2 Timothy 4:19-22

 

 

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4:19 Greet (2SAAM) Prisca and Aquila, and the household of Onesiphorus
Greek: Aspasai (2SAAM) Priskan kai Akulan kai ton Onesiphorou oikon. 
BBE: Give my love to Prisca and Aquila and those of the house of Onesiphorus.
GWT: Give my greetings to Prisca and Aquila and the family of Onesiphorus.
KJV: Salute Prisca and Aquila, and the household of Onesiphorus.
Phillips: Give my love to Prisca and Aquila and Onesiphorus and his family.
Wuest: Greet Prisca and Aquila and the household of Onesiphorus.
Young's Literal: Salute Prisca and Aquilas, and Onesiphorus' household;
GREET PRISCA AND AQUILA: Aspasai (2SAAM) Priskan

AND THE HOUSEHOLD OF ONESIPHORUS: kai Akulan kai ton Onesiphorou oikon:

Profit-bringer. One of the punning names so common among slaves. Cp. Chresimus, Chrestus, Onesimus, Symphorus, all of which signify useful or helpful.

 

4:20  Erastus remained (3SAAI)  at Corinth, but Trophimus I left (1SAAI)  sick  (PAPMSA at Miletus.
Greek: Erastos emeinen (3SAAI) en Korintho, Trophimon de apelipon (1SAAI) en Mileto asthenounta. (PAPMSA
BBE: Erastus was stopping at Corinth; but Trophimus, when I last saw him was at Miletus, ill.
GWT: Erastus stayed in the city of Corinth and I left Trophimus in the city of Miletus because he was sick.
KJV: Erastus abode at Corinth: but Trophimus have I left at Miletum sick.
Phillips: Erastus is still staying on at Corinth, and Trophimus I had to leave sick at Miletus.
Wuest:  Erastus remained in Corinth, but Trophimus, being ill, I left behind in Miletus.
Young's Literal: Erastus did remain in Corinth, and Trophimus I left in Miletus infirm;
ERASTUS REMAINED AT CORINTH BUT TROPHIMUS I LEFT SICK AT MILETUS: Erastos emeinen (3SAAI) en KorinthoTrophimon de apelipon (1SAAI) en Mileto asthenounta (PAPMSA):

See Erastus
See Trophimus
See Miletus

This happening cannot be fitted into Acts and thus indicates two imprisonments in Rome for Paul. Trophimus was an Ephesian (Ac20:4; 21:29).

Whereas God often heals the sick, through physicians or without them, it is not the case that in all situations there is instant healing. Epaphroditus was seriously ill for some time (cf. Php2:25-27; 2Co12:7-10; Ja5:14). If it were God's will that all should be healed, surely Paul would have been able to heal Trophimus.

 

4:21  Make every effort (2SAAM to come (AAN)  before winter. Eubulus greets  (3SPMI you, also Pudens and Linus and Claudia and all the brethren.
Greek: Spoudason (2SAAM) pro cheimonos elthein. (AAN) Aspazetai (3SPMI) se Euboulos kai Poudes kai Linos kai Klaudia kai oi adelphoi pantes. 
GWT: Hurry to visit me before winter comes. Eubulus, Pudens, Linus, Claudia and all the brothers and sisters send you greetings.
BBE: Do your best to come before the winter. Eubulus sends you his love, and Pudens and Linus and Claudia, and all the brothers.
KJV: Do thy diligence to come before winter. Eubulus greeteth thee, and Pudens, and Linus, and Claudia, and all the brethren.
Phillips: Do your best to get here before the winter. Eubulus, Pudens, Linus, Claudia and all here send their greetings to you.
Wuest:  Do your best to come before winter. There greet you Eubulus and Pudens and Linus and Claudia and all the brethren.
Young's Literal: be diligent to come before winter. Salute thee doth Eubulus, and Pudens, and Linus, and Claudia, and all the brethren.

MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO COME BEFORE WINTER: Spoudason (2SAAM) pro cheimonos elthein (AAN):

Make every every (4704) (spoudazo from spoude = earnestness, diligence) (Click for in depth study of spoudazo) conveys the idea hastening to do something with the implication of associated energy or with intense effort and motivation. It means marked by careful unremitting attention or persistent application. The idea is give maximum effort, do your best, spare no effort, hurry on, be eager!  Hasten to do a thing, exert yourself, endeavour to do it. It means not only to be willing to do with eagerness, but to follow through and make diligent effort. In other words spoudazo does not stop with affecting one's state of mind, but also affects one's activity. Spoudazo conveys the idea of exertion. It means to be conscientious, zealous and earnest in discharging a duty or obligation. The verb speaks of intensity of purpose followed by intensity of effort toward the realization of that purpose.

To be diligent is to exert steady, earnest, and energetic effort and suggests earnest application to some specific object or pursuit. The idea is careful and persevering in carrying out tasks or duties. It means to be assiduous (marked by careful unremitting attention or persistent application).

