2 Timothy 3:12

Do not seek on the journey what is being kept for you in your fatherland. Because it is necessary for you to fight against the devil every day under the leadership of Christ, do not seek in the midst of battle the reward which is …

But I am surprised, beloved, that you are so disturbed by opposition in consequence of offences, from whatever cause arising, as to say you would rather be relieved of the labours of your bishopric, and live in quietness and ease than continue in the office committed to you. But since the Lord says, "blessed is he who shall persevere unto the end," whence shall come this blessed perseverance, except from the strength of patience? For as the Apostle proclaims, "All who would live godly in Christ shall suffer persecution." And it is not only to be reckoned persecution, when sword or fire or other active means are used against the Christian religion; for the direst persecution is often inflicted by nonconformity of practice and persistent disobedience and the barbs of ill-natured tongues.

Many are the devices secretly plotted against me and through me patched up against the faith of apostles. I am however comforted by the sufferings of the saints, prophets, apostles, martyrs and men famous in the churches in the word of grace and besides these …

Abba Germanus said: "Since you have given us the remedies for every illusion, and since the diabolical snares that used to trouble us have been disclosed to us by your teaching and by the Lord's gift, we beseech you likewise to explain to us completely this phrase from the Gospel, "My yoke is easy and my burden is light." For it seems quite contrary to the words of the prophet, which say, "On account of the words of your lips I have kept to hard ways." Indeed, even the apostle says, "All who wish to live devoutly in Christ suffer persecution." Whatever is hard and has reference to persecution, however, can be neither light nor easy." Abba Abraham said, "We shall demonstrate by the easy proof of experience itself that the words of our Lord and Savior are most true, if we set out on the path of perfection in lawful manner and in accordance with the will of Christ.… For what can be heavy or hard to the person who has taken up Christ's yoke with his whole mind, is established in true humility, reflects constantly upon the Lord's suffering and rejoices in all the hardships that come upon him?"

If the road is narrow and difficult, how can it be that "My yoke is easy and my burden is light"? He says difficult because of the nature of the trials but easy because of the willingness of the travelers. It is possible for even what is unendurable by nature to become light when we accept it with eagerness. Remember that the apostles who had been scourged returned rejoicing that they had been found worthy to be dishonored for the name of the Lord.

"For they that wish," says the Apostle, "to live godly in Christ Jesus, shall suffer persecution." They that live godly are always undergoing persecution, if not from men, at any rate from evil spirits, which is a more grievous persecution. Yes, and it is in consequence, first and foremost, of ease and comfort, that those who are not vigilant undergo this.

"Yea, and all those that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution." But why, he says, should I speak only of myself? Each one that will live godly will be persecuted. Here he calls afflictions and sorrows, "persecutions," for it is not possible that a man pursuing the course of virtue should not be exposed to grief, tribulation, and temptations. For how can he escape it who is treading in the strait and narrow way, and who has heard, that "in the world ye shall have tribulation"? (John xvi. 33.) If Job in his time said, "The life of man upon earth is a state of trial" (Job vii. 1, Gr.); how much more was it so in those days?

And in this there is very great consolation. What am I saying, the apostle continues, about myself alone? All who desire to live piously and according to the Gospel will be persecuted. By persecutions the apostle here means not only pursuit by unbelievers, but also …

Paul permeated the corpus of his writings, which is made up of fourteen letters, with the aroma of Christ alone, if I may speak of Christ in this way. Whatever you read there either reveals the hidden mysteries of the faith, or shows the results …

As he remembered these things when he was younger, yet he was still well aware of it.

And the blessed Mark the Monk has said, "Every virtue on being achieved is called a cross, when it fulfills the Spirit's commandment." That is why all those who wish in the fear of the Lord to live in Jesus Christ will suffer persecution.

Above, the Apostle proposed to Timothy as an example the persecutions he himself was experiencing; here, lest it seem that he alone was undergoing such sufferings, he shows that they are the common lot of the saints: first, he shows how the saints are able …

In Christ - Out of Christ there is no godliness. Shall suffer persecution - More or less. Either the truth of scripture fails, or those that think they are religious, and are not persecuted, in some shape or other, on that very account, deceive themselves.

): All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution: not always alike; at that time those who professed the faith of Christ were more exposed to persecution than at other times; but at all times, more or less, those who will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.

quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation+unbalanced-parens

Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus,....

All that will live godly - So opposite to the spirit and practice of the world is the whole of Christianity, that he who gives himself entirely up to God, making the Holy Scriptures the rule of his words and actions, will be less or more reviled and persecuted. “If religion gives no quarter to vice, the vicious will give no quarter to religion and its professors.”

There is no godliness (Greek, "piously") or piety out of Christ. The world easily puts up with the mask of a religion which depends on itself, but the piety which derives its vigor directly from Christ is as odious to modern Christians as it was to the ancient Jews [BENGEL]. shall suffer persecution--and will not decline it (Ga 5:11).

Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution - Paul takes occasion from the reference to his own persecutions, to say that his case was not unique. It was the common lot of all who endeavored to serve their Redeemer faithfully; and Timothy himself, therefore, must not hope to escape from it. The apostle had a particular reference, doubtless, to his own times; but he has put his remark into the most general form, as applicable to all periods. It is undoubtedly true at all times, and will ever be, that they who are devoted Christians - who live as the Saviour did - and who carry out his principles always, will experience some form of persecution. The “essence” of persecution consists in “subjecting a person to injury or disadvantage on account of his opinions.” It is something more than meeting his opinions by argument, which is always right and proper; it is inflicting some injury on him; depriving him of some privilege, or right; subjecting him to some disadvantage, or placing him in less favorable circumstances, on account of his sentiments. This may be either an injury done to his feelings, his family, his reputation, his property, his liberty, his influence; it may be by depriving him of an office which he held, or preventing him from obtaining one to which he is eligible; it may be by subjecting him to fine or imprisonment, to banishment, torture, or death. If, in any manner, or in any way, he is subjected to disadvantage on account of his religious opinions, and deprived of any immunities and rights to which he would be otherwise entitled, this is persecution. Now, it is doubtless as true as it ever was, that a man who will live as the Saviour did, will, like him, be subjected to some such injury or disadvantage. […]