The Meaning of 2 Timothy 4:21 Explained

2 Timothy 4:21

KJV: Do thy diligence to come before winter. Eubulus greeteth thee, and Pudens, and Linus, and Claudia, and all the brethren.

YLT: be diligent to come before winter. Salute thee doth Eubulus, and Pudens, and Linus, and Claudia, and all the brethren.

Darby: Use diligence to come before winter. Eubulus salutes thee, and Pudens, and Linus, and Claudia, and the brethren all.

ASV: Give diligence to come before winter. Eubulus saluteth thee, and Pudens, and Linus, and Claudia, and all the brethren.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Do thy diligence  to come  before  winter.  Eubulus  greeteth  thee,  and  Pudens,  and  Linus,  and  Claudia,  and  all  the brethren. 

What does 2 Timothy 4:21 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Winter severely restricted travel in some parts of the Roman world. Timothy needed to leave Ephesus soon so he could reach Rome without undue difficulty. Paul relayed the greetings of four other brethren, probably local, who Timothy evidently knew, as well as the greetings of all the local Christians.
"Linus is mentioned by Irenaeus (Against Heresies, iii3) as the first bishop of Rome after the death of Peter and Paul." [1]

Context Summary

2 Timothy 4:13-22 - "the Lord Stood By Me"
The winter was approaching, and the Apostle would be glad of his cloak amid the damp of the Mamertine prison. Evidently his arrest under Nero's orders had been so sudden and peremptory that he was not allowed to go into his lodgings for this and other possessions, such as the books mentioned in 2 Timothy 4:13.
He had made his first appearance before Nero, and was expecting a further appearance to receive his sentence. But the Lord was with him, and his comfort was that he had proclaimed the gospel to the highest audience in the world of his time. His one thought always was that the gospel should be heard by men, whether they would hear or forbear. If that were secured, he did not count the cost to himself. The lion may stand for Nero or Satan. See Luke 22:31; 1 Peter 5:8. From 2 Timothy 4:20 we gather that miraculous gifts of healing, of which Paul was possessed, may not be used merely for friendship's sake, but only where the progress of the gospel requires them [source]

Chapter Summary: 2 Timothy 4

1  He exhorts him to preach the Word with all care and diligence;
6  certifies him of the nearness of his death;
9  wills him to come speedily unto him, and to bring Marcus with him;
14  warns him to beware of Alexander the metalworker
16  informs him what had befallen him at his first answering;
19  and soon after he concludes

Greek Commentary for 2 Timothy 4:21

Before winter [προ χειμωνος]
Pathetic item if Paul was now in the Mamertine Dungeon in Rome with winter coming on and without his cloak for which he asked. How long he had been in prison this time we do not know. He may even have spent the previous winter or part of it here. Eubulus, Pudens, Linus, Claudia are all unknown otherwise. Irenaeus does speak of Linus. [source]
The Lord be with thy Spirit [ο κυριος μετα του πνευματος σου]
Let us hope that Timothy and Mark reached Paul before winter, before the end came, with the cloak and with the books. Our hero, we may be sure, met the end nobly. He is already more than conqueror in Christ who is by his side and who will welcome him to heaven and give him his crown. Luke, Timothy, Mark will do all that mortal hands can do to cheer the heart of Paul with human comfort. He already had the comfort of Christ in full measure. [source]
Eubulus, Pudens, Linus, Claudia []
N.T.onosupersub. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for 2 Timothy 4:21

1 Timothy 4:6 If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things [ταῦτα ὑποτιθέμενος τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς]
The verb only here and Romans 16:4. Lit. to put under; so almost without exception in lxx. See, for instance, Genesis 28:18; Genesis 47:29; Exodus 17:12. So Romans 16:4. Hence, metaphorically, to suggest, which is, literally, to carry or lay under. Ταῦτα thesethings are those mentioned 1 Timothy 4:4, 1 Timothy 4:5. In the Pastorals it is only here that ἀδελφοί brethren means the members of the church to whose superintendent the letter is addressed. In 2 Timothy 4:21, they are the Christians of the church from which the letter comes; in 1 Timothy 6:2, Christians in general; and in 1 Timothy 5:1, without any ecclesiastical sense. [source]
2 Timothy 1:4 Greatly desiring [ἐπιποθῶν]
Better, longing. Pastorals only here. Quite frequent in Paul. See Romans 1:11; 2 Corinthians 5:2; 2 Corinthians 9:14; Philemon 1:8, etc. The compounded preposition ἐπὶ does not denote intensity, as A.V. greatly, but direction. Comp. 2 Timothy 4:9, 2 Timothy 4:21. [source]
2 Timothy 4:9 Shortly [ταχεως]
In 2 Timothy 4:21 he more definitely says “before winter.” Apparently the trial might drag on through its various stages. [source]
Hebrews 13:23 Hath been set at liberty [απολελυμενον]
Perfect passive participle of απολυω — apoluō to set free, in indirect discourse after γινωσκετε — ginōskete Possibly from prison if he came to Rome at Paul‘s request (2 Timothy 4:11, 2 Timothy 4:21). Shortly Same comparative as in Hebrews 13:19, “sooner” than I expect (?). [source]

What do the individual words in 2 Timothy 4:21 mean?

Be earnest before winter to come Greets you Eubulus and Pudens Linus Claudia the brothers all
Σπούδασον πρὸ χειμῶνος ἐλθεῖν Ἀσπάζεταί σε Εὔβουλος καὶ Πούδης Λίνος Κλαυδία οἱ ἀδελφοὶ πάντες

Σπούδασον  Be  earnest 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Imperative Active, 2nd Person Singular
Root: σπουδάζω  
Sense: to hasten, make haste.
πρὸ  before 
Parse: Preposition
Root: πρό  
Sense: before.
χειμῶνος  winter 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: χειμών  
Sense: winter.
ἐλθεῖν  to  come 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Infinitive Active
Root: ἔρχομαι  
Sense: to come.
Ἀσπάζεταί  Greets 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Middle or Passive, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ἀπασπάζομαι 
Sense: to draw to one’s self.
Εὔβουλος  Eubulus 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: Εὔβουλος  
Sense: a Christian at Rome.
Πούδης  Pudens 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: Πούδης  
Sense: a Christian friend of Timothy at Rome, and may have been one of the seventy disciples.
Λίνος  Linus 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: Λίνος  
Sense: a Christian at Rome, known to Paul and to Timothy, 2 Ti.
Κλαυδία  Claudia 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Feminine Singular
Root: Κλαυδία  
Sense: a Christian woman.
ἀδελφοὶ  brothers 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: ἀδελφός  
Sense: a brother, whether born of the same two parents or only of the same father or mother.