1 sn That day is a reference to the day when Onesiphorus (v. 16) stands before Christ to give account for his service (cf. v. 12; 1 Cor 3:13; 2 Cor 5:9-10).
2 tn Grk “all the ways he served in Ephesus.”
3 tn The Greek word here usually means “for,” but is used in this verse for a milder continuation of thought.
4 tn Grk “in all things.”
5 tn Traditionally, “servant” or “bondservant.” Though δοῦλος (doulos) is normally translated “servant,” the word does not bear the connotation of a free individual serving another. BDAG notes that “‘servant’ for ‘slave’ is largely confined to Biblical transl. and early American times…in normal usage at the present time the two words are carefully distinguished” (BDAG 260 s.v.). The most accurate translation is “bondservant” (sometimes found in the ASV for δοῦλος), in that it often indicates one who sells himself into slavery to another. But as this is archaic, few today understand its force.
6 tn Grk “must not fight” or “must not quarrel.” The Greek verb is related to the noun translated “infighting” in v. 23.
7 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.
8 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.
9 sn A quotation from Num 16:5.
10 tn Grk “names the name of the Lord.”
11 tn Grk “showed me much evil.”
12 sn An allusion to Ps 28:4.
13 tn Grk “the testimony of our Lord.”
14 tn Or “according to.”
15 tn Grk “suffer hardship together,” implying “join with me in suffering.”
15 tn Grk “my chain.”
17 tn Grk “and peace, with those.”
18 sn In company with others who call on the Lord from a pure heart alludes to the value of the community of believers for the development of Christian virtues.
19 tn Grk “persecutions, sufferings,” as a continuation of the series from v. 10.
20 map For location see JP1-E2; JP2-E2; JP3-E2; JP4-E2.
21 sn In Antioch, in Iconium, and in Lystra. See Acts 13-14 for the account of these persecutions.
21 tn Grk “all who have loved.”
23 tn Or “the preaching.”
24 tn Grk “might be completely fulfilled.”
25 tn Grk “save me.”
26 tn Grk “to whom.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
27 tn Grk “unto the ages of the ages,” an emphatic way of speaking about eternity in Greek.