2 Timothy 2:4

2 Timothy 2:4 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.
• New International Version (NIV)No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs, but rather tries to please his commanding officer.
• English Standard Version (ESV)No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him.
• New King James Version (NKJV)No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier.

Context of 2 Timothy 2:4

2And the things that you have heard me say among many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be qualified to teach others as well. 3Join me in suffering, like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. A soldier refrains from entangling himself in civilian affairs, in order to please the one who enlisted him. 5Likewise, a competitor does not receive the crown unless he competes according to the rules. 6The hardworking farmer should be the first to partake of the crops.

2 Timothy 2:4 word by word

οὐδεὶς στρατευόμενος ἐμπλέκεται ταῖς τοῦ βίου πραγματείαις, ἵνα τῷ στρατολογήσαντι ἀρέσῃ.Read the interlinear

• A soldierστρατεύωstrateuomai · to battleG4754
• refrains fromοὐδείςoudeis · noneG3762
• entangling himselfἐμπλέκωemplekō · to entangle/involveG1707
• inὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• ·βίοςbios · lifeG979
• affairsπραγματείαpragmateia · affairsG4230
• in orderἵναhina · in order that/toG2443
• to pleaseἀρέσκωareskō · to pleaseG700
• enlisted himστρατολογέωstratologeō · to enlistG4758

Cross-references for 2 Timothy 2:4

• Deuteronomy 20:5Furthermore, the officers are to address the army, saying, “Has any man built a new house and not dedicated it? Let him return home, or he may die in battle and another man dedicate it.
• Luke 9:59Then He said to another man, “Follow Me.” The man replied, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.”
• 2 Timothy 4:10because Demas, in his love of this world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, and Titus to Dalmatia.
• Luke 8:14The seeds that fell among the thorns are those who hear, but as they go on their way, they are choked by the worries, riches, and pleasures of this life, and their fruit does not mature.
• 1 Corinthians 9:25Everyone who competes in the games trains with strict discipline. They do it for a crown that is perishable, but we do it for a crown that is imperishable.
• 1 Timothy 6:9Those who want to be rich, however, fall into temptation and become ensnared by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction.
• 2 Peter 2:20If indeed they have escaped the corruption of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, only to be entangled and overcome by it again, their final condition is worse than it was at first.
• 1 Corinthians 7:22For he who was a slave when he was called by the Lord is the Lord’s freedman. Conversely, he who was a free man when he was called is Christ’s slave.
• 2 Corinthians 5:9So we aspire to please Him, whether we are at home in this body or away from it.
• 1 Thessalonians 2:4Instead, we speak as those approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, not in order to please men but God, who examines our hearts.

Commentaries on 2 Timothy 2:4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4No man that warreth entangleth, etc. - It is well remarked by Grotius, on this passage, that the legionary soldiers among the Romans were not permitted to engage in husbandry, merchandise, mechanical employments, or any thing that might be inconsistent with their calling. Many canons, at different times, have been made to prevent ecclesiastics from intermeddling with secular employments. The who will preach the Gospel thoroughly, and wishes to give full…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life - Having alluded to the soldier, and stated one thing in which the Christian minister is to resemble him, another point of resemblance is suggested to the mind of the apostle. Neither the minister nor the soldier is to be encumbered with the affairs of this life, and the one should not be more than the other. This is always a condition in becoming a soldier. He gives up his own business…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4-7Paul quickly quotes a series of sayings about hard work, struggle, and reward.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. "No one while serving as a soldier." the affairs of (this) life--"the businesses of life" [Alford]; mercantile, or other than military. him who hath chosen him--the general who at the first enlisted him as a soldier. Paul himself worked at tent-making (Ac 18:3). Therefore what is prohibited here is, not all other save religious occupation, but the becoming entangled, or over-engrossed therewith.Read the comment

Topics related to 2 Timothy 2:4

• Care
• Minister, Christian
• Parables
• Righteous
• Self-Denial
• War
• Worldliness

In the dictionaries

• Acknowledge
• Approved
• Commit
• Deny
• Eat
• Endure
• Entangle
• Eternal
• Faithful
• Foolish

Commentaries on 2 Timothy 2

• 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