For thank see 1 Tim 1.12.

The word for serve occurs only here in the Pastoral Letters. In a general sense the verb is used to designate any service done, whether by slaves or free people, sometimes without pay and at other times for pay. In a specific sense it refers to religious service, including worship and the observance of rites related to worship, such as offering gifts and sacrifices. In languages where the normal word for serve would mean some sort of menial work, it will be necessary to translate whom I serve as “whom I worship” or “whom I pray to.”

For clear conscience see discussion on 1 Tim 3.9.

Fathers translates the same word that appears in 1 Tim 5.4, where it is translated as “parents.” In the present context the word clearly refers to “ancestors” (so Good News Translation).

The word for constantly (Good News Translation “always”) occurs only twice in the whole New Testament, here and in Rom 9.2 (“unceasing”). It denotes continuous engagement in some activity, which in this case is the act of remembering someone in prayer. The word for remember appears only here in the Pastoral Letters. In a general sense it denotes recalling some information but without necessarily implying that such information has been forgotten. In this context, however, it denotes both recalling and mentioning; an appropriate restructuring would then be “I always remember to mention you (or, to include you) in my prayers” or “Every time I pray, I always remember to mention your name.”

For prayers see 1 Tim 2.1. However, the focus there is on prayer that is used in the context of group worship, whereas here the focus is on prayer as a private, individual activity.

Alternative translation models for this verse are:
• I give thanks to God, whom I and my ancestors have worshiped (or, served) with a clear conscience. Every time I pray I always remember to mention your name.

Or:
• Every time I pray to God, I always remember to mention your name and thank him for you. He is the one whom I and my ancestors have worshiped (or, served) with hearts free of sin (or, wrong motives).

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 .

The first part of this verse concludes the sentence that began in verse 16. Revised Standard Version retains the Greek form here, but Good News Translation starts a new sentence.

As already mentioned, their can refer either to “godless chatter” in the previous verse (so Good News Translation “Such teaching”) or to people. Talk is literally “word” but here refers to the content of “godless chatter,” hence Good News Translation “teaching,” and not to the way it is done.

Will eat its way translates a metaphorical Greek expression (literally “will have pasture”). Gangrene occurs only here in the New Testament and can also refer to cancer or ulcers. But more likely it refers here to an open sore that spreads and eats away at the healthy parts of the body. It is therefore an appropriate figure for wrong and unhealthy doctrines that spread among Christians and change their lives for the worse.

Two men are mentioned as examples of those who have been spreading this kind of gangrene in the church. Hymenaeus occurs only here and in 1 Tim 1.20; most likely the same person is meant. Other than the mention of his name, we know nothing about him. His name is derived from “Hymen,” who is the Greek god of weddings. Philetus is mentioned only here in the whole New Testament. The meaning of his name in Greek is “amiable.” It is not, however, recommended that the meanings of these names be translated. The usual practice is to transliterate names as names, unless the meaning of the name is significant for the passage.

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 .

For fought see “fight” in 1 Tim 6.12. Here Paul once again uses a metaphor from the athletic arena. Among the athletic events suggested as being referred to in the metaphor are wrestling, boxing, and a foot race (compare Good News Translation, New English Bible). A literal translation would of course be ambiguous and would refer to any athletic event. “I have fought well” (Contemporary English Version) is a good translation model.

In I have finished the race, Paul continues the athletic metaphor and compares the end of his life as reaching the finish line. The focus here is not in winning the race but in finishing “the full distance” (Good News Translation).

The meaning of the statement I have kept the faith will vary depending on how faith is interpreted. If faith is interpreted as “doctrine,” then what Paul is saying here is that he has preserved the Christian teaching or the Christian message and kept it free from any error. If faith is interpreted as “trust,” that is, as something entrusted to someone, then what Paul is saying is that he has been faithful to this ministry that has been entrusted to him. It is, however, possible that being faithful to the ministry will in fact include the first alternative, which means that the statement is meant to be general and inclusive rather than specific. A statement like “I have been faithful to the end” would then be a dynamic equivalent of what Paul is trying to convey. But in some languages it will be necessary to make the goal of “faithfulness” explicit; for example, “I have faithfully preached the Good News (or, God’s message).”

A verse parallel to the above is found in Acts 20.24, “But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may accomplish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God” (Revised Standard Version).

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 .

For guard see comments on “keep” in 1 Tim 5.21.

