2 Timothy 1 12

2 Timothy 1:12 kjv

For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.

2 Timothy 1:12 nkjv

For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day.

2 Timothy 1:12 niv

That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet this is no cause for shame, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until that day.

2 Timothy 1:12 esv

which is why I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that day what has been entrusted to me.

2 Timothy 1:12 nlt

That is why I am suffering here in prison. But I am not ashamed of it, for I know the one in whom I trust, and I am sure that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until the day of his return.

2 Timothy 1 verses

2 Timothy 1 12 Meaning

The verse expresses the apostle Paul's profound confidence and unwavering assurance in Jesus Christ, even in the midst of severe suffering and imprisonment. He declares that despite the afflictions he endures for the sake of the Gospel, he remains unashamed because his faith is rooted in a personal, experiential knowledge of Christ. His deep conviction is that the Lord, who is powerful and trustworthy, will faithfully safeguard all that Paul has entrusted to Him – his life, his salvation, and his eternal destiny – until the final Day of Christ’s return or judgment. It is a powerful testament to the security of the believer whose hope rests solely in God's faithfulness and ability.

2 Timothy 1 12 Context

This verse is embedded in Paul’s second letter to Timothy, written from prison in Rome, likely facing imminent execution under Emperor Nero’s persecution (around AD 66-67). This epistle is widely considered Paul's last will and testament, brimming with pastoral exhortations, warnings, and heartfelt encouragement for his spiritual son, Timothy, who was leading the church in Ephesus.

The immediate context (2 Tim 1:8-11) is crucial: Paul has just exhorted Timothy not to be ashamed of the testimony of the Lord nor of Paul, His prisoner. Instead, Timothy is called to join in suffering for the Gospel, powered by God's strength and eternal purpose. Paul reminds Timothy that God has saved and called believers not according to their works, but by His own grace, which was given in Christ Jesus before time began. Paul himself was appointed as an apostle, preacher, and teacher of this very Gospel. Verse 12 serves as Paul’s personal example and bold confession, illustrating how he lives out the call to unashamed suffering. Despite his dire circumstances—imprisonment and facing death—Paul's deep faith provides an anchor, transforming his suffering into a testimony of God's trustworthiness and power. It counters the cultural shame associated with imprisonment and challenges Timothy to embrace the hardships inherent in faithfully serving Christ.

