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4:1 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;
4:2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove,
rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and
doctrine.
4:3 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; 4:4 And they shall turn away their ears from the
truth, and shall be turned unto
fables.
4:5 But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of
an evangelist, make full proof of thy
ministry.
4:6 For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my
departure is
at hand.
4:7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept
the faith: 4:8 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.
4:9 Do thy diligence to come shortly unto me: 4:10 For Demas hath
forsaken me, having loved this
present world, and is departed unto
Thessalonica;
Crescens to
Galatia,
Titus unto
Dalmatia.
4:11 Only Luke is with me. Take Mark, and bring him with thee: for he
is profitable to me for the
ministry.
4:12 And
Tychicus have I sent to
Ephesus.
4:13 The cloke that I left at
Troas with
Carpus, when thou comest,
bring with thee, and the
books, but especially the
parchments.
4:14
Alexander the
coppersmith did me much evil: the Lord reward him
according to his works: 4:15 Of whom be thou ware also; for he hath
greatly
withstood our words.
4:16 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.
4:17 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.
4:18 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.
4:19 Salute
Prisca and
Aquila, and the household of
Onesiphorus.
4:20
Erastus abode at
Corinth: but
Trophimus have I left at
Miletum
sick.
4:21 Do thy diligence to come before winter.
Eubulus greeteth thee,
and
Pudens, and
Linus, and
Claudia, and all the brethren.
4:22 The Lord Jesus Christ be with thy spirit. Grace be with you.
Amen.
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
back to:
2 Timothy
Book: 2 Timothy
Chapter: 4
Overview:
The
Apostle solemnly charges
Timothy to be diligent, though
many will not
Bear sound doctrine.
(1-5) Enforces the charge
from his own martyrdom, then at
Hand.
(6-8) Desires him to come
speedily.
(9-13) He cautions, and complains of such as had
deserted him; and expresses his
Faith as to his own preservation
to the heavenly kingdom.
(14-18) Friendly greetings and his
usual blessing.
(19-22)
1-5 People will turn away from the
Truth, they will grow weary
of the
Plain Gospel of
Christ, they will be greedy of fables,
and take pleasure in them. People do
So when they will not
endure that preaching which is searching,
Plain, and to the
purpose. Those who
Love souls must be ever watchful, must
venture and
Bear all the painful effects of their faithfulness,
and take all opportunities of making known the pure
Gospel.
6-8 The
Blood of the martyrs, though not a
Sacrifice of
Atonement, yet was a
Sacrifice of acknowledgment to the
Grace of
God and his
Truth.
Death to a good
Man, is his release from the
imprisonment of this world, and his departure to the enjoyments
of another world. As a
Christian, and a
Minister,
Paul had kept
the
Faith, kept the doctrines of the
Gospel. What comfort will
it afford, to be able to speak in this manner toward the
End of
our days! The
Crown of believers is a
Crown of
Righteousness,
purchased
By the
Righteousness of
Christ. Believers have it not
at present, yet it is sure, for it is laid up for them. The
believer, amidst poverty, pain, sickness, and the agonies of
Death, may rejoice; but if the duties of a
Man's place and
station are neglected, his evidence of interest in
Christ will
be darkened, and uncertainty and distress may be expected to
Cloud and harass his last hours.
9-13 The
Love of this world, is often the cause of turning back
from the truths and ways of
Jesus Christ.
Paul was guided
By
Divine
Inspiration, yet he would have his books. As long as we
live, we must still learn. The apostles did not neglect human
means, in seeking the necessaries of
Life, or their own
instruction. Let us thank the Divine
Goodness in having given us
So many writings of
Wise and pious men in all ages; and let us
seek that
By reading them our profiting may appear to all.
14-18 There is as much danger from false brethren, as from open
enemies. It is dangerous having to do with those who would be
enemies to such a
Man as
Paul. The Christians at
Rome were
forward to meet him, Ac 28, but when there seemed to be a
danger of suffering with him, then all forsook him.
God might
justly be angry with them, but he prays
God to forgive them. The
Apostle was delivered out of the mouth of the lion, that is, of
Nero, or some of his
Judges. If the
Lord stands
By us, he will
strengthen us in difficulties and dangers, and his presence will
more than supply every one's absence.
19-22 We need
No more to make us happy, than to have the
Lord
Jesus Christ with our spirits; for in him all spiritual
blessings are summed up. It is the best
Prayer we can offer for
our friends, that the
Lord Jesus Christ may be with their
spirits, to sanctify and save them, and at last to receive them
to himself. Many who believed as
Paul, are now before the
Throne, giving
Glory to their
Lord: may we be followers of them.