Перед Богом и Иисусом Христом, Который будет судить живых и мертвых, и потому что Он вернется, чтобы править как Царь, я торжественно призываю тебя: возвещай слово, будь настойчив и в удобное, и в неудобное время, исправляй, обличай, ободряй и терпеливо учи. Потому что наступит такое время, когда люди не будут выносить здравого учения. Они будут приглашать и жадно слушать тех учителей, которые будут говорить им лишь то, что они сами желают услышать. Они перестанут слушать истину и обратятся к мифам. Но ты во всем будь трезв, переноси трудности, делай свою работу – возвещай Радостную Весть, исполняй свое служение.

А моя жизнь уже проливается как жертвенное возлияние[a], и мне осталось совсем немного. Я хорошо боролся, я пробежал всю дистанцию и сохранил веру, и сейчас для меня приготовлен венец праведности, который Господь, праведный Судья, даст мне в определенный Им День, и не только мне, но и всем, кто с нетерпением ожидает Его прихода.

Личные советы и просьбы

Постарайся прийти ко мне поскорей, 10 потому что Димас оставил меня. Он предпочел блага этого мира и ушел в Фессалонику; Крискент ушел в Галатию, а Тит – в Далматию. 11 Со мной остался один Лука. Возьми и приведи с собой Марка, он хорошо помогает мне в моем служении. 12 Тихика Я послал в Эфес. 13 Когда будешь идти ко мне, принеси, пожалуйста, мой плащ, я оставил его в Троаде у Карпа, и захвати книги, особенно написанные на пергаменте.

14 Кузнец Александр причинил мне много вреда. Господь Сам воздаст ему по его делам[b]. 15 Ты тоже остерегайся его, потому что он сильно противился тому, о чем мы возвещаем.

16 Когда мне в первый раз предоставилась возможность выступить в свою защиту на суде, никто не пришел, чтобы меня поддержать, все меня оставили. Пусть это не будет вменено им в вину. 17 Но Господь был рядом со мной и дал мне силы, чтобы через меня было проповедано послание так, чтобы его могли услышать все язычники. И я был избавлен из львиной пасти[c]. 18 Господь и в дальнейшем избавит меня от всякого зла и спасет меня для Своего Небесного Царства. Пусть же Ему будет слава вовеки. Аминь.

Заключительные приветствия

19 Передай привет Приске и Акиле, а также семье Онисифора. 20 Эраст остался в Коринфе, а Трофима я оставил в Милете больного. 21 Постарайся прибыть сюда до зимы. Тебе передают приветы Эвбул, Пуд, Лин, Клавдия и все братья.

22 Пусть Господь будет с твоим духом. Благодать с вами.

Footnotes

  1. 4:6 Жертвенное возлияние – иллюстрация понятная как иудеям, так и язычникам: на жертвенник возливали вино, воду и др. как дар Богу или языческим богам (см. Быт. 35:14; Исх. 29:40-41; Чис. 15:1-10; Иер. 7:18).
  2. 4:14 См. 2 Цар. 3:39; Прит. 24:12.
  3. 4:17 То есть от неминуемой смерти – выражение, уходящее своими корнями в Дан. 6:21-23, но в этом контексте, это выражение нужно понимать как метафору смертельной опасности.

Charge to Timothy Repeated

I solemnly charge you before God and Christ Jesus, who is going to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: Preach the message,[a] be ready[b] whether it is convenient or not,[c] reprove, rebuke, exhort[d] with complete patience and instruction. For there will be a time when people[e] will not tolerate sound teaching. Instead, following their own desires,[f] they will accumulate teachers for themselves, because they have an insatiable curiosity to hear new things.[g] And they will turn away from hearing the truth, but on the other hand they will turn aside to myths.[h] You, however, be self-controlled[i] in all things, endure hardship, do an evangelist’s work, fulfill your ministry. For I am already being poured out as an offering, and the time for me to depart[j] is at hand. I have competed well;[k] I have finished the race; I have kept the faith! Finally the crown of righteousness is reserved for me. The Lord, the righteous Judge, will award it to me in that day—and not to me only, but also to all who have set their affection on[l] his appearing.