2 Timothy 1 12 Word analysis

• For this reason (διά τίνα αἰτίαν, dia tina aitian): Refers back to the immediate preceding verses (1:8-11), highlighting the cost and consequence of proclaiming the glorious Gospel for which Paul has been set apart. It points to his mission as a preacher, apostle, and teacher.
• I also suffer these things (κἀγὼ ταῦτα πάσχω, kagō tauta paschō): "I, too" or "even I," Paul emphasizes that his suffering (chains, persecution, probable impending death) is a direct result of his faithful execution of the call mentioned in verse 11. "These things" are the afflictions and hardships described in earlier verses.
• nevertheless (ἀλλ᾽, all’): A strong adversative conjunction, introducing a contrast. Despite the severe suffering, there is a fundamental opposition to shame.
• I am not ashamed (οὐκ ἐπαισχύνομαι, ouk epaischynomai): A decisive declaration. In the Greco-Roman world, imprisonment and suffering, especially for a perceived "criminal" cause (like proclaiming Christ, seen as subverting imperial authority), brought public dishonor and shame. Paul emphatically rejects this. His confidence is not in himself but in the one he serves. This echoes Rom 1:16.
• for I know (γὰρ οἶδα, gar oida): "For I have come to know," signifying a profound, personal, and experiential knowledge, not just intellectual assent. The perfect tense oida implies a settled, firm understanding. This deep knowledge is the foundation of his unshakeable assurance.
• whom I have believed (ᾧ πεπίστευκα, hō pepisteuka): Crucially, it's "whom" (referring to a person, Jesus Christ), not "what." The perfect tense pepisteuka indicates a completed act of believing in the past with ongoing, abiding results. His faith is a settled, continuous trust placed squarely in the Person of Christ.
• and am persuaded (καὶ πέπεισμαι, kai pepeismai): From peithō (to persuade), here in the perfect passive. It means "I have been convinced," or "I stand convinced." This signifies a settled conviction, a profound inner assurance or confidence that comes from outside himself—a work of God. It's a conviction that cannot be shaken.
• that He is able (ὅτι δυνατός ἐστιν, hoti dynatos estin): Stresses the absolute power and capability of God/Christ. The divine attribute of omnipotence is central here, providing the basis for Paul's trust. God is fully competent to perform what He promises.
• to keep (φυλάξαι, phylaxai): To guard, preserve, protect, or watch over. It signifies safekeeping and preventing loss or harm. This implies active, vigilant preservation.
• what I have committed to Him (τὴν παραθήκην μου, tēn parathēkēn mou): This is a crucial financial/legal term. A paratheke (deposit) was money, valuables, or even documents entrusted to another person for safekeeping, especially in dangerous times, with the expectation that it would be returned when requested. It represents everything Paul values most deeply: his life, his ministry, his soul, his eternal salvation, his calling, and his ultimate destiny. He has unreservedly entrusted his spiritual future into Christ's hands, confident it will be secured.
• until that Day (εἰς ἐκείνην τὴν ἡμέραν, eis ekeinēn tēn hēmeran): Refers to the "Day of the Lord" or "Day of Christ," an established biblical eschatological term denoting the day of Christ's return, the final judgment, vindication of believers, and the full establishment of God's Kingdom. This confirms that God's guardianship is not temporary but extends throughout this life and beyond, into eternity, until the culmination of all things. Paul's confidence is founded on a hope that reaches beyond his present earthly life and suffering.

2 Timothy 1 12 Bonus section

The concept of "deposit" (paratheke) appears again in 2 Timothy 1:14, creating an important parallel. In verse 12, Paul speaks of his own deposit (his life/soul) entrusted to Christ. In verse 14, he instructs Timothy to "guard the good deposit (tēn kalēn parathēkēn) entrusted to you," which refers to the sound doctrine, the Gospel truth, received from Paul (and ultimately from Christ). This parallel highlights two essential aspects of Christian stewardship: believers commit their very being to Christ for safekeeping, and they are also entrusted by Christ with the precious truth of the Gospel, which they are to faithfully guard and pass on. Both require divine keeping power: Christ keeps the believer, and the Holy Spirit enables the believer to keep the Gospel truth. This verse fundamentally embodies the objective basis of Christian assurance, resting not on a believer's feeling or performance, but on the unchangeable character and powerful capability of God. It stands as an encouragement for all who entrust their lives to Christ, assuring them of His unfailing ability to see them through to glory.

2 Timothy 1 12 Commentary

2 Timothy 1:12 is a bedrock passage on Christian assurance and the nature of enduring faith. Paul, facing a martyr’s death, models how suffering can coexist with profound confidence, not by minimizing pain, but by anchoring one’s trust in an omnipotent and faithful God. His "not ashamed" stance is a direct defiance of worldly judgment and a powerful statement of allegiance to Christ. The depth of his certainty is twofold: experiential knowledge of the "whom" (Christ's person) and unwavering "persuasion" in God's capacity to preserve. The "deposit" represents Paul’s entire spiritual being and destiny, fully committed into Christ’s trustworthy hands, emphasizing that true security comes from God's ability to keep, not from human effort. "That Day" underscores the eternal scope of this divine guardianship, linking present trials to ultimate vindication and glorification with Christ. This verse calls believers to surrender fully to Christ, secure in His power and faithfulness, regardless of present circumstances.

• Example for practical usage: A believer facing severe illness can find peace by committing their future to God, knowing He is able to keep them through the challenges "until that Day," whether it brings healing or eternal peace.
• Example for practical usage: Someone experiencing professional shame for standing by Christian values can find strength in Paul's resolve, remembering their ultimate audience is God, whom they know and trust.