that do not issue from the only true God),
you must do the work of a good-messager (perform the action producing effects expending your energy, do the deed of a person who speaks the message that is good/well, a good messenger, a gospelizer, or as transliterated from Greek to English - an evangelist),
you must fully-assure your ministry (actively fill-up your ministry with assurance, have the full carriage or carrying capacity, bring and fill-up your ministry to the measure and so have the full contents of assurance, conviction and confidence; the word “ministry” means: the day-to-day ministerial duties or functions of serving others to benefit them, not 'being subject' to them but doing work to bring them profit from God’s and the Lord Jesus Christ’s viewpoint).

In truth, by this time emphatically I am presently poured (I am willingly spending myself and allowing myself to be spent as liquid being poured out of its container as a drink offering to God, I am continuing to do all that is required of me) and the specific occasion of my loosening-up has approached and taken position standing upon/over me (verb as verse 2 above).

This “loosening-up” literally means: loosening what was previously fast or bound-together, a release, here referring to his impending death, and his blood would pour out of his body when killed. See Philippians 1:23, and also Luke 12:36 where a similar usage refers to the breaking up of a wedding banquet, and we have the verb "to analyze" in the English language.

Paul, who was imprisoned in Rome again, had received information from God or from the Lord Jesus Christ regarding the fact that he would die shortly. He knew that he would die before Christ’s coming. As a note, we should understand that from the moment of his death he stays dead, lifeless, until the moment of being raised from the dead by Christ, when Christ will come to gather all holy-people together with him. See I Corinthians 15:51-57 and I Thessalonians 4:13-17.

I have contested the contest that has a manifested decorous, harmonious and acceptable goodness, and this truth has not changed. The verb “to contest” means being in a place of contest where there are two opposing parties conflicting against each other in order to be the one to gain the prize at the end of the contest. The usage of athletic terminology draws attention to holy-people and the truth of being together moving in the direction of the same objective, being on the same team in the same contest, not a different one or on a different team.

I have completed the race (I have brought the course that the Lord Jesus Christ asked me to go-in and to carry-out what was necessary to its ending issue, I accomplished the running of the full length of the racetrack given and set for me), and this truth has not changed.

I have kept the belief (I have kept an eye on the faith, the belief that God and the Lord Jesus Christ gave me to believe, I kept it in safekeeping, and therefore I did not neglect or violate it but was able to watch-over, take-care-of, maintain, and be observant of it), and this truth has not changed.

As to the rest (the remaining and final things) the crown of the righteousness is laid-away for me (the victory wreath pertaining-to justice/justness, the garland prize put on the head of the victor/winner of the contest, the crown pertaining-to doing and being what is just/right from God's viewpoint, is laid up for preservation separated from me right now but it is in store for me to have at a future time) which the Lord Jesus Christ who is the righteous judge (the justified one who makes the decisions, the just presiding-judge) will give-away to me in that day (he will pay-back what is due or obligated to me during that day, see verse 1 above)…

…but not only (alone) to me, but on the contrary, the Lord Jesus Christ, the righteous judge, will also give-away the crown of the righteousness to all the people who have actively loved¹ and are still loving¹ his shining-light (this word "love¹" comes from the Greek word agape which is God's kind of love - the object of their love being the complete light being shone upon all, the illumination caused-by and emanating-from Christ Jesus, here referring to the time when he comes to be present to gather all of us holy-people/Christians together with him in the air and then we will be judged before his judgment-seat, see verse 1 above).

“That day” refers here to the time-period that begins the moment when the Lord Jesus Christ will come to gather Paul and all holy-people together with him in the air, and he will give to each of us at his judgment seat the appropriate rewards, assignments, etc, depending upon what we did for him whether good or bad during our everyday lives being holy-people, and we will remain with him from that time forward.

[Reference: Acts 13:25, 17:31, 20:24, 21:8; Romans 4:21, 14:5; I Corinthians 9:25; II Corinthians 5:10; Ephesians 4:8-13; Philippians 1:30, 2:17, 3:20 and 21; Colossians 1:5 and 29, 2:1, 4:12; I Thessalonians 2:2, 5:6 and 8; I Timothy 1:12, 4:10, 5:23, 6:12; II Timothy 1:12 and 18, 2:3, 5 and 9, 3:3; Hebrews 12:1; II Peter 1:14.]

Verses 9-15:

^.9You must be earnestly-diligent to come towards me quickly; ^.10for Demas left me down-in (this state) having loved¹ the present age and journeyed into Thessalonica, Cresces into Galatia, Titus into Dalmatia, ^.11Luke is only with me. Having taken-up Mark you must lead (him) with yourself for he is well-useful to me into (the) ministry. ^.12But I apostled Tychicus into Ephesus. ^.13The garment which I left-away in Troas with Carpus coming you must carry and the books, especially the parchments. ^.14Alexander the coppersmith pointed-out many bad-things to me – the Lord will give-away to him according to his works – ^.15whom also you must keep-watch for he very (much) stood-against our words.