Travel Plans and Concluding Greetings

Make every effort to come to me soon. 10 For Demas[m] deserted me, since he loved[n] the present age, and he went to Thessalonica. Crescens went to Galatia and Titus to Dalmatia. 11 Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is a great help[o] to me in ministry.[p] 12 Now I have sent Tychicus to Ephesus. 13 When you come, bring with you the cloak I left in Troas with Carpas and the scrolls, especially the parchments. 14 Alexander the coppersmith did me a great deal of harm.[q] The Lord will repay him in keeping with his deeds.[r] 15 You be on guard against him[s] too, because he vehemently opposed our words. 16 At my first defense no one appeared in my support; instead they all deserted me—may they not be held accountable for it. 17 But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, so that through me the message[t] would be fully proclaimed[u] for all the Gentiles to hear. And so I was delivered from the lion’s mouth! 18 The Lord will deliver me from every evil deed and will bring me safely[v] into his heavenly kingdom. To him[w] be glory for ever and ever![x] Amen.

19 Greetings to[y] Prisca and Aquila[z] and the family of Onesiphorus. 20 Erastus stayed in Corinth. Trophimus I left ill in Miletus. 21 Make every effort to come before winter. Greetings to you from Eubulus, Pudens, Linus, Claudia, and all the brothers and sisters.[aa] 22 The Lord[ab] be with your spirit. Grace be with you.[ac]

Footnotes

  1. 2 Timothy 4:2 tn Or “the word.”
  2. 2 Timothy 4:2 tn Or “be persistent.”
  3. 2 Timothy 4:2 tn Grk “in season, out of season.”
  4. 2 Timothy 4:2 tn Or “encourage.”
  5. 2 Timothy 4:3 tn Grk “they”; the referent (the people in that future time) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  6. 2 Timothy 4:3 tn Grk “in accord with.”
  7. 2 Timothy 4:3 tn Grk “having an itching in regard to hearing,” “having itching ears.”
  8. 2 Timothy 4:4 sn These myths were legendary tales characteristic of the false teachers in Ephesus and Crete. See parallels in 1 Tim 1:4; 4:7; and Titus 1:14.
  9. 2 Timothy 4:5 tn Or “sober,” “temperate.”
  10. 2 Timothy 4:6 tn Grk “of my departure.”
  11. 2 Timothy 4:7 sn The expression I have competed well (Grk “I have competed the good competition”) uses words that may refer to a race or to a boxing or wrestling match: “run the good race” or “fight the good fight.” The similar phrase in 1 Tim 1:18 uses a military picture and is more literally “war the good warfare.”
  12. 2 Timothy 4:8 tn Grk “all who have loved.”
  13. 2 Timothy 4:10 sn Demas is most likely the same individual mentioned in Col 4:14 and Phlm 24.
  14. 2 Timothy 4:10 tn Grk “having loved.”
  15. 2 Timothy 4:11 tn Grk “useful.”
  16. 2 Timothy 4:11 tn Or “in serving me.”
  17. 2 Timothy 4:14 tn Grk “showed me much evil.”
  18. 2 Timothy 4:14 sn An allusion to Ps 28:4.
  19. 2 Timothy 4:15 tn Grk “against whom,” as a continuation of the previous clause. Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
  20. 2 Timothy 4:17 tn Or “the preaching.”
  21. 2 Timothy 4:17 tn Grk “might be completely fulfilled.”
  22. 2 Timothy 4:18 tn Grk “save me.”
  23. 2 Timothy 4:18 tn Grk “to whom.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
  24. 2 Timothy 4:18 tn Grk “unto the ages of the ages,” an emphatic way of speaking about eternity in Greek.
  25. 2 Timothy 4:19 tn Grk “greet.”
  26. 2 Timothy 4:19 sn On Prisca and Aquila see also Acts 18:2, 18, 26; Rom 16:3-4; 1 Cor 16:19. In the NT “Priscilla” and “Prisca” are the same person. Paul uses the name Prisca, while the author of Acts uses the diminutive form of the name Priscilla.
  27. 2 Timothy 4:21 tn Grk “brothers,” but the Greek word may be used for “brothers and sisters” or “fellow Christians” as here (cf. BDAG 18 s.v. ἀδελφός 1, where considerable nonbiblical evidence for the plural ἀδελφοί [adelphoi] meaning “brothers and sisters” is cited).
  28. 2 Timothy 4:22 tc The reading ὁ κύριος (ho kurios, “the Lord”) is well supported by א* F G 33 1739 1881 sa, but predictable expansions on the text have occurred at this point: A 104 614 read ὁ κύριος ᾿Ιησοῦς (ho kurios Iēsous, “the Lord Jesus”), while א2 C D Ψ 1175 1241 1505 M al sy bo have ὁ κύριος ᾿Ιησοῦς Χριστός (ho kurios Iēsous Christos, “the Lord Jesus Christ”). As B. M. Metzger notes, although in a late book such as 2 Timothy, one might expect the fuller title for the Lord, accidental omission of nomina sacra is rare (TCGNT 582). The shorter reading is thus preferred on both external and internal grounds.
  29. 2 Timothy 4:22 tc Most witnesses (א2 D Ψ 1175 1241 1505 M al lat sy) conclude this letter with ἀμήν (amēn, “amen”). Such a conclusion is routinely added by scribes to NT books because a few of these books originally had such an ending (cf. Rom 16:27; Gal 6:18; Jude 25). A majority of Greek witnesses have the concluding ἀμήν in every NT book except Acts, James, and 3 John (and even in these books, ἀμήν is found in some witnesses). It is thus a predictable variant. Further, there are several excellent Alexandrian and Western representatives (א* A C F G 6 33 81 1739* 1881 sa) that lack the particle, rendering the omission the preferred reading.