Truth is literally “the good thing,” and some take this to refer specifically to the “sound words” in the previous verse; so Revised Standard Version truth. If translators follow this interpretation, another way to express guard the truth is “guard this truth,” where “this” refers back to “sound words” in verse 13. Others, however, take it in a more general sense; so Good News Translation “good things.”

For the expression that has been entrusted to you, see 1 Tim 6.20 and the discussion on the previous verse.

For dwell see 2 Tim 1.5 and comments.

The relation of the prepositional phrase by the Holy Spirit who dwells within us to the rest of the verse is not easy to determine. One possibility is to understand the Holy Spirit as the instrument through whom the message is entrusted; hence “the truth that has been entrusted to you by means of the Holy Spirit (or, by the power of the Holy Spirit).” A more likely option is to understand the Holy Spirit as providing the power to guard properly what has been entrusted; hence “By the power of the Holy Spirit who lives in us, guard the truth…”; this second option is reflected in Good News Translation; so also Contemporary English Version “Guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit, who lives within you.”

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 .

For connects this verse with the previous one and can be interpreted as meaning either (1) that the presence of these evil people shows clearly that the last days have arrived, or (2) that the presence of these evil people is the reason for the last days being times of difficulty and stress. The second of these two interpretations seems to be the more likely one. Men is better translated “people” (Good News Translation); however, the impression must not be given that all people are evil and that everyone’s life is characterized by all the vices mentioned. One way of avoiding this problem is to say “There will be people who are….”

Lovers of self (literally “lovers of themselves”) appears only here in the New Testament. The term denotes a love that is selfish (so Good News Translation) and puts emphasis on self-importance; hence “self-centered” (New Jerusalem Bible, New American Bible, Revised), “utterly self-centered” (Phillips). As already indicated, it is appropriate that this vice is placed at the head of the list, since the other vices seem to stem from it.

Lovers of money denotes an attitude of loving wealth; hence “avaricious” (New Jerusalem Bible), “covetous,” “greedy” (Good News Translation), “greedy for money” (Phillips). See further on 1 Tim 6.10. In languages which have a word for “love” that can be used both for self and money, one may join these expressions by saying “People will love only themselves and money” (compare Contemporary English Version).

Proud and arrogant are synonyms. The first of these describes a person who is proud but without any basis (hence “pretentious pride”), and who continuously brags about it (hence “braggart,” “boasters” [New Revised Standard Version], “boastful” [Good News Translation], “full of big words” [Phillips]). The second describes a person who is shamelessly proud; hence arrogant, “haughty” (New American Bible, Revised), “contemptuous,” “looks down on others.”

Abusive is literally “blasphemous,” which in this context means “slanderous,” “insulting” (Good News Translation), “rude” (New Jerusalem Bible), “disrespectful.”

The next five vices in the list have the Greek letter a as a prefix, which means that the opposite meaning of the word is being emphasized. (This is similar to the English use of the prefixes un-, im-, dis-, in-, il-, and so forth.)

Being disobedient to parents is a very grave sin, especially in a situation where the family is the most important social unit in society.

Ungrateful appropriately follows disobedient to their parents, since ungrateful people don’t show any appreciation for the acts of kindness done to them by others.

For unholy see 1 Tim 1.9. Except in these two places the word appears nowhere else in the New Testament. The word here denotes failure to give due honor and respect particularly to those aspects of life that need to be treated with decency (hence “irreligious” [Good News Translation, New Jerusalem Bible], “no reverence” [Translator’s New Testament], “devoid of piety” [Revised English Bible], or “no place for God in their lives”).

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 .

The mention of being “rescued from the lion’s mouth” in the previous verse leads to this general statement of assurance that the Lord’s rescuing activity is true not only in the past but is also true for the future: he will rescue Paul from every evil (literally “every evil deed”). For evil see 1 Tim 6.4 and 2 Tim 3.13. This may be interpreted subjectively to mean that Paul will be delivered from doing anything evil. On the other hand it may be taken objectively to mean that no evil force has the power to destroy Paul. Taken in this manner the meaning is similar to that of the petition in the Lord’s Prayer, “Deliver us from evil (or, from the power of the Evil One).”

A subsequent future event, and perhaps a consequence of being rescued from the power of evil, is Paul’s being “saved” for Christ’s heavenly kingdom. For save see 1 Tim 1.15. In the present context save has eschatological overtones and includes the elements of being kept safe from eternal judgment and death, and preserved for eternal life. It may also be expressed as “take me safely” (Good News Translation) or “bring me safely” (Contemporary English Version).

