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2 Timothy 1:8-11

King James Version (KJV)

“In our prayers we talk to God, in our Bible study God talks to us, and we had better let God do most of the talking.”
— D.L. Moody

Scripture focus

8. Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God; 9. Who hath saved us, and called [us] with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began, 10. But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel: 11. Whereunto I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles.

2 Timothy 1:8-11 — KJV

Commentary

Commentary on 2 Timothy 1:8

Theological / Devotional

Be not thou therefore ashamed. The Greek implies that Timothy had not been ashamed heretofore. Paul here is challenging his faithful co-worker never to become ashamed. Such expressions of confidence inspire younger workers to even nobler achievements.

Testimony of our Lord. That is, the Christian witness about Jesus Christ, which to the Gentiles was “foolishness” and to the Jews a “stumblingblock” (see on 1 Cor. 1:23, 25).

Prisoner. Additional evidence that Paul was writing this epistle while in the Roman prison (see p. 325).

Partaker of the afflictions. Gr. sugkakopathed, “to suffer evil jointly,” “to share disgrace together.”

Of the gospel. Literally, “for the gospel.” Paul was being publicly humiliated for the gospel’s sake; anything less than full fellowship with Paul, publicly and privately, would have been cowardice (see on v. 7). The apostle understood well that the forces of evil relentlessly pursue every child of God, that before the crown of glory there must be the cross of disgrace and misunderstanding (see ch. 3:12).

Power of God. Only the grace of God can strengthen the believer to overcome the specious enticements and endure the afflictions of the enemy of souls (see on Rom. 1:16; 1 Cor. 1:18).

By SdaBc