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2 Timothy 4

2 Timothy book home•Chapter 4 of 4•22 verses

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2 Timothy 4 Overview

Paul gives Timothy a solemn final charge to preach the word, be ready in season and out, reprove, rebuke, exhort, endure affliction, and do the work of an evangelist because people will turn from sound doctrine to teachers who satisfy their desires. Paul then says his departure is near, he has fought a good fight and finished his course, and he awaits the crown of righteousness from the righteous Judge.

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Before you read 2 Timothy 4

Coming from

Paul warns that perilous times will come, marked by self-love, greed, pride, disobedience, lack of natural affection, pleasure-loving, and a form of godliness without power. He reminds Timothy of Paul’s doctrine, manner of life, and persecutions, and directs him to continue in the Holy Scriptures, which are inspired by God and sufficient to equip the man of God.

In this chapter

Leads into

The canonical sequence continues into Titus.

Key understandingExplore deeper

Paul’s crown is reward after faithful service, not the means by which he earns eternal life.

His statement that the Lord will preserve him unto the heavenly kingdom expresses confidence in divine faithfulness even though earthly deliverance may not occur.

Major truths in this chapterExplore deeper

The word must be preached whether popular or not

Ministry cannot be governed by audience preference.

False teaching often grows from wrong desires

People heap up teachers who tell them what itching ears want to hear.

Faithfulness has an endpoint and reward

Paul can look back on a fought fight and finished course.

God remains present when human support fails

At Paul’s first answer all men forsook him, but the Lord stood with him.

Connections to the rest of ScriptureExplore deeper

Acts 20:24

Paul earlier speaks of finishing his course and ministry.

1 Corinthians 9:24–27

The race and crown imagery appears earlier.

James 1:12

A crown is associated with faithful endurance under trial.

What is clear, and where care is neededExplore deeper

Do not turn Paul’s crown into earned eternal life

He distinguishes reward from salvation already received by grace.

Do not use ‘preach the word’ as license for harshness without patience

Paul explicitly includes longsuffering and doctrine.

Do not interpret Demas’s departure as proof with certainty that he was never saved

The text does not fully narrate his eternal destiny.

Read 2 Timothy 4 watching for…

The solemn witnesses named in Paul’s charge.

The verbs describing faithful preaching.

Why people turn from sound doctrine.

Paul’s fight/course/crown language.

Who leaves Paul and who remains.

The Lord standing with Paul.

Chapter outline4 sections

1-5Paul charges Timothy before God to preach the word faithfully even when people reject sound doctrine 6-8Paul says his departure is near and testifies that he has fought, finished, kept the faith, and awaits a crown 9-18Paul asks Timothy to come, names companions and deserters, and testifies that the Lord stood with and delivered him 19-22Paul sends final greetings and closes with grace

I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;

Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.

For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;

And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.

But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.

For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.

I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:

Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.

Do thy diligence to come shortly unto me:

For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia.

Only Luke is with me. Take Mark, and bring him with thee: for he is profitable to me for the ministry.

And Tychicus have I sent to Ephesus.

The cloke that I left at Troas with Carpus, when thou comest, bring with thee, and the books, but especially the parchments.

Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil: the Lord reward him according to his works:

Of whom be thou ware also; for he hath greatly withstood our words.

At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge.

Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion.

And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Salute Prisca and Aquila, and the household of Onesiphorus.

Erastus abode at Corinth: but Trophimus have I left at Miletum sick.

Do thy diligence to come before winter. Eubulus greeteth thee, and Pudens, and Linus, and Claudia, and all the brethren.

The Lord Jesus Christ be with thy spirit. Grace be with you. Amen. <<The second [epistle unto Timotheus, ordained the first bishop of the church of the Ephesians, was written from Rome, when Paul was brought before Nero the second time.]>>

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2 Timothy 4:2

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