The word for heavenly can literally be translated “above the sky,” hence “heavenly,” “celestial.” Heavenly kingdom is another way of speaking about heaven but focusing on the fact that it is Christ the Lord who has full power and authority there. For kingdom see further on 2 Tim 4.1. Another translation model for his heavenly kingdom is “into heaven, where he rules (as king).”

Such a hope and expectation of a future experience of complete deliverance leads to exalted praise, hence the doxology To him be the glory for ever and ever. Amen. This is the last part of the doxology found in 1 Tim 1.17; the translator should therefore refer to the discussion there. For glory see further comments on “glorious” in 1 Tim 1.11.

Alternative translation models for this verse are:
• The Lord (or, Christ) will not let any evil thing hurt me, and he will bring me safely into heaven, where he rules (or, where he is king). May people praise him forever. So be it.

Or:
• … May people unceasingly say to him, “You are wonderful.” Amen!

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 .

This section (that began at verse 1) ends with an invitation to Timothy to consider seriously the things that have been brought to his attention. Think over translates a verb that means “to consider,” “to understand,” “to think,” “to reflect on” (New American Bible, Revised).

What I say (the verb is present tense, hence “what I am saying”) most likely refers to the six previous verses of this chapter, particularly the three illustrations that have been given (so Phillips “Consider these three illustrations of mine…”).

As in similar cases, Lord here is ambiguous, referring either to God or to Christ. An argument in favor of Christ is that in 1 John 5.20 it is the Son of God who gives understanding, and it is possible that this is also true in the present case. However, the mention of Jesus Christ in the next verse, without the appellation “Lord,” may also suggest that Lord in the present context refers to God. While most translations retain the ambiguity, making a choice is crucial especially in languages where one word is used to translate both “Lord” and “God,” and where “Christ” or “Jesus Christ” is added to the word when it refers to Christ rather than to God. In such cases the second option seems to be a better choice.

The word for understanding occurs only here in the Pastoral Letters. It is often translated “knowledge” or “intelligence”; in the present context it refers to a correct, thorough, and intelligent awareness and perception of things.

Everything: it is possible to understand the expression to mean “in all things,” or “in every way,” “in every respect.” However, if Paul is speaking about the three illustrations in verses 4-7, the more natural translation will be something like Good News Translation‘s “understand it all,” or “understand it completely.” An alternative translation model for this final sentence will be “because the Lord (or, God) will cause you to fully understand these illustrations” or “… will help you understand this completely.”

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 .

But as for you translates an expression that is identical to that found in the beginning of verse 10. The sense of But is contrastive; the false teachers are “progressing” in their wickedness, but as for Timothy, he should advance in godliness by continuing in the truth that he has learned.

Continue is literally “remain,” “keep on,” “do not waver.” (See further on “continues” in 1 Tim 2.15.) Firmly believed translates a verb that means “to come to believe something as true,” “to be convinced and certain of the truth of something.” Both what you have learned (literally “what you were taught”) and have firmly believed are in the aorist tense, focusing on the times and occasions in the past when Timothy learned these truths and came to believe in them. But while the tense is aorist, it makes more sense, in English at least, to translate the aorist as perfect, which is what Revised Standard Version has done. Good News Translation retains the aorist in the first case but interprets the second aorist as having a stative sense; hence “firmly believe.”

What does it mean to continue in what you have learned? It can be “continue to live according to,” “continue to be loyal to” (compare Contemporary English Version “Keep on being faithful,” New American Bible, Revised “remain faithful,” Translator’s New Testament “you must be loyal”), “continue to believe,” “continue to make progress,” “hold on to,” “stand firm in” (compare Revised English Bible “stand by,” New Jerusalem Bible “you must keep to”).

Timothy should hold on to these truths because he knows that his teachers are reliable Christians and can therefore be trusted. The pronoun whom (in from whom you learned it) is plural, indicating that Paul was not only talking of himself but of others as well who played a part in the Christian education of Timothy, including Timothy’s own mother and grandmother, who are mentioned in 1.5.

An alternative translation model for this verse is:
• As for you, Timothy, you must continue to hold on faithfully to the things that people taught you and that you believe in. After all, you know who taught you these truths (or, doctrines).

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 .