2 Timothy 4:2

2 Timothy 4:2 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.
• New International Version (NIV)Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction.
• English Standard Version (ESV)preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.

Context of 2 Timothy 4:2

1I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: preach the word [as an official messenger]; be ready when the time is right and even when it is not [keep your sense of urgency, whether the opportunity seems favorable or unfavorable, whether convenient or inconvenient, whether welcome or unwelcome]; correct [those who err in doctrine or behavior], warn [those who sin], exhort and encourage [those who are growing toward spiritual maturity], with inexhaustible patience and [faithful] teaching. 3For the time will come when people will not tolerate sound doctrine and accurate instruction [that challenges them with God’s truth]; but wanting to have their ears tickled [with something pleasing], they will accumulate for themselves [many] teachers [one after another, chosen] to satisfy their own desires and to support the errors they hold, 4and will turn their ears away from the truth and will wander off into myths and man-made fictions [and will accept the unacceptable].

2 Timothy 4:2 word by word

κήρυξον τὸν λόγον, ἐπίστηθι εὐκαίρως ἀκαίρως, ἔλεγξον, ἐπιτίμησον, παρακάλεσον ἐν πάσῃ μακροθυμίᾳ καὶ διδαχῇ.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Preachκηρύσσωkērussō · to preachG2784
• the wordὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• the wordλόγοςlogos · wordG3056
• be instantἐφίστημιephistēmi · to approachG2186
• in seasonεὐκαίρωςeukairōs · well timedG2122
• out of seasonἀκαίρωςakairōs · unseasonablyG171
• reproveἐλέγχωelegchō · to rebukeG1651
• rebukeἐπιτιμάωepitimaō · to rebukeG2008
• exhortπαρακαλέωparakaleō · to plead/comfortG3870
• withἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• allπᾶςpas · allG3956
• longsufferingμακροθυμίαmakrothumia · patienceG3115
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• doctrineδιδαχήdidachē · teachingG1322

Cross-references for 2 Timothy 4:2

• Psalms 40:9I have proclaimed good news of righteousness [and the joy that comes from obedience to You] in the great assembly; Behold, I will not restrain my lips [from proclaiming Your righteousness], As You know, O Lord.
• Isaiah 61:1The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, Because the Lord has anointed and commissioned me To bring good news to the humble and afflicted; He has sent me to bind up [the wounds of] the brokenhearted, To proclaim release [from confinement and condemnation] to the [physical and spiritual] captives And freedom to prisoners,
• Jonah 3:2“Go to Nineveh the great city and declare to it the message which I am going to tell you.”
• Luke 4:18“The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me (the Messiah), Because He has anointed Me to preach the good news to the poor. He has sent Me to announce release (pardon, forgiveness) to the captives, And recovery of sight to the blind, To set free those who are oppressed (downtrodden, bruised, crushed by tragedy),
• Luke 9:60But He said to him, “Allow the [spiritually] dead to bury their own dead; but as for you, go and spread the news about the kingdom of God.”
• Romans 10:15And how will they preach unless they are commissioned and sent [for that purpose]? Just as it is written and forever remains written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news of good things!”
• Colossians 1:25In this church I was made a minister according to the stewardship which God entrusted to me for your sake, so that I might make the word of God fully known [among you]—
• Luke 7:4When they reached Jesus, they pleaded with Him earnestly [to come], saying, “He is worthy for You to do this for him,
• Acts 13:5When Barnabas and Saul arrived at Salamis, they began to preach the word of God [proclaiming the message of eternal salvation through faith in Christ] in the synagogues of the Jews; and they also had John [Mark] as their assistant.
• Romans 12:12constantly rejoicing in hope [because of our confidence in Christ], steadfast and patient in distress, devoted to prayer [continually seeking wisdom, guidance, and strength],
• 1 Timothy 4:15Practice and work hard on these things; be absorbed in them [completely occupied in your ministry], so that your progress will be evident to all.
• John 4:6and Jacob’s well was there. So Jesus, tired as He was from His journey, sat down by the well. It was then about the sixth hour (noon).
• Acts 16:13and on the Sabbath day we went outside the city gate to the bank of the [Gangites] river, where we thought there would be a place of prayer, and we sat down and began speaking to the women who had come there.
• Acts 20:7Now on the first day of the week (Sunday), when we were gathered together to break bread (share communion), Paul began talking with them, intending to leave the next day; and he kept on with his message until midnight.
• Acts 28:16When we entered Rome, Paul was allowed to stay by himself [in rented quarters] with the soldier who was guarding him.
• Colossians 1:28We proclaim Him, warning and instructing everyone in all wisdom [that is, with comprehensive insight into the word and purposes of God], so that we may present every person complete in Christ [mature, fully trained, and perfect in Him—the Anointed].

Commentaries on 2 Timothy 4:2

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 2Preach the word - · Proclaim the doctrine, the doctrine of Christ crucified, for the sins of the whole world; the doctrine, that the Gentiles are invited to be fellow heirs with the Jews, and that for Jews and Gentiles there is no salvation but by faith in Christ. Be instant in season, out of season - , . Be urgent whether the times be prosperous or adverse, whenever there is an opportunity; and when there is none, strive to make one. The Judge is at the…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 2Preach the word - The Word of God; the gospel. This was to be the main business of the life of Timothy, and Paul solemnly charges him in view of the certain coming of the Redeemer to judgment, to be faithful in the performance of it. Be instant - see the notes at Romans 12:12. The meaning here is, that he should be constant in this duty. Literally, “to stand by, or to stand fast by;” that is, he was to be pressing or urgent in the performance of this…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-8Timothy's ministry truly existed in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus. Paul commanded him to work, expecting the return of Jesus to judge and establish his kingdom (see 1 Timothy 5:21; 6:13–14). Christ’s appearing will bring: spiritual cleaning (2 Timothy 2:19), accountability (3:8–9), salvation, declaration of righteousness, and reward (4:8, 18). See also 1 Corinthians 3:10–15; 4:4–5; 2 Corinthians 5:10.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 22. Preach--literally, "proclaim as a herald." The term for the discourses in the synagogue was daraschoth; the corresponding Greek term (implying dialectial style, dialogue, and discussion, Ac 17:2, 18; 18:4, 19) is applied in Acts to discourses in the Christian Church. Justin Martyr [Apology, 2], describes the order of public worship, "On Sunday all meet and the writings of the apostles and prophets are read; then the president delivers a discourse…Read the comment

Topics related to 2 Timothy 4:2

• Church
• Diligence
• Fear of God
• Longsuffering
• Minister, Christian
• Reproof

In the dictionaries

• Departure
• Fight
• Greet
• Itch
• Ministry
• Quick
• Revelation of Christ
• Ware
• Authority in Religion
• Instant; Instantly

Commentaries on 2 Timothy 4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings