2 Timothy 1:14
in 2 Timothy 1Guard the treasure entrusted to you, with the help of the Holy Spirit who dwells in us.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
That good thing which was committed unto thee guard through the Holy Spirit which dwelleth in us.
KJV
That good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us.
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This verse in 2 Timothy 1
Commentary
16 notes on this verseIf we offer glory to God in the Spirit, we mean that the Spirit enables us to fulfill the requirements of true religion. According to this usage, then, we say we are in the Spirit, but it is not objectionable for someone to testify, "the Spirit of God is in me, and I offer glory because his grace has given me the wisdom to do so." The words of Paul are appropriate: "I think that I have the Spirit of God," and "guard the truth that has been entrusted to you by the Holy Spirit who dwells within us."
This site's exposition
Hold on to the pattern of sound teaching
on 2 Timothy 1:13-14
The pattern of sound teaching is an outline with a fixed shape for Timothy to keep. At verse 12 God guards what Paul entrusted, and in verse 14 Timothy guards the treasure entrusted to you.
This site's exposition
Guard the treasure
The treasure is the sound teaching of verse 13, which Matthew Henry calls a trust given to every Christian and to ministers in particular. John Chrysostom says no human soul can keep so great a thing by its own strength. The Holy Spirit who dwells in us keeps it.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
Hold to the pattern of sound teaching that you have heard from me, in faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. Guard the good deposit through the Holy Spirit who dwells in us. Hold to the pattern of sound teaching. Like an image, likeness, …
But here is, as we have said, the same madness, in their allowing indeed that the apostles were ignorant of nothing, and preached not any (doctrines) which contradicted one another, but at the same time insisting that they did not reveal all to all men, for that they proclaimed some openly and to all the world, whilst they disclosed others (only) in secret and to a few, because Paul addressed even this expression to Timothy: "O Timothy, guard that which is entrusted to thee; " and again: "That good thing which was committed unto thee keep." What is this deposit? Is it so secret as to be supposed to characterize a new doctrine? or is it a part of that charge of which he says, "This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy? " and also of that precept of which he says, "I charge thee in the sight of God, who quickeneth all things, and before Jesus Christ who witnessed a good confession under Pontius Pilate, that thou keep this commandment? " Now, what is (this) commandment and what is (this) charge? From the preceding and the succeeding contexts, it will be manifest that there is no mysterious hint darkly suggested in this expression about (some) far-fetched doctrine, but that a warning is rather given against receiving any other (doctrine) than that which Timothy had heard from himself, as I take it publicly: "Before many witnesses" is his phrase.
"That good thing which was committed unto thee keep,"-how?-"by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us." For it is not in the power of a human soul, when instructed with things so great, to be sufficient for the keeping of them. And why? Because there are many robbers, and thick darkness, and the devil still at hand to plot against us; and we know not what is the hour, what the occasion for him to set upon us. How then, he means, shall we be sufficient for the keeping of them? "By the Holy Ghost"; that is if we have the Spirit with us, if we do not expel grace, He will stand by us. For, "Except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it. Except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain." (Ps. cxxvii. 1.) This is our wall, this our castle, this our refuge. If therefore It dwelleth in us, and is Itself our guard, what need of the commandment? That we may hold It fast, may keep It, and not banish It by our evil deeds.
The Medieval Church2 voices
Keep what I have commanded you regarding faith and life, or the gift which you received, as he also said above. But how will you keep it? Not by human strength, but by the Holy Spirit, Who dwells in us through baptism. If we preserve …
Before all things, keep that truth which is committed to your trust, the holy Word of faith by which you have been taught and instructed. And let no weeds of heresy grow up among you, but preserve the heavenly seed pure and sincere, that it may yield a great harvest to the master, when he comes to demand account of our lives. He shall reward us according to our deeds, when the righteous shall shine forth as the sun, but darkness and everlasting shame shall cover the sinners.
8 more voices on this verse
The Medieval Church1 voice
Therefore, having these things, keep the good thing committed to your trust, namely, which I have entrusted to you, namely, the office of preaching, and never depart from the truth or give up the office of preaching at any time because of fear: with all …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
That good thing was the form of sound words, the Christian doctrine, which was committed to Timothy in his baptism and education as he was a Christian, and in his ordination as he was a minister. Observe, (1.) The Christian doctrine is a trust committed to us. It is committed to Christians in general, but to ministers in particular.
That good thing which was committed to thee,....
The Nineteenth Century5 voices
OUR Apostle was in prison. If he was confined in the Mammertine, those of us who have shivered in that dark underground dungeon may well pity him. And if he was confined in the prison of the Praetorian Guards, he fared no better, for the near company of such rough and cruel soldiers would involve much suffering. The Apostle was not only a prisoner, chained by his right hand to a soldier both day and night, but he was, to his intense sorrow, forsaken by his friends.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Translate as Greek, "That goodly deposit keep through the Holy Ghost," namely, "the sound words which I have committed to thee" (2Ti 1:13; 2Ti 2:2). in us--in all believers, not merely in you and me.
