2 Timothy 1 14

2 Timothy 1:14 kjv

That good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us.

2 Timothy 1:14 nkjv

That good thing which was committed to you, keep by the Holy Spirit who dwells in us.

2 Timothy 1:14 niv

Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you?guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.

2 Timothy 1:14 esv

By the Holy Spirit who dwells within us, guard the good deposit entrusted to you.

2 Timothy 1:14 nlt

Through the power of the Holy Spirit who lives within us, carefully guard the precious truth that has been entrusted to you.

2 Timothy 1 verses

2 Timothy 1 14 Meaning

2 Timothy 1:14 instructs Timothy to diligently safeguard and preserve the sacred truth of the Gospel that has been entrusted to him. This crucial task of upholding sound doctrine and the revealed word is not to be undertaken by Timothy's own strength, but through the indispensable power and guidance of the Holy Spirit, who dwells within all believers. The verse highlights both human responsibility and divine enablement in maintaining the integrity of Christian faith.

2 Timothy 1 14 Context

2 Timothy is Paul's last letter, written from a Roman prison to his spiritual son, Timothy, a young pastor in Ephesus. The letter is highly personal, filled with encouragement and instruction for Timothy who faced increasing pressure and potential discouragement, partly due to Paul's imprisonment and the rise of false teachings. In chapter 1, Paul reminds Timothy of his genuine faith (v. 5) and calls him to rekindle his spiritual gift (v. 6), reminding him that God has not given a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control (v. 7). Paul exhorts Timothy not to be ashamed of testifying about the Lord or about Paul himself (v. 8), but to suffer for the Gospel with the power of God. Paul then shares his own example of unwavering conviction despite suffering, trusting that God will guard Paul's "deposit" until the Last Day (v. 12). Verse 13 then commands Timothy to "hold fast the pattern of sound words," leading directly into verse 14, which charges Timothy to guard this "good deposit" (the pattern of sound words) through the indwelling Holy Spirit. The broader context emphasizes passing on true doctrine, enduring hardship, and warning against emerging heresies.

2 Timothy 1 14 Word analysis

• Guard (τήρησον - tērēson): This is an aorist active imperative verb, meaning a direct command for Timothy to perform this action. The word tērēō implies more than just holding; it suggests active preservation, watching over, protecting from loss or danger, and keeping carefully. It signifies maintaining something in its pristine condition or original form. This indicates the vital necessity of preventing the corruption or distortion of the truth.
• The good deposit (τὴν καλὴν παραθήκην - tēn kalēn parathēkēn):
  • Good (καλὴν - kalēn): Adjective meaning excellent, beautiful, noble, wholesome, or intrinsically good. It denotes the inherent quality and value of the deposit.
  • Deposit (παραθήκην - parathēkēn): Refers to something entrusted to another's care for safekeeping. In ancient times, this could be money, documents, or valuables. It was a sacred trust. In this spiritual context, it signifies the revealed truth of the Gospel, sound doctrine, the divine teaching passed down through apostolic witness, the unadulterated Christian faith, and the very words of Christ and the apostles. It is not something Timothy produced, but something he received from God through Paul.
• Entrusted to you (ἐντεθεῖσάν σοι - entetheisan soi): This participle emphasizes that the deposit was given to Timothy from an external, authoritative source, specifically God, through Paul. It highlights the divine origin and authoritative nature of the "deposit," not merely human teaching.
• With the help of / through (διὰ - dia): This preposition indicates the agency or means by which the action of guarding is to be accomplished. It signifies that this protection is not by human strength alone but by a higher power.
• The Holy Spirit (τοῦ Πνεύματος Ἁγίου - tou Pneumatos Hagiou): The third person of the Trinity, divinely powerful and all-knowing. He is the ultimate guardian of truth and the source of spiritual understanding and enablement.
• Who lives in us (τοῦ ἐνοικοῦντος ἐν ἡμῖν - tou enoikountos en hēmin):
  • Lives in (ἐνοικοῦντος - enoikountos): Present participle, emphasizing the continuous and abiding indwelling presence of the Spirit within believers. It means "to dwell in," suggesting a permanent residency.
  • In us (ἐν ἡμῖν - en hēmin): This shifts from "you" (Timothy) to "us," signifying that the indwelling of the Holy Spirit is a reality for all believers, providing them with the necessary power for Christian living and guarding the truth. It underscores that guarding the deposit is not just a personal ministerial task for Timothy but is fundamentally enabled by a universal aspect of the Christian experience—the Spirit's indwelling.

2 Timothy 1 14 Bonus section

The concept of "deposit" (parathēkē) resonates deeply with ancient legal and financial practices where valuable items were entrusted to a person's safekeeping. The expectation was that the entrusted item would be returned in its original, unharmed state. Applied to Christian truth, this emphasizes the non-negotiable expectation for the Church, and particularly its leaders, to preserve and transmit the Gospel without alteration. The failure to "guard the good deposit" directly leads to doctrinal drift, spiritual decay, and a compromise of the pure Gospel message, as evidenced by many of Paul's other warnings against false teachers throughout his epistles. The call to guard is a call to doctrinal purity and steadfastness in a world always seeking to modify, undermine, or abandon the revealed truth of God. This safeguarding extends to living out the truth, as behavior can also obscure the deposit.

2 Timothy 1 14 Commentary

2 Timothy 1:14 stands as a profound theological statement, articulating both the immense value of Christian truth and the essential means by which it is preserved. The "good deposit" represents the complete body of revealed truth, specifically the Gospel, apostolic teaching, and sound doctrine, which was faithfully transmitted to Timothy. This deposit is "good" not merely in its ethical implications but in its inherent quality, derived from its divine origin and transformative power. Timothy is commanded to "guard" it, implying vigilance, careful protection, and active defense against corruption, distortion, or dilution. This safeguarding is a perpetual, imperative duty for those entrusted with the care of souls and the proclamation of the Word.

Crucially, the verse immediately clarifies the means for fulfilling this challenging mandate: "with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us." This removes the burden from mere human intellect, zeal, or strength. The indwelling Holy Spirit is not just an emotional presence; He is the Spirit of truth, wisdom, and power, enabling believers—especially those in ministry—to discern truth from error, remember God's word, and stand firm in it. He equips for understanding, boldness, and perseverance in guarding the integrity of the faith against both external attacks and internal erosion. This divine empowerment through the Spirit signifies that the task of preserving God's truth is ultimately a supernatural one, performed through yielded human vessels. The shift from "you" (Timothy) to "us" (believers in general) implies that while the immediate command is to Timothy, the principle of guarding truth through the indwelling Spirit extends to the whole community of faith. This verse thus marries human responsibility with divine sufficiency, providing hope and guidance for faithfully stewarding the precious deposit of Christ's truth.