2 Timothy 1:16
in 2 Timothy 1May the Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, because he has often refreshed me and was unashamed of my chains.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
The Lord grant mercy unto the house of Onesiphorus: for he oft refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain;
KJV
The Lord give mercy unto the house of Onesiphorus; for he oft refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain:
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This verse in 2 Timothy 1
Commentary
12 notes on this verseThe Lord give mercy - Onesiphorus had acknowledged him, and continued to do so; he, and his house, or family, ministered to him in prison, and were not ashamed of their imprisoned pastor, nor of the cause for which he was in disgrace and suffering. As he showed mercy to the apostle, the apostle prays the Lord to show mercy to him.
This site's exposition
May the Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiphorus
on 2 Timothy 1:16-18
Onesiphorus receives a prayer for mercy because he has often refreshed me and was unashamed of my chains. In Rome he searched diligently until he found me.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
May the Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiphorus; for he often restored me, and was not ashamed of my chains. May the Lord grant mercy. Notice Paul's eagerness. He did not curse those who abandoned him, but only recounted what they did against …
"The Lord give mercy to the house of Onesiphorus, for he oft refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain. But, when he was in Rome, he sought me out diligently and found me." Observe how he everywhere speaks of the shame, and not of the danger, lest Timothy should be alarmed. And yet it was a thing that was full of peril. For he gave offense to Nero by making friends with one of his prisoners. But when he was in Rome, he says, he not only did not shun intercourse with me, but "sought me out very diligently, and found me." "The Lord grant unto him that he may find mercy of the Lord in that day: and in how many things he ministered unto me at Ephesus, thou knowest very well." Such ought the faithful to be. Neither fear, nor threats, nor disgrace, should deter them from assisting one another, standing by them and succoring them as in war. For they do not so much benefit those who are in danger, as themselves, by the service they render to them, making themselves partakers of the crowns due to them. For example, is any one of those who are devoted to God visited with affliction and distress, and maintaining the conflict with great fortitude; whilst thou art not yet brought to this conflict? It is in thy power if thou wilt, without entering into the course, to be a sharer of the crowns reserved for him, by standing by him, preparing his mind, and animating and exciting him. Hence it is that Paul elsewhere says, "Ye have done well that ye did communicate with my affliction. For even in Thessalonica ye sent once and again unto my necessity." (Phil. iv. 14, Phil. iv. 16.) And how could they that were far off share in the affliction of him that was not with them? How? […]
Crocus also, worthy both of God and you, whom we have received as the manifestation of your love to us, hath in all things refreshed me, and "hath not been ashamed of my chain," as the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ will also refresh him; together with Onesimus, and Burrhus, and Euplus, and Fronto, by means of whom I have, as to love, beheld all of you. May I always have joy of you, if indeed I be worthy of it.
The Medieval Church2 voices
Look at the love of wisdom of the apostle. He did not reproach those who abandoned him, but simply pointed out what had happened. For the one who cared for him, he prays, and not only for him, but also for his entire household: so …
Then when he says, the Lord gives mercy to the house of Onesiphorus, he shows the progress others are making, and especially a certain Onesiphorus, stressing in particular the good works he performed for the Apostle in Rome and then in Asia. In regard to …
5 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
The Lord give mercy to the house of Onesiphorus,....
If you would have mercy then, you must seek for it now of the Lord. It is of and from the Lord that we must have mercy; for, unless the Lord has mercy on us, in vain will be the pity and compassion of men or angels. We are to seek and ask for mercy of the Lord, who is the giver and bestower of it; for the Lord Jesus Christ has satisfied justice, that mercy might be displayed.
What kindness Onesiphorus had shown to Paul: he refreshed him, he often refreshed him with his letters, and counsels, and comforts, and he was not ashamed of his chains. He was not ashamed of him, not withstanding the disgrace he was now under.
