2 Timothy 4

¹I solemnly charge you before God and Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: ²proclaim the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, encourage, with complete patience and teaching. ³For a time will come when they will not put up with healthy teaching. Instead, with itching ears, they will heap up teachers for themselves to suit their own desires. ⁴They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. ⁵But you, be sober in everything, endure hardship, do the work of an announcer of good news, fulfill your service.

⁶For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has arrived. ⁷I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. ⁸From now on the crown of righteousness is stored up for me, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award me on that day—and not only me, but also all who have loved his appearing.

⁹Make every effort to come to me soon, ¹⁰for Demas, having loved the present age, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica; Crescens has gone to Galatia, and Titus to Dalmatia. ¹¹Only Luke is with me. Pick up Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for service. ¹²I sent Tychicus to Ephesus. ¹³When you come, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus in Troas, and the books, especially the parchments. ¹⁴Alexander the metalworker did me much harm. The Lord will repay him according to his deeds. ¹⁵You too must be on your guard against him, for he strongly opposed our words.

¹⁶At my first defense no one came to my support, but everyone deserted me. May it not be counted against them. ¹⁷But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, so that through me the proclamation might be fully carried out and all the Gentiles might hear. And I was rescued from the lion's mouth. ¹⁸The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and save me for his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for the ages of ages. Amen.

¹⁹Greet Prisca and Aquila and the household of Onesiphorus. ²⁰Erastus stayed in Corinth, but I left Trophimus sick in Miletus. ²¹Make every effort to come before winter. Eubulus greets you, and so do Pudens, Linus, Claudia, and all the brothers. ²²The Lord be with your spirit. Grace be with you all.

Translation notes 7

4:1–2 — The solemn charge. “By his appearing and his kingdom” expresses an appeal to these realities as grounds for the charge. A textual alternative connects the judgment with his appearing and kingdom. “In season and out of season” calls for readiness whether the occasion seems favorable or unfavorable.

4:3–5 — Ears, teaching, and service. The listeners have the itching ears and collect teachers to satisfy their desires. “Be sober” is a call for clear judgment. “Announcer of good news” represents the role traditionally called “evangelist”; it does not specify a modern office or method of evangelism.

4:6–8 — Offering, departure, and crown. The pouring out is the image of a liquid offering, here portraying approaching death. “Departure” does not explicitly name a ship or a tent. The crown is a victor's wreath. “Crown of righteousness” can mean righteousness as the reward or a crown associated with a righteous life; the text does not resolve the relation with an explanatory phrase.

4:10–13 — Travel and belongings. The draft retains Galatia and the personal names as given. “Books” does not specify their contents or physical format; the parchments are writings on prepared animal skin. Whether “especially” singles out some of the books or introduces a distinct group is uncertain.

4:14–15 — Alexander. “Metalworker” does not identify this Alexander with another person of the same name. The base says the Lord “will repay”; another Greek reading makes it a wish, “May the Lord repay.”

4:16–18 — Defense, lion, and rescue. The defense is a legal defense, but the letter does not identify its exact stage. The lion's mouth expresses mortal danger without naming a particular persecutor or requiring a literal animal. Rescue into the heavenly kingdom stands beside the expectation of death in verse 6; it is not rewritten as a promise of release from prison.

4:19–22 — Closing names and addressees. Prisca is the name form used here, also known as Priscilla. “Brothers” can include women in the community's family language; Claudia is explicitly named. The first “your” in verse 22 is singular, addressed to Timothy; the final “you” is plural. The base does not add “Jesus Christ” after “Lord” or a final “Amen.”