Therefore is literally “and so” and relates this verse to the preceding one, particularly the last part. The very fact that the word of God is not in chains gives meaning to Paul’s suffering and enables him to persevere in them.

The word for endure means to continue to put up with something despite difficulties and afflictions (compare Contemporary English Version “and so I am willing to put up with anything”). One may also express this as “And so I am willing to put up with all difficulties.” There are two other words used for endurance. One of them appears in verse 3 (“share-in-suffering”), while the other occurs in 2 Tim 4.3.

For elect see 1 Tim 5.21, where it is used as a description for the angels; here it is a description of Christians, hence Good News Translation “God’s chosen people.”

Salvation is the nominal form of the verb “to save,” for which see 1 Tim 1.15. Salvation here refers both to the individual’s present experience of being in union with Christ Jesus, together with all its results (right relationship with God and with others, deliverance from demonic and ungodly powers, the possession of eternal life), and to the final consummation of this salvation at the end time. The text does not indicate the source of salvation, and it is possible to translate it without supplying this information. But if so desired it can be made explicit that salvation comes either from Christ Jesus (in which case a possible restructuring would be “so that they may obtain salvation from Christ Jesus,” “so that they may experience the salvation that comes from Christ,” or “so that they may be saved by Christ”) or from God (in which case the restructuring would be “so that God will save them through Christ Jesus” or “so that, in union with Christ, they may obtain the salvation that comes from God”).

This salvation possesses eternal glory, which can be interpreted as pointing to the future completion of salvation. Glory in this context is an eschatological term referring to one’s blessed state at the end time, when one comes into the very presence of God and shares in God’s very life. This state of blessedness is eternal, since it will never come to an end. In certain languages with its eternal glory may be expressed as “which results in their being with God forever.”

Alternative translation models for this verse are:
• Because of this I am willing to endure anything for the sake of God’s chosen people, so that Christ Jesus may save them, and they will live forever with God, who will give them honor and dignity.

Or:
• … so that God will save them through Christ Jesus, and they will ….

Quoted with permission from Arichea, Daniel C. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Paul’s Second Letter to Timothy. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1995. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .