2 Timothy 2 11

2 Timothy 2:11 kjv

It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him:

2 Timothy 2:11 nkjv

This is a faithful saying: For if we died with Him, We shall also live with Him.

2 Timothy 2:11 niv

Here is a trustworthy saying: If we died with him, we will also live with him;

2 Timothy 2:11 esv

The saying is trustworthy, for: If we have died with him, we will also live with him;

2 Timothy 2:11 nlt

This is a trustworthy saying: If we die with him,
we will also live with him.

2 Timothy 2 verses

2 Timothy 2 11 Meaning

This verse presents a foundational Christian truth, identified as a "faithful saying," asserting that those who have spiritually died with Christ through identification with His crucifixion and a decisive break from their old life in sin will assuredly share in His resurrection life. It communicates a deep spiritual union with Christ, guaranteeing that a believer's past death to sin in Christ inevitably leads to a future and present life with Him, marked by transformation and eternal glory.

2 Timothy 2 11 Context

2 Timothy is Paul's poignant final letter, penned from prison in Rome as he faced imminent martyrdom. It is addressed to his spiritual son, Timothy, a young leader ministering in Ephesus. The broader context of 2 Timothy chapter 2 is Paul's urgent charge to Timothy to remain faithful to sound doctrine and endure hardship as a good soldier of Christ. Paul encourages Timothy to draw strength from the grace of Christ Jesus, to teach faithfully, and to handle God's word accurately amidst growing false teachings and apostasy within the church.

Verses 8-10 immediately precede this faithful saying, emphasizing the resurrection of Jesus Christ as the bedrock of the gospel and Paul's own suffering and endurance for the sake of the elect. Verse 11, then, serves as a theological anchor, explaining why such suffering and faithfulness are meaningful. It links the suffering believer's experience to Christ's death and resurrection, offering profound assurance. The verses following (12-13) continue the thought, building upon this foundational truth with both a challenge to endurance (if we endure, we shall also reign) and a sober warning against denial (if we deny Him, He will also deny us), culminating in a powerful statement of God's unwavering faithfulness, even when we are faithless. This makes 2 Timothy 2:11 a crucial middle ground between Paul's personal experience of suffering and his pastoral encouragement and warning to Timothy.

2 Timothy 2 11 Word analysis

• This is a faithful saying: (Πιστὸς ὁ λόγος – Pistos ho logos)
  • Πιστὸς (pistos): Means "faithful," "trustworthy," "reliable," or "sure." Here, it describes the statement that follows as universally accepted and unquestionably true within early Christian teaching. This designation highlights its authority and foundational nature, often appearing in the Pastoral Epistles to mark essential doctrinal affirmations, potentially signifying an established creedal statement or hymn known to the community. In a context where false teachers might propagate unreliable ideas, Paul underscores the bedrock truthfulness of this message.
  • ὁ λόγος (ho logos): Literally "the word" or "the saying." It points to a distinct, weighty declaration that is not merely Paul's opinion but a recognized, perhaps oft-recited, piece of Christian teaching.
• If we died with Him, (εἰ ἀπεθάνομεν σὺν αὐτῷ – ei apethanomen syn autō)
  • εἰ (ei): "If." In this construct, rather than implying doubt or possibility, it functions more like "since" or "because," presenting an assumed or already established condition for believers. It lays the groundwork for a logical, certain outcome.
  • ἀπεθάνομεν (apethanomen): "we died." Aorist active indicative, denoting a completed action in the past. This refers not to physical death but to a spiritual, experiential death. It signifies the believer's decisive break from sin and their old identity, understood as having been united with Christ's death on the cross (Rom 6). This is the "dying to sin" or "dying to self" that happens when one genuinely commits to Christ.
  • σὺν αὐτῷ (syn autō): "with Him." This phrase underscores the profound spiritual union (koionia) of the believer with Christ. It is not merely an imitation of Christ, but a participation in His experience—His death becomes ours, making His resurrection our own.
• we shall also live with Him; (καὶ συζήσομεν – kai syzēsomene)
  • καὶ (kai): "and," "also." It links the consequence to the established condition, highlighting the inseparable nature of death with Christ and life with Christ.
  • συζήσομεν (syzēsomene): "we shall also live with Him." Future active indicative, emphasizing the absolute certainty of this promise. This "living with Him" is multi-faceted: it encompasses the present reality of new life in Christ (a transformed walk, empowered by the Spirit) and the ultimate eschatological reality of future glorification, bodily resurrection, and eternal communion with Christ in His kingdom. It assures that a shared past death leads to a shared future and present life.

• Words-group Analysis:
  • "If we died with Him, we shall also live with Him": This phrase encapsulates a profound theological truth known as co-crucifixion and co-resurrection, a central tenet in Pauline theology. The "death with Him" signifies a believer's spiritual union with Christ's finished work on the cross, resulting in a breaking of the dominion of sin in one's life. This identification is the basis for a transformed life. The guaranteed "living with Him" then refers to both the new, empowered life that is experienced in the present through the indwelling Spirit (living a life pleasing to God) and the ultimate assurance of future resurrection and eternal glory in Christ's presence. This reciprocity ensures hope for believers amidst their struggles.

2 Timothy 2 11 Bonus section

The fourfold pattern observed in 2 Timothy 2:11-13 (dying/living, enduring/reigning, denying/being denied, being faithless/Him being faithful) appears to follow a catechetical or hymn-like structure. This mnemonic quality suggests it was easily memorized and perhaps recited in early Christian worship or instruction, indicating its foundational status. This passage serves not only as comfort but also as a powerful challenge: the promise of living and reigning with Christ is contingent on the 'dying' and 'enduring' with Him. This echoes Jesus' call to take up one's cross daily (Mk 8:34), emphasizing that true discipleship involves a continuous, volitional surrender of self-will to God's will, viewing such 'death' not as an end but as the path to genuine life and eternal purpose. The "faithful saying" here grounds the imperative to endure in persecution and uphold sound doctrine on a firm theological premise that the outcome is certain.

2 Timothy 2 11 Commentary

2 Timothy 2:11 stands as a concise declaration of the heart of Christian experience: the inseparable link between a believer's identification with Christ's death and their participation in His life. It asserts that those who have decisively (and spiritually) died to sin's power and their old self, through union with Christ's crucifixion, are guaranteed to live with Him. This "death" is not physical but spiritual, marked by conversion, repentance, faith, and symbolized powerfully in baptism. It signifies a profound, once-for-all severance from the world's dominion and the flesh's power. In return, the "living with Him" is equally certain, promising not only a transformed life in the present (victory over sin, new desires, Spirit-empowered walk) but also the ultimate glory of resurrection and eternal fellowship in Christ's presence. This truth served as a critical encouragement to Timothy and enduring comfort to believers facing hardship and apostasy, reminding them that their commitment and suffering in the present life are deeply rooted in Christ's saving work and yield an eternal reward, ensuring their perseverance. It transforms suffering into a sign of union, and death to self into a gateway to abundant, eternal life.