You (Timothy) must be earnestly-diligent (have speedy application or performance, assiduity, endeavor with earnestness) to come/go towards me quickly (with swiftness, speedily); for…

Demas left me behind in this state (way, place) remaining where I am at this time, having loved¹ the present age (the object of his love was all that takes place during the course of this life which is now in progress but will end when Christ comes to be present in the air and gathers all holy-people together with him) and he journeyed (passed from here) into Thessalonica,
Cresces into Galatia [some Greek texts read “Gaul” which is the area of France and Belgium],
Titus into Dalmatia,
Luke is only with me (Luke alone is presently in company and association with me).

Paul is letting Timothy know the location of those who were usually with Paul from time to time being his co-workers. He is not indicating that they all abandoned him or turned away from him.

When you have taken-up Mark (have received him upwards from where he is now and take him with you) you must lead (conduct, convey) him in company and association with yourself, for he is well-useful to me into the ministry (he is good for use, very functional, usable, suitable for good benevolent, kind purposes in service for/to me with-a-view-to, directed-to the day-to-day ministerial duties or functions of serving others to benefit them, not 'being subject' to them but doing work to bring them profit). Here we learn that Paul knew he would at least have a few months to live so as to give Timothy and Mark time to come to him and have a period of time together with them.

But I apostled Tychicus (sent him forth away from myself on a specific mission or assignment) into Ephesus.

When you are coming to me, you must carry/bring the garment, which I left away in Troas with Carpus, and the books (referring to small books, scrolls, papers having things written on them, papyri), especially the parchments (most-of-all the membranes, vellum, skins used for writing that were more durable). These documents may have included legal papers, Paul’s own original letters that he had previously written, copies that had been made of them, old covenant writings, and other materials that he wanted to have with him when Timothy came. Perhaps they could have spent time going through them together, discussing them before Paul was killed. The texts have different words for ‘garment’ identifying it as a cloth-covering or a case – these words may refer to the wrap or container in-which the books and parchments were stored for safe-keeping.

Alexander the coppersmith (one who works with brass, metals) pointed out many bad-things to me (he indicated, as though with a finger, displayed a lot of things to me which are against the only true God) – the Lord will give-away to him according to his works (the Lord/Master Jesus Christ will at a future time pay-back what is due or obligated to him, see verses 1 and 8 above) – whom also emphatically you must keep-watch (you yourself must be vigilant to watch him and guard yourself) for he very much stood-against our words (he stood extremely against, anti, withstood, resisted the spoken accounts we speak, emphatically ours).

[Reference: Acts 12:12 and 25, 15:37 and 39, 20:4; I Corinthians 13:4-7; II Corinthians 2:13, 8:23; Ephesians 6:21 and 22; Colossians 4:7-10 and 14; I Timothy 1:12 and 20; II Timothy 2:21, 3:8; Titus 1:4, 2:12, 3:12; Philemon 1:24; I Peter 3:10, 5:13.]

Verses 16-18:

^.16In my first defense not-one-person arrived to me but all-people left me down-in (that state) – may (it) not be calculated to them – ^.17but the Lord stood-beside me and enabled me in order that by means of me the heralded-proclamation may be fully-assured and all the Gentiles may hear, and I was rescued out-from (the) lion’s mouth. ^.18The Lord will rescue me away-from all evil work and he will save (me) into his kingdom, the heavenly (kingdom), to whom (will be) the glory into the ages of the ages, with-certainty.

During my first defense (when I was speaking my speech of defense the first time in connection with this imprisonment, speaking words trying to get away from that difficult situation before the tribunal) not one person arrived to me (nobody came to be beside me, none became with me), but on the contrary, all-people left me behind remaining in the state (way, place) that I was in at that time – may it not be calculated to them (my prayerful wish and desire regarding those people is that it would not be reckoned, imputed, counted to them by the Lord Jesus Christ when he will do the judging).

None of the people attending that first defense (the preliminary hearing) came to aid Paul. Paul is not asking Timothy why he didn’t come, or why some of the other holy-people/Christians mentioned in this letter did not come. He is stating a fact that Timothy would not have known about yet.

Paul continues informing Timothy. But the Lord stood-beside me and enabled me (the Lord Jesus Christ actively stood near-by me, he presented himself beside me, and he caused me to be made-able, to have able-power within, he gave me ability, empowered me, made me capable within) for the purpose and result that through me the heralded proclamation…

may be fully-assured (would be filled-up with assurance, have the full carriage or carrying capacity, be brought and filled-up to the measure and so have the full contents of assurance, conviction and confidence) and
all the Gentiles may hear (all people belonging to nations other-than Israel/Judah would hear it),

…and I was rescued out-from the lion’s mouth (I was delivered, snatched or drawn from those who wanted to hurt and devour me on that occasion).