Spoudazo basically means to make haste, and from that come the meanings of zeal and diligence. One commentator describes it as a holy zeal that demands full dedication.

Wuest says that spoudazo means

"to make haste, do one’s best, take care, desire. The idea of making haste, being eager, giving diligence, and putting forth effort are in the word. The word speaks of intense effort and determination." (Wuest, K. S. Wuest's word studies from the Greek New Testament Grand Rapids: Eerdmans)

"Before winter"

Practical Application: Winter is a season. Seasons pass. And when they pass, the opportunities (Click for an in depth word study on kairos, the Greek Word which means "opportunity") that were present during that season will also pass. God gives us all opportunities but He won't force us to respond. We have to choose to respond to opportunities. In this last section of Paul's final known communication he makes the plea (a second time) to "make every effort" but not qualifies it with  “Come before winter”. This plea should be a reminder to all of us that opportunities do not wait forever. Practically speaking, in the ancient world, once the winter season began, Timothy would no longer be able to travel easily to Rome and see his beloved friend for the last time.

 

Dr. Clarence Macartney in his famous sermon “Come Before Winter” asks...

Why “before winter”? Because when winter set in the season for navigation closed in the Mediterranean and it was dangerous for ships to venture out to sea. How dangerous it was, the story of Paul’s last shipwreck tells us. If Timothy waits until winter, he will have to wait until spring; and Paul has a premonition that he will not last out the winter, for he says, “The time of my departure is at hand.” We like to think that Timothy did not wait a single day after that letter from Paul reached him at Ephesus, but started at once to Troas, where he picked up the books and the old cloak in the house of Carpus, then sailed past Samothrace to Neapolis, and thence traveled by the Egnatian Way across the plains of Philippi and through Macedonia to the Adriatic, where he took ship to Brundisium, and then went up the Appian Way to Rome, where he found Paul in his prison, read to him from the Old Testament, wrote his last letters, walked with him to the place of execution near the Pyramid of Cestius, and saw him receive the crown of glory.

Before winter or never!

There are some things which will never be done unless they are done “before winter.” The winter will come and the winter will pass, and the flowers of the springtime will deck the breast of the earth, and the graves of some of our opportunities, perhaps the grave of our dearest friend. There are golden gates wide open on this autumn day, but next October they will be forever shut. There are tides of opportunity running now at the flood. Next October they will be at the ebb. There are voices speaking today which a year from today will be silent. Before winter or never! (Click for full sermon)

 

To reiterate...

Before winter or never!...

There are some things which will never be
done unless they are done ‘before winter.’

 

Beloved, are there opportunities you are neglecting today that may soon vanish forever? Are there people you should contact and decisions you should make? Today is yours; tomorrow may be too late.

 

Beloved "Timothy" or "Timothea", "Come before winter!" whatever that plea might mean to you in your present life circumstance...don't delay! Dr. Arnot Walker did not delay...

Dr. Arnot Walker, when a student in the Jefferson Medical College, heard Dr. Clarence E. Macartney preach a sermon on the text, “Do thy diligence to come before winter” (II Tim. 4:21). The text continued to linger in his thoughts as he sat in his room. He decided, “I had better write a letter now to my mother. Perhaps the winter of death is near for her.” He wrote to her and expressed gratitude for her exemplary Christian life. Two days later while he sat in class a telegram was given to him. It read, “Come at once. Your mother is critically ill!” Hurriedly he went to the country home. His mother was still living. A smile of recognition and satisfaction was on her face. Under her pillow lay a treasured possession—the loving letter her son had written her after the Sunday service. It had cheered and comforted her as she entered “the valley of the shadow of death!”  (Bolding Added) (Tan, P. L. Encyclopedia of 7700 illustrations: Garland TX: Bible Communications)

EUBULUS GREETS YOU, ALSO PUDENS AND LINUS AND CLAUDIA AND ALL THE BRETHREN: se Euboulos kai Poudes kai Linos kai Klaudia kai oi adelphoi pantes:

At least the four persons named here had not deserted Paul (v16). Nothing more is known of them.

 

4:22  The Lord be with your spirit. Grace be with you.
Greek: O kurios meta tou pneumatos sou. e charis meth' humon 
BBE: The Lord be with your spirit. Grace be with you.
GWT:  The Lord be with you. His good will be with all of you.
KJV: The Lord Jesus Christ be with thy spirit. Grace be with you. Amen.
Phillips: The Lord be with your spirit. Grace be with you.
Wuest:  The Lord be with your spirit. The grace be with you
Young's Literal: The Lord Jesus Christ is with thy spirit; the grace is with you! Amen.
THE LORD BE WITH YOUR SPIRIT: O kurios meta tou pneumatos sou.

 GRACE BE WITH YOU: e charis meth' humon 

Paul began and ended this last letter with the encouragement of "grace". What Timothy would began with grace (2Ti 1:2 "Timothy, my beloved son: Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord") could only be accomplished with grace. And the same applies to any good work any saint would seek to accomplish in the name of the Lord and for His glory.

 

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Last updated: 04/05/08.

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