Event · Apostles and Early Church
Paul's final charge to Timothy
Paul's final charge to Timothy2 Timothy 4:1–8Mid-60s AD (proposed)Placement debated
Facing death, Paul writes that he has fought the good fight and urges Timothy to preach the word.
- Main passage 2 Timothy 4:1–8
- Related 2 Timothy 4:9–22
- Place in the order
- Disputed placement Where this belongs in the sequence is debated; the placement here is an editorial choice.
- Historical setting
- Mid-60s AD (proposed) Proposed chronology
Outside the story of Acts. By tradition Paul was executed in Rome under Nero; 2 Timothy's date depends on how its authorship and Paul's later life are understood.
Acts ends before Paul's death; this event is placed after Acts by tradition.
Read it
2 Timothy 4:1–8 WEB
1I command you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at his appearing and his Kingdom: 2preach the word; be urgent in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort with all patience and teaching. 3For the time will come when they will not listen to the sound doctrine, but having itching ears, will heap up for themselves teachers after their own lusts, 4and will turn away their ears from the truth, and turn away to fables. 5But you be sober in all things, suffer hardship, do the work of an evangelist, and fulfill your ministry. 6For I am already being offered, and the time of my departure has come. 7I have fought the good fight. I have finished the course. I have kept the faith. 8From now on, the crown of righteousness is stored up for me, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give to me on that day; and not to me only, but also to all those who have loved his appearing.