2 Timothy 2 9

2 Timothy 2:9 kjv

Wherein I suffer trouble, as an evil doer, even unto bonds; but the word of God is not bound.

2 Timothy 2:9 nkjv

for which I suffer trouble as an evildoer, even to the point of chains; but the word of God is not chained.

2 Timothy 2:9 niv

for which I am suffering even to the point of being chained like a criminal. But God's word is not chained.

2 Timothy 2:9 esv

for which I am suffering, bound with chains as a criminal. But the word of God is not bound!

2 Timothy 2:9 nlt

And because I preach this Good News, I am suffering and have been chained like a criminal. But the word of God cannot be chained.

2 Timothy 2 verses

2 Timothy 2 9 Meaning

The apostle Paul, imprisoned and treated as a common criminal for the sake of the gospel and God's elect, acknowledges his severe suffering, even to the point of physical restraints. However, he strongly contrasts his confined state with the unrestricted and dynamic power of the divine message, declaring that the word of God cannot be chained or hindered in its advancement and efficacy. This verse highlights the profound paradox where human weakness and imprisonment give way to the unyielding strength and freedom of God's truth.

2 Timothy 2 9 Context

h2Contexth2Second Timothy is Paul’s final letter, written from a Roman prison around 66-67 AD, shortly before his martyrdom. He is awaiting execution, making this a deeply personal and urgent pastoral letter to his young protégé, Timothy, who is ministering in Ephesus. The immediate context of 2 Timothy chapter 2 emphasizes the themes of endurance in ministry, suffering for Christ, spiritual warfare, faithfulness to the truth, and avoiding ungodliness. Paul sets himself as an example of persevering hardship for the sake of the gospel (v. 3), contrasting worldly pursuits with the call to be a faithful soldier, athlete, and farmer (vv. 4-7). Verse 9 follows Paul's affirmation that salvation is for the elect (v. 10), underscoring his willingness to endure hardship because of the ultimate divine purpose behind it. Historically, Paul’s imprisonment was not just a legal detainment but a societal degradation; being treated as a kakourgos (evildoer) meant he was equated with common criminals, a severe defamation for a Roman citizen and religious leader. This made the unhindered progress of the Gospel, despite his chains, even more remarkable to his contemporary audience, directly challenging the prevailing Roman power structure and pagan beliefs in the supremacy of their deities and emperor.

2 Timothy 2 9 Word analysis

h2Word analysish2

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  • for which (di' hon - Greek: διʼ ὃν): This phrase links the suffering directly to the "chosen ones" (v. 10, eklektous) and the "salvation" (sotērias) in Christ Jesus mentioned previously. Paul's endurance is not aimless but purposeful.
  • I suffer trouble (kakopathō - Greek: κακοπαθῶ): This verb means "to suffer evil," "to endure hardship," "to be afflicted." It’s a strong term indicating severe and active suffering, not mere inconvenience. Paul has used it earlier in this chapter (v. 3) to urge Timothy to endure hardship.
  • as an evildoer (hōs kakourgos - Greek: ὡς κακοῦργος): Kakourgos denotes a "malefactor," "criminal," "bandit," or "wrongdoer." This is a significant point, as it shows Paul was not just suffering persecution as a Christian, but was specifically tried and convicted by the Roman authorities as a common, dangerous criminal, subject to the harshest forms of punishment and public opprobrium, completely unlike his true identity as an apostle of Christ.
  • even to the point of chains (mechri desmōn - Greek: μέχρι δεσμῶν): Mechri means "up to," "as far as." Desmōn (from desmos) refers to literal "chains," "bonds," or "imprisonment." This highlights the physical and severely restrictive nature of Paul’s confinement. His ministry freedom was physically constrained.
  • but (alla - Greek: ἀλλά): A strong adversative conjunction that introduces a sharp contrast, emphatically setting up the subsequent clause as directly opposing the preceding one.
  • the word of God (ho logos tou theou - Greek: ὁ λόγος τοῦ Θεοῦ): Refers to the divine revelation, the message of the gospel, the truth concerning Christ and salvation. This is not just human speech or doctrine but God's authoritative, living, and powerful message.
  • is not chained (ou dedetai - Greek: οὐ δέδεται): This is the perfect passive indicative of deō ("to bind," "to chain," "to tie"). The perfect tense signifies an action completed in the past with ongoing results: it has been unbound and remains unbound. The passive voice indicates that no one—neither human authorities nor spiritual powers—can bind or hinder God's word. The contrast is profound: Paul is bound, but the very Word for which he is bound is utterly free.
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  • "I suffer trouble as an evildoer, even to the point of chains": This phrase captures the intense personal sacrifice and degradation Paul experienced. He was treated by the world not as a virtuous teacher or