The phrase “the mouth of the lion” could be literal about the lions in the amphitheatre where Christians used to be killed at that time. This phrase could also be figurative in that the lion refers to one who is powerful and strong relative-to others, and in this context could refer to the Roman Emperor Nero. The usage of ‘mouth’ indicates this lion was trying to bite, causing injury to its prey, hurting and killing it and then eating it, Paul being the intended prey at that time.

It is interesting to note that in Acts 19:21 Paul talks about his need to be in Rome, and later in Acts 23:11 the Lord Jesus Christ confirms this for Paul that he must bear complete witness at Rome, the capital city of the Gentiles. Paul did go to Rome and spent time there as recorded in Acts chapter 28 and was released after about 2 years living there under house arrest, 63 A.D. approximately. Paul was again arrested and brought to Rome where he was at this time writing this letter to Timothy, and he again refers to his declaring the good-message, heralding it forth to all the Gentiles so that they would hear it. During this second time in Rome, 67-68 A.D., Paul accomplished the task that the Lord Jesus Christ set before him. See also Acts 9:15 and 16, 16:14-18.

The Lord will rescue me away from all evil work (in the future the Lord Jesus Christ will deliver me from all/every work that is active with malignancy, every deed, every effect-produced having acted expending energy exercising badness) and
he will save me (make me safe) into his kingdom, emphatically and specifically the heavenly kingdom (the kingdom that God gives to him to reign over, see verse 1 above),
- to whom will be the glory into the ages of the ages, with-certainty. At that future time when the Lord Jesus Christ will be on earth ruling his kingdom, it will be to him that the glory (importance, splendor, renown) is to be given into the durations of lifetimes for/throughout the durations of lifetimes; not only one age or a group of ages, but emphatically for all the durations of life from then onwards, the entirety, for eternity, forever. Amen! Truly! Surely!

[Reference: Matthew 19:28, 25:31; Acts 3:13, 23:11; I Corinthians 2:8, 9:3, 15:23-28 and 49-57; II Corinthians 3:18, 8:19 and 23, 12:8 and 9; Ephesians 6:10; Philippians 1:7 and 16, 3:21, 4:13; Colossians 1:27; I Thessalonians 2:12, 4:13; II Thessalonians 1:9, 2:14; I Timothy 1:12, 3:16; II Timothy 2:1 and 10, 3:11; Hebrews 1:3, 2:7-13, 3:1, 12:22; I Peter 1:21, 4:14, 5:1-4, 10; II Peter 3:18; Revelation chapters 19-22.]

Verses 19-22:

^.19You must greet Prisca and Aquila and the house of Onesiphorus. ^.20Erastus remained in Corinth, but Trophimus I left-away in Miletus being weak. ^.21You must be earnestly-diligent to come before winter. Eubulus and Pudens and Linus and Claudia and the brothers greet you. ^.22(May) the Lord (be) with your spirit. (May) the grace (be) with you.

You must greet Prisca and Aquila (draw them to yourself, salute this wife and husband) and those in Onesiphorus’ home, his household.

Erastus stayed in Corinth, but Trophimus I left away in Miletus being weak (without strength, feeble, ill, sick).

You must be earnestly-diligent (have speedy application or performance, assiduity, endeavor with earnestness, as verse 9 above) to come before winter (the time for stormy weather).

Eubulus and Pudens and Linus and Claudia (a woman) and the brothers (other holy-people, brothers in the holy spirit category) greet you. All holy-people have received holy spirit from God by means of the Lord Jesus Christ and this is what makes us brothers; we are sons of God; God is our Father.

May the Lord be with your spirit (the spirit of you, singular, Timothy). Paul is expressing his prayerful desire for Timothy: that the Lord Jesus Christ would be in company and association with the holy spirit-life within Timothy, i.e. giving it the necessary information to reveal to Timothy during the everyday living of his life.

May the grace be with you (plural). Paul's opening address to Timothy included grace, and now as he closes this letter he expresses his prayerful desire for all holy-people – may it be that the grace (that-which is freely bestowed without any merit on the recipient's part, the unmerited or undeserved favor from God or the Lord Jesus Christ) is in company and association with you during the everyday living of your life, Timothy, and all those who may read this letter after your initial reading. It is via our holy spirit, which is the spirit of Christ in us, that God and our Lord Jesus Christ extend their grace to us.

[Reference: Acts 18: 2, 18 and 26, 19:22, 20:4, 15 and 17, 21:29; Romans 16:3 and 23; I Corinthians 16:19; Colossians 4:18; I Timothy 6:21; II Timothy 1:16-18. Note: verbs with a superscript 2 (²) immediately following them indicate the "perfect" tense - details are provided in the "Relevant Notes" link of this study.]

(May) the grace (be) with you.