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Nowhere has Paul prayers for the dead, which is fatal to the theory, favored by ALFORD also, that he was dead. God blesses not only the righteous man himself, but all his household. my chain--Paul in the second, as in his first imprisonment, was bound by a chain to the soldier who guarded him.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
The Lord give mercy unto the house of Onesiphorus - The family of Onesiphorus - for so the word house is often used. He was himself still living 2Ti 1:18, but not improbably then absent from his home; compare the notes at 2Ti 4:19. He was evidently of Asia, and is the only one who is mentioned from that region who had showed the apostle kindness in his trials. He is mentioned only in this Epistle, and nothing more is known of him. The record is entirely honorable to him, and for his family the apostle felt a warm interest on account of the kindness which he had showed to him in prison. The ecclesiastical traditions also state that he was one of the seventy disciples, and was ultimately Bishop of Corone. But there is no evidence of this. There is much force in the remark of the Editor of the Pictorial Bible, that “the pretended lists of the 70 disciples seem to have been made out on the principle of including all the names incidentally mentioned in the sacred books, and not otherwise appropriated.” For he oft refreshed me - That is, showed me kindness, and ministered to my needs. And was not ashamed of my chain - Was not ashamed to be known as a friend of one who was a prisoner on account of religion. Paul was bound with a chain when a prisoner at Rome; Php 1:13-14, Php 1:16; Col 4:3, Col 4:18; Phm 1:10; see the notes at Act 28:20.
The words behind it
17 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| δῴη | doe | would grant | G1325 → | 412 times |
| ἔλεος | eleos | mercy | G1656 → | 27 times |
| ὁ | ho | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| κύριος | kurios | Lord | G2962 → | 711 times |
| τῷ | to | to the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| Ὀνησιφόρου | onesiphorou | of Onesiphorus | G3683 → | |
| οἴκῳ· | oiko | household; | G3624 → | |
| ὅτι | hoti | because | G3754 → | 1292 times |
| πολλάκις | pollakis | often | G4178 → | |
| με | me | me | G3165 → | 1936 times |
| ἀνέψυξεν | anepsuxen | he refreshed | G404 → | |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| τὴν | ten | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἅλυσίν | halusin | chain | G254 → | |
| μου | mou | of mine | G3165 → | 1936 times |
| οὐκ | ouk | not | G3756 → | 1664 times |
| ἐπαισχύνθη, | epaischunthe | he was ashamed of, | G1870 → | 11 times |
δῴηwould grant
doeG1325 →412 times
ἔλεοςmercy
eleosG1656 →27 times
ὁthe
hoG3588 →19766 times
κύριοςLord
kuriosG2962 →711 times
τῷto the
toG3588 →19766 times
Ὀνησιφόρουof Onesiphorus
onesiphorouG3683 →
οἴκῳ·household;
oikoG3624 →
ὅτιbecause
hotiG3754 →1292 times
πολλάκιςoften
pollakisG4178 →
μεme
meG3165 →1936 times
ἀνέψυξενhe refreshed
anepsuxenG404 →
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
τὴνthe
tenG3588 →19766 times
ἅλυσίνchain
halusinG254 →
μουof mine
mouG3165 →1936 times
οὐκnot
oukG3756 →1664 times
ἐπαισχύνθη,he was ashamed of,
epaischuntheG1870 →11 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
Ephesians 6:20for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it fearlessly, as I should.
it leads to
- 2 Timothy 2:9
for which I suffer to the extent of being chained like a criminal. But the word of God cannot be chained!
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 2 Corinthians 5:20
Therefore we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making His appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ: Be reconciled to God.
- Colossians 4:4
Pray that I may declare it clearly, as I should.
- 1 Thessalonians 2:2
As you are aware, we had already endured suffering and shameful treatment in Philippi. But in the face of strong opposition, we were bold in our God to speak to you the gospel of…
- 1 John 3:16
By this we know what love is: Jesus laid down His life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.
- 2 Timothy 2:9
Through
Acts 28:20So for this reason I have called to see you and speak with you. It is because of the hope of Israel that I am bound with this chain.”
it leads to
- Ephesians 6:20
for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it fearlessly, as I should.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Acts 26:6–7
And now I stand on trial because of my hope in the promise that God made to our fathers,
- Ephesians 6:20
Through
2 Timothy 4:19Greet Prisca and Aquila, as well as the household of Onesiphorus.
it leads to
- Acts 18:2
There he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla because Claudius had ordered all the Jews to leave Rome. Paul went to…
- Acts 18:2
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies8
On this verse
About 2 Timothy
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on 12 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes on the New Testament; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Ignatius of Antioch, Epistle of Ignatius to the Ephesians; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homily on 2 Timothy 3; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Oecumenius, COMMENTARY ON 2 TIMOTHY; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on 2 Timothy and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on 2 Timothy.