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

2What you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, commit to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. 3Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in the concerns of civilian life; he seeks to please the commanding officer. 5Also, if anyone competes as an athlete, he is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules. 6The hardworking farmer ought to be the first to get a share of the crops.

2 Timothy 2:4 word by word

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

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• No manοὐδείςoudeis · noneG3762
• that warrethστρατεύωstrateuomai · to battleG4754
• entangleth himselfἐμπλέκωemplekō · to entangle/involveG1707
• with the affairs ofπραγματείαpragmateia · affairsG4230
• lifeβίοςbios · lifeG979
• thatἵναhina · in order that/toG2443
• he may pleaseἀρέσκωareskō · to pleaseG700
• him who hath chosen him to be a soldierστρατολογέωstratologeō · to enlistG4758

Cross-references for 2 Timothy 2:4

• Deuteronomy 20:5“The officers are to address the army, ‘Has any man built a new house and not dedicated it? Let him leave and return home. Otherwise, he may die in battle and another man dedicate it.
• Luke 9:59Then he said to another, “Follow me.” “Lord,” he said, “first let me go bury my father.”
• 2 Timothy 4:10because Demas has deserted me, since he loved this present world, and has gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia.
• Luke 8:14As for the seed that fell among thorns, these are the ones who, when they have heard, go on their way and are choked with worries, riches, and pleasures of life, and produce no mature fruit.
• 1 Corinthians 9:25Now everyone who competes exercises self-control in everything. They do it to receive a perishable crown, but we an imperishable crown.
• 1 Timothy 6:9But those who want to be rich fall into temptation, a trap, and many foolish and harmful desires, which plunge people into ruin and destruction.
• 2 Peter 2:20For if, having escaped the world’s impurity through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in these things and defeated, the last state is worse for them than the first.
• 1 Corinthians 7:22For he who is called by the Lord as a slave is the Lord’s freedman. Likewise he who is called as a free man is Christ’s slave.
• 2 Corinthians 5:9Therefore, whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to be pleasing to him.
• 1 Thessalonians 2:4Instead, just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please people, but rather 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