2 Timothy 4:16
in 2 Timothy 4At my first defense, no one stood with me, but everyone deserted me. May it not be charged against them.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
At my first defence no one took my part, but all forsook me: may it not be laid to their account.
KJV
At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge.
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This verse in 2 Timothy 4
Commentary
12 notes on this verseAt my first answer - Εν τῃ τρωτῃ μου απολογιᾳ· At my first apology; this word properly signifies a defense or vindication. To his is the meaning of what we call the apologies of the primitive fathers; they were vindications or defences of Christianity. It is generally allowed that, when St. Paul had been taken this second time by the Romans, he was examined immediately, and required to account for his conduct; and that, so odious was Christianity through the tyranny of Nero, he could procure no person to plead for him.
This site's exposition
At my first defense
on 2 Timothy 4:16-18
At my first defense, the prima actio before Nero's court, no one stood with me. Paul prays May it not be charged against them, echoing the Lord's words from the cross. Yet the Lord stood by me and strengthened me.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
In my first defense, no one came to my support, but all deserted me (may it not be counted against them). But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, so that through me the preaching might be fully accomplished and all the Gentiles might …
For we owe "fruits" to those who minister spiritual doctrine to us through their understanding of the divine mysteries. We owe these to them as men. We owe these fruits also to "the living souls" since they offer themselves as examples for us in their own continence.
"At my first answer," he says, "no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge." Do you see how he spares his friends, notwithstanding it was a grievous thing they had done? For it is not the same thing to be despised by aliens, as by our own friends. Do you see his intense dejection? It cannot be said, that I was assailed by those without, but had comfort in the attention and support of my friends; for these also betrayed me. "All men," he says, "forsook me." And this was no light offense. For if he that in war abandons one who is exposed to danger, and shrinks from meeting the hands of his enemies, is justly smitten by his friends, as having utterly betrayed their cause, much more in the case of the Gospel. But what "first answer," does he speak of? He had stood before Nero, and had escaped. But afterwards, because he had converted his cup-bearer, he was beheaded. And here again is encouragement for his disciple in what follows.
The Medieval Church2 voices
Again the apostle recounts other trials in order to further encourage his disciple. But what first defense is he speaking of? He had previously been brought before Nero and escaped death, so that from that time he continued to preach; but when he converted his …
For he once stood before Nero, and he escaped.
5 more voices on this verse
The Medieval Church1 voice
Then he mentions the negligence of those who failed to help him: first, he reproaches their guilt; second, he begs for their pardon: "may it not be laid to their charge." He says, therefore, "at my first answer no man stood by me." A Gloss …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
This was strange, that so good a man as Paul should have nobody to own him, even at Rome, where there were many Christians, whose faith was spoken of throughout the world, Rom. i. The Christians at Rome were forward to go and meet him ( Acts xxviii. ); but when it came to the pinch, and they would be in danger of suffering with him, then they all forsook him.
At my first answer no man stood with me,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
"May it not be laid to THEIR charge," for they were intimidated; their drawing back from me was not from bad disposition so much as from fear; it is sure to be laid to the charge of those who intimidated them. Still Paul, like Stephen, would doubtless have offered the same prayer for his persecutors themselves (Ac 7:60).
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
At my first answer - Greek, “apology (ἀπολογία apologia), plea, or defense.” This evidently refers to some trial which he had had before the Roman emperor. He speaks of a first trial of this kind; but whether it was on some former occasion, and he had been released and permitted again to go abroad, or whether it was a trial which he had already had during his second imprisonment, it is not easy to determine. The former is the most natural supposition; for, if he had had a trial during his present imprisonment, it is difficult to see why he was still held as a prisoner. See this point examined in the introduction, section 1. No man stood with me - Paul had many friends in Rome (2Ti 4:21; compare Rom. 16); but it seems that they did not wish to appear as such when he was put on trial for his life. They were doubtless afraid that they would be identified with him, and would endanger their own lives. It should be said that some of the friends of the apostle, mentioned in Rom. 16, and who were there when that Epistle was written, may have died before the apostle arrived there, or, in the trials and persecutions to which they were exposed, may have left the city. Still, it is remarkable that those who were there should have all left him on so trying an occasion. But to forsake a friend in the day of calamity is not uncommon, and Paul experienced what thousands before him and since have done. […]
The words behind it
15 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ἐν | en | In | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| τῇ | tea | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| πρώτῃ | prote | first | G4413 → | 152 times |
| μου | mou | of my | G3165 → | 1936 times |
| ἀπολογίᾳ | apologia | defense | G627 → | |
| οὐδείς | oudeis | no [one] | G3762 → | 232 times |
| μοι | moi | me | G3165 → | 1936 times |
| παρεγένετο, | paregeneto | attended | G3854 → | |
| ἀλλὰ | alla | but | G235 → | 635 times |
| πάντες | pantes | all | G3956 → | 1235 times |
| με | me | me | G3165 → | 1936 times |
| ἐγκατέλιπον· | egkatelipon | deserted; | G1459 → | |
| μὴ | me | Not | G3361 → | 1066 times |
| αὐτοῖς | autois | to them | G846 → | 5565 times |
| λογισθείη. | logistheie | would it be charged! | G3049 → |
ἘνIn
enG1722 →2738 times
τῇthe
teaG3588 →19766 times
πρώτῃfirst
proteG4413 →152 times
μουof my
mouG3165 →1936 times
ἀπολογίᾳdefense
apologiaG627 →
οὐδείςno [one]
oudeisG3762 →232 times
μοιme
moiG3165 →1936 times
παρεγένετο,attended
paregenetoG3854 →
ἀλλὰbut
allaG235 →635 times
πάντεςall
pantesG3956 →1235 times
μεme
meG3165 →1936 times
ἐγκατέλιπον·deserted;
egkateliponG1459 →
μὴNot
meG3361 →1066 times
αὐτοῖςto them
autoisG846 →5565 times
λογισθείη.would it be charged!
logistheieG3049 →
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
John 16:32“Look, an hour is coming and has already come when you will be scattered, each to his own home, and you will leave Me all alone. Yet I am not alone, because the Father…
it leads to
- Zechariah 13:7
Awake, O sword, against My Shepherd, against the man who is My Companion, declares the LORD of Hosts. Strike the Shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered, and I will turn My hand against…
- Mark 14:27
Then Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away, for it is written: ‘I will strike the Shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.’
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Matthew 26:31
Then Jesus said to them, “This very night you will all fall away on account of Me. For it is written: ‘I will strike the Shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be…
- John 8:29
He who sent Me is with Me. He has not left Me alone, because I always do what pleases Him.”
- John 8:16
But even if I do judge, My judgment is true, because I am not alone; I am with the Father who sent Me.
- Zechariah 13:7
Through
Philippians 1:7It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart. For in my chains and in my defense and confirmation of the gospel, you…
it leads to
- 2 Corinthians 7:3
I do not say this to condemn you. I have said before that you so occupy our hearts that we live and die together with you.
- Philippians 1:5
because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now,
- 2 Corinthians 7:3
Through
Acts 7:60Falling on his knees, he cried out in a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.
it leads to
- Matthew 5:44
But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
- Matthew 5:44
Where this verse is studied
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About 2 Timothy
This page draws on 12 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); Augustine of Hippo, Confessions 13.25.38; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homily on 2 Timothy 10; John Damascene, Commentary (church-history corpus); 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.