2 Timotius 2:1-4

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 Timotius 2:24-25

2:24 And the Lord’s slave ⁷  must not engage in heated disputes ⁸  but be kind toward all, an apt teacher, patient, 2:25 correcting ⁹  opponents with gentleness. Perhaps God will grant them repentance and then knowledge of the truth ¹⁰ 

[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.”

[2:24]  ⁷ 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]  ⁸ tn Grk “must not fight” or “must not quarrel.” The Greek verb is related to the noun translated “infighting” in v. 23.

[2:25]  ⁹ 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]  ¹⁰ tn Grk “repentance unto knowledge of the truth.”