2 Timotius 2:1-7

Serving Faithfully Despite Hardship

2:1 So you, my child, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 2:2 And entrust what you heard me say ¹  in the presence of many others as witnesses ²  to faithful people ³  who will be competent ⁴  to teach others as well. 2:3 Take your share of suffering ⁵  as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. 2:4 No one in military service gets entangled in matters of everyday life; otherwise he will not please ⁶  the one who recruited him. 2:5 Also, if anyone competes as an athlete, he will not be crowned as the winner ⁷  unless he competes according to the rules. ⁸  2:6 The farmer who works hard ought to have the first share of the crops. 2:7 Think about what I am saying and ⁹  the Lord will give you understanding of all this. ¹⁰ 

2 Timotius 2:15

2:15 Make every effort to present yourself before God as a proven worker who does not need to be ashamed, teaching the message of truth accurately. ¹¹ 

2 Timotius 2:20-26

2:20 Now in a wealthy home ¹²  there are not only gold and silver vessels, but also ones made of wood and of clay, and some are for honorable use, but others for ignoble use. ¹³  2:21 So if someone cleanses himself of such behavior, ¹⁴  he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart, useful for the Master, prepared for every good work. 2:22 But keep away from youthful passions, and pursue righteousness, faithfulness, love, and peace, in company with others ¹⁵  who call on the Lord from a pure heart. ¹⁶  2:23 But reject foolish and ignorant ¹⁷  controversies, because you know they breed infighting. ¹⁸  2:24 And the Lord’s slave ¹⁹  must not engage in heated disputes ²⁰  but be kind toward all, an apt teacher, patient, 2:25 correcting ²¹  opponents with gentleness. Perhaps God will grant them repentance and then knowledge of the truth ²²  2:26 and they will come to their senses and escape the devil’s trap where they are held captive ²³  to do his will. ²⁴ 

[2:2]  ¹ tn Grk “what you heard from me” (cf. 1:13).

[2:2]  ² tn Grk “through many witnesses.” The “through” is used here to show attendant circumstances: “accompanied by,” “in the presence of.”

[2:2]  ³ tn Grk “faithful men”; but here ἀνθρώποις (anqrwpoi") is generic, referring to both men and women.

[2:2]  ⁴ tn Or “able” (see Paul’s use of this word in regard to ministry in 2 Cor 2:16; 3:5-6).

[2:3]  ⁵ tn Grk “suffer hardship together,” implying “join with me and others in suffering” (cf. 1:8).

[2:4]  ⁶ tn Grk “that he may please.”

[2:5]  ⁷ tn Grk “will not be crowned,” speaking of the wreath awarded to the victor.

[2:5]  ⁸ sn According to the rules (Grk “lawfully, by law”) referring to the rules of competition. In the ancient world these included requirements for training as well as rules for the competition itself.

[2:7]  ⁹ tn The Greek word here usually means “for,” but is used in this verse for a milder continuation of thought.

[2:7]  ¹⁰ tn Grk “in all things.”

[2:15]  ¹¹ sn Accurately is a figure of speech that literally means something like “cutting a straight road.” In regard to the message of truth, it means “correctly handling” or “imparting it without deviation.”

[2:20]  ¹² tn Grk “a great house.”

[2:20]  ¹³ tn Grk “for dishonor,” probably referring to vessels used for refuse or excrement.

[2:21]  ¹⁴ tn Grk “from these,” alluding to the errors and deeds of the false teachers described in vv. 14-19.

[2:22]  ¹⁵ tn Grk “and peace, with those.”

[2:22]  ¹⁶ 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.

[2:23]  ¹⁷ tn Or “uninstructed,” “silly.”

[2:23]  ¹⁸ tn Or “fights,” although this could suggest weapons and blows, whereas in the present context this is not the primary focus. Although “quarrel” is frequently used here (NAB, NIV, NRSV) it may be understood to refer to a relatively minor disagreement.

[2:24]  ¹⁹ 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.

[2:24]  sn Undoubtedly the background for the concept of being the Lord’s slave or servant is to be found in the Old Testament scriptures. For a Jew this concept did not connote drudgery, but honor and privilege. It was used of national Israel at times (Isa 43:10), but was especially associated with famous OT personalities, including such great men as Moses (Josh 14:7), David (Ps 89:3; cf. 2 Sam 7:5, 8) and Elijah (2 Kgs 10:10); all these men were “servants (or slaves) of the Lord.”

[2:24]  ²⁰ tn Grk “must not fight” or “must not quarrel.” The Greek verb is related to the noun translated “infighting” in v. 23.

[2:25]  ²¹ sn Correcting is the word for “child-training” or “discipline.” It is often positive (training, educating) but here denotes the negative side (correcting, disciplining).

[2:25]  ²² tn Grk “repentance unto knowledge of the truth.”

[2:26]  ²³ tn Grk “having been captured by him.”

[2:26]  ²⁴ tn Grk “for that one’s will,” referring to the devil, but with a different pronoun than in the previous phrase “by him.” Some have construed “for his will” with the earlier verb and referred the pronoun to God: “come to their senses and escape the devil’s trap (though they have been captured by him) in order to do His will.” In Classical Greek the shift in pronouns would suggest this, but in Koine Greek this change is not significant. The more natural sense is a reference to the devil’s will.