2 Timothy 2:9 - Exposition

Hardship for trouble, A.V.; unto for even unto, A.V.; as a malefactor for as an evil doer, A.V.; transposition of clause, unto bonds. Wherein ( ἐν ᾧ ); i.e. in which gospel, in the preaching of which. Suffer hardship ( κακοπαθῶ ) ; as 2 Timothy 2:3 , T.R. Unto bonds ( μέχρι δεσμῶν ). So μέχρι θανάτου , Philippians 2:8 ; μέχρις αἵματος , Hebrews 12:4 ; but most frequently of time, "until," as Matthew 11:23 ; Matthew 13:30 ; Acts 10:30 , etc. A malefactor ( κακοῦργος ) ; as Luke 23:32 , Luke 23:33 , Luke 23:39 ; common in classical Greek. Bonds ( δεσμῶν ); as Acts 26:29 ; Philippians 1:7 , Philippians 1:13 , etc.; Colossians 4:18 . So St. Paul calls himself δέσμιος , in respect of these bonds ( Ephesians 3:1 ; Ephesians 4:1 ; 2 Timothy 1:8 ; Philemon 1:9 ). The Word of God is not bound. A beautiful reflection of an utterly unselfish mind! The thought of his own bonds, likely soon to be exchanged for the bonds of a martyr's death, awakens the comforting thought, Though they bind me with an iron chain, they cannot bind the gospel. While I am here, shut up in prison, the Word of God, preached by a thousand tongues, is giving life and liberty to myriads of my brethren of the human race. The tyrant can silence my voice and confine it within the walls of my dungeon; but all the while the sound of the gospel is going through all the earth, its saving words to the ends of the world; and I therein rejoice, yea, and will rejoice; and not all the lemons of Rome can take this joy from me."