I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: Preach the word, be ready in season and out of season, reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with all patience and teaching. For the time will come when people will not endure sound doctrine, but they will gather to themselves teachers in accordance with their own desires, having itching ears, and they will turn their ears away from the truth and turn to myths. But be self-controlled in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, and prove your ministry.

For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, and I have kept the faith. From now on a crown of righteousness is laid up for me, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved His appearing.

Personal Instructions

Diligently try to come to me soon. 10 Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world, and has departed to Thessalonica, Crescens to Galatia, and Titus to Dalmatia. 11 Only Luke is with me. Get Mark, and bring him with you, for he is profitable to me for the ministry. 12 I sent Tychicus to Ephesus. 13 When you come, bring with you the cloak that I left at Troas with Carpus, and the books, but especially the parchments.

14 Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil. May the Lord reward him according to his works. 15 Beware of him, for he has greatly opposed our words.

16 At my first defense no one stood with me, but everyone forsook me. May it not be charged against them. 17 But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me, so that through 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. 18 The Lord will deliver me from every evil work and will preserve me for His heavenly kingdom, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.

Final Greetings

19 Greet Priscilla and Aquila and the household of Onesiphorus. 20 Erastus remained at Corinth, and I have left Trophimus ill in Miletus. 21 Diligently try to come before winter. Eubulus greets you, and so do Pudens, Linus, Claudia, and all the brothers.

22 The Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Grace be with you. Amen.

In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead,(A) and in view of his appearing(B) and his kingdom, I give you this charge:(C) Preach(D) the word;(E) be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke(F) and encourage(G)—with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine.(H) Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.(I) They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.(J) But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship,(K) do the work of an evangelist,(L) discharge all the duties of your ministry.

For I am already being poured out like a drink offering,(M) and the time for my departure is near.(N) I have fought the good fight,(O) I have finished the race,(P) I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me(Q) the crown of righteousness,(R) which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day(S)—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.(T)

Personal Remarks

Do your best to come to me quickly,(U) 10 for Demas,(V) because he loved this world,(W) has deserted me and has gone to Thessalonica.(X) Crescens has gone to Galatia,(Y) and Titus(Z) to Dalmatia. 11 Only Luke(AA) is with me.(AB) Get Mark(AC) and bring him with you, because he is helpful to me in my ministry. 12 I sent Tychicus(AD) to Ephesus.(AE) 13 When you come, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas,(AF) and my scrolls, especially the parchments.

14 Alexander(AG) the metalworker did me a great deal of harm. The Lord will repay him for what he has done.(AH) 15 You too should be on your guard against him, because he strongly opposed our message.

16 At my first defense, no one came to my support, but everyone deserted me. May it not be held against them.(AI) 17 But the Lord stood at my side(AJ) and gave me strength,(AK) so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it.(AL) And I was delivered from the lion’s mouth.(AM) 18 The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack(AN) and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom.(AO) To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen.(AP)

Final Greetings

19 Greet Priscilla[a] and Aquila(AQ) and the household of Onesiphorus.(AR) 20 Erastus(AS) stayed in Corinth, and I left Trophimus(AT) sick in Miletus.(AU) 21 Do your best to get here before winter.(AV) Eubulus greets you, and so do Pudens, Linus, Claudia and all the brothers and sisters.[b]

22 The Lord be with your spirit.(AW) Grace be with you all.(AX)

Footnotes

  1. 2 Timothy 4:19 Greek Prisca, a variant of Priscilla
  2. 2 Timothy 4:21 The Greek word for brothers and sisters (adelphoi) refers here to believers, both men and women, as part of God’s family.

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 long suffering 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:

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

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

12 And Tychicus have I sent to Ephesus.

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

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

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

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.

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.

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.

19 Salute Prisca and Aquila, and the household of Onesiphorus.

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

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

22 The Lord Jesus Christ be with thy spirit. Grace be with you. Amen.