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2 Timothy 4

In the final chapter of 2 Timothy Paul exhorts and encourages Timothy to be faithful in preaching the word of God, and gives him some personal instructions.

  1. The first section in this chapter is verses 1-5 where Paul charges Timothy to do fulfill his ministry. Verses 2 and 5 have commands for Timothy, describe them.

  2. Verses 3-4 contain some reasoning as to why Timothy needs to preach the word, describe Paul’s reasoning.

  3. Do you see anything in this section of verses 1-5 that you want to apply to your own life? Paul is speaking to Timothy as a pastor, even though most of us aren’t pastors, there are certainly still things we can take from this.

  4. Looking at verses 6-8 remember that Paul is in prison right now, from verse 6 it also seems like he knows that the end of his life is near. How does Paul encourage Timothy, and us, as believers in verses 7-8?

  5. Do you think Paul is being prideful in verse 7 when he says, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”?

  6. Paul talks about this crown as the reward for keeping the faith and loving Jesus. The “crown” is also mentioned in other places by Paul (1 Thess 2:19, Phil 4:1). Other authors also mention this crown in the same way (James 1:2, 1 Peter 5:4, Rev 2:10).

    How should verses 6-8 be encouraging to believers?

  7. Identify the two explicit offenders from verses 9-15, what did they do?

Note: An interesting connection can be made in verse 16. Paul says “May in not be charged against them!” Referring to those who deserted him. We see this same attitude of forgiveness modeled in Stephen when he is stoned in Acts 7:60 he says, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” It is cool to see how God changed Paul from someone who approved of Stephen’s execution to someone who now has the same attitude of forgiveness that Jesus first taught and modeled and was modeled in Stephen as well.

  1. Describe what Paul is saying that the Lord is doing for him in verses 17-18.

  2. Paul closes this chapter and letter out by sending his greetings to “all the brothers”. What encouraged you most from this chapter?