Text -- 2 Timothy 4:3-22 (NET)

4:3 For there will be a time when people will not tolerate sound teaching. Instead, following their own desires, they will accumulate teachers for themselves, because they have an insatiable curiosity to hear new things. 4:4 And they will turn away from hearing the truth, but on the other hand they will turn aside to myths. 4:5 You, however, be self-controlled in all things, endure hardship, do an evangelist’s work, fulfill your ministry. 4:6 For I am already being poured out as an offering, and the time for me to depart is at hand. 4:7 I have competed competed well; I have finished the race; I have kept the faith! 4:8 Finally the crown of righteousness is reserved for me. The Lord, the righteous Judge, will award it to me in that day– and not to me only, but also to all who have set their affection on his appearing.

Travel Plans and Concluding Greetings

4:9 Make every effort to come to me soon. 4:10 For Demas deserted me, since he loved the present age, and he went to Thessalonica. Crescens went to Galatia and Titus to Dalmatia. 4:11 Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is a great help to me in ministry. 4:12 Now I have sent Tychicus to Ephesus. 4:13 When you come, bring with you the cloak I left in Troas with Carpas and the scrolls, especially the parchments. 4:14 Alexander the coppersmith did me a great deal of harm. The Lord will repay him in keeping with his deeds. 4:15 You be on guard against him too, because he vehemently opposed our words. 4:16 At my first defense no one appeared in my support; instead they all deserted me– may they not be held accountable for it. 4:17 But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, so that through me the message would be fully proclaimed for all the Gentiles to hear. And so I was delivered from the lion’s mouth! 4:18 The Lord will deliver me from every evil deed and will bring me safely into his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for ever and ever! Amen. 4:19 Greetings to Prisca and Aquila and the family of Onesiphorus. 4:20 Erastus stayed in Corinth. Trophimus I left ill in Miletus. 4:21 Make every effort to come before winter. Greetings to you from Eubulus, Pudens, Linus, Claudia, and all the brothers and sisters. 4:22 The Lord be with your spirit. Grace be with you.

Commentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes

NET Notes: 2Ti 4:3

¹ tn Grk “they”; the referent (the people in that future time) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

² tn Grk “in accord with.”

³ tn Grk “having an itching in regard to hearing,” “having itching ears.”

NET Notes: 2Ti 4:4

¹ sn These myths were legendary tales characteristic of the false teachers in Ephesus and Crete. See parallels in 1 Tim 1:4; 4:7; and Titus 1:14.

NET Notes: 2Ti 4:5

¹ tn Or “sober,” “temperate.”

NET Notes: 2Ti 4:6

¹ tn Grk “of my departure.”

NET Notes: 2Ti 4:7

¹ sn The expression I have competed well (Grk “I have competed the good competition”) uses words that may refer to a race or to a boxing or wrestling match: “run the good race” or “fight the good fight.” The similar phrase in 1 Tim 1:18 uses a military picture and is more literally “war the good warfare.”

NET Notes: 2Ti 4:8

¹ tn Grk “all who have loved.”

NET Notes: 2Ti 4:10

¹ tn Grk “having loved.”

² map For location see JP1 C1; JP2 C1; JP3 C1; JP4 C1.

NET Notes: 2Ti 4:11

¹ tn Grk “useful.”

² tn Or “in serving me.”

NET Notes: 2Ti 4:12

¹ map For location see JP1 D2; JP2 D2; JP3 D2; JP4 D2.

NET Notes: 2Ti 4:14

¹ tn Grk “showed me much evil.”

² sn An allusion to Ps 28:4.

NET Notes: 2Ti 4:15

¹ tn Grk “against whom,” as a continuation of the previous clause. Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.

NET Notes: 2Ti 4:17

¹ tn Or “the preaching.”

² tn Grk “might be completely fulfilled.”

NET Notes: 2Ti 4:18

¹ tn Grk “save me.”

² tn Grk “to whom.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.

³ tn Grk “unto the ages of the ages,” an emphatic way of speaking about eternity in Greek.

NET Notes: 2Ti 4:19

¹ tn Grk “greet.”

² sn On Prisca and Aquila see also Acts 18:2, 18, 26; Rom 16:3-4; 1 Cor 16:19. In the NT “Priscilla” and “Prisca” are the same person. The author of Acts uses the full name Priscilla, while Paul uses the diminutive form Prisca.

NET Notes: 2Ti 4:20

¹ map For location see JP1 C2; JP2 C2; JP3 C2; JP4 C2.

NET Notes: 2Ti 4:21

¹ tn Grk “brothers,” but the Greek word may be used for “brothers and sisters” or “fellow Christians” as here (cf. BDAG 18 s.v. ἀδελφός 1, where considerable nonbiblical evidence for the plural ἀδελφοί [adelfoi] meaning “brothers and sisters” is cited).

NET Notes: 2Ti 4:22

¹ tc The reading ὁ κύριος (Jo kurio", “the Lord”) is well supported by א* F G 33 1739 1881 sa, but predictable expansions on the text have occurred at this point: A 104 614 pc read ὁ κύριος ᾿Ιησοῦς (Jo kurio" Ihsou", “the Lord Jesus”), while א² C D Ψ Ï sy bo have ὁ κύριος ᾿Ιησοῦς Χριστός (Jo kurio" Ihsou" Cristo", “the Lord Jesus Christ”). As B. M. Metzger notes, although in a late book such as 2 Timothy, one might expect the fuller title for the Lord, accidental omission of nomina sacra is rare (TCGNT 582). The shorter reading is thus preferred on both external and internal grounds.

² tc Most witnesses (א² D Ψ Ï lat sy) conclude this letter with ἀμήν (amhn, “amen”). Such a conclusion is routinely added by scribes to NT books because a few of these books originally had such an ending (cf. Rom 16:27; Gal 6:18; Jude 25). A majority of Greek witnesses have the concluding ἀμήν in every NT book except Acts, James, and 3 John (and even in these books, ἀμήν is found in some witnesses). It is thus a predictable variant. Further, there are several excellent witnesses of the Alexandrian and Western texts (א* A C F G 6 33 81 1739* 1881 sa) that lack the particle, rendering the omission the preferred reading.