OUR Apostle was in prison. If he was confined in the Mammertine, those of us who have shivered in that dark underground dungeon may well pity him. And if he was confined in the prison of the Praetorian Guards, he fared no better, for the near company of such rough and cruel soldiers would involve much suffering. The Apostle was not only a prisoner, chained by his right hand to a soldier both day and night, but he was, to his intense sorrow, forsaken by his friends. The encouragements of Christian communion are exceedingly great and the loss of them is very bitter. Those who ought to have gloried in the Apostle for his fervor, his self-sacrifice, his courage and his zeal, had turned against him. He writes to Timothy, "This you know, that all they which are in Asia have turned away from me; of whom are Phygellus and Her-mogenes." It would seem that these two notable persons were ashamed of Paul's chain and, to their endless disgrace, turned against him. Deserted in his utmost need, deprived of his liberty and treated as a breaker of the laws, we could not have marveled if the Apostle had been somewhat dispirited. Active spirits are apt to fret in confinement and tender hearts bleed under desertion. Beside that, the man of God was in daily danger of execution by the tyrant's sword. He was not likely to be spared by the monster who occupied the Roman throne and already he had the sentence of death in himself. Any morning he might be awakened by a rough summons to come forth and die.
That good thing - The everlasting Gospel, keep by the Holy Ghost; for without a continual spiritual energy man can do nothing. This indwelling Spirit will make them effectual to thy own salvation, and enable thee to preach them to the salvation of the souls of others.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
That good thing which was committed unto thee; - see the notes at 1Ti 6:20. The reference here in the phrase, “that good thing committed to thee,” is to the sound Christian doctrine with which he had been intrusted, and which he was required to transmit to others. Keep by the Holy Ghost - By the aid of the Holy Spirit. One of the best methods of preserving the knowledge and the love of truth is to cherish the influences of the Holy Spirit.
The words behind it
11 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| τὴν | ten | The | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| καλὴν | kalen | good | G2570 → | 101 times |
| παραθήκην | paratheken | entrusted deposit | G3866 → | |
| φύλαξον | phulaxon | do keep | G5442 → | 31 times |
| διὰ | dia | through | G1223 → | 664 times |
| πνεύματος | pneumatos | [the] Spirit | G4151 → | 378 times |
| ἁγίου | hagiou | Holy | G40 → | |
| τοῦ | tou | who | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἐνοικοῦντος | enoikountos | is dwelling | G1774 → | |
| ἐν | en | in | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| ἡμῖν.¶ | hemin | us. | G3165 → | 1936 times |
τὴνThe
tenG3588 →19766 times
καλὴνgood
kalenG2570 →101 times
παραθήκηνentrusted deposit
parathekenG3866 →
φύλαξονdo keep
phulaxonG5442 →31 times
διὰthrough
diaG1223 →664 times
πνεύματος[the] Spirit
pneumatosG4151 →378 times
ἁγίουHoly
hagiouG40 →
τοῦwho
touG3588 →19766 times
ἐνοικοῦντοςis dwelling
enoikountosG1774 →
ἐνin
enG1722 →2738 times
ἡμῖν.¶us.
heminG3165 →1936 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Romans 8:9You, however, are controlled not by the flesh, but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong…
it leads to
- Galatians 4:6
And because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!”
- 1 Corinthians 3:16
Do you not know that you yourselves are God’s temple, and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?
- 1 Corinthians 6:19
Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own;
- Galatians 4:6
Through
Romans 8:13For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.
it leads to
- Galatians 6:8
The one who sows to please his flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; but the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.
- 1 Peter 2:11
Beloved, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from the desires of the flesh, which war against your soul.
- Colossians 3:5–8
Put to death, therefore, the components of your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires, and greed, which is idolatry.
- 1 Corinthians 9:27
No, I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.
- Galatians 6:8
Through
John 14:17the Spirit of truth. The world cannot receive Him, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him. But you do know Him, for He abides with you and will be in you.
it leads to
- Ezekiel 36:27
And I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes and to carefully observe My ordinances.
- Ezekiel 36:27
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies8
On this verse
About 2 Timothy
This page draws on 13 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Basil of Caesarea, ON THE HOLY SPIRIT 26.63; Charles Spurgeon, The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, Sermon No. 1913: “Confidence and Concern” (lightly modernized text, CCEL edition); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homily on 2 Timothy 3; John Damascene, BARLAAM AND IOASAPH 36.335; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Oecumenius, COMMENTARY ON 2 TIMOTHY; Tertullian, The Prescription Against Heretics; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on 2 Timothy and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on 2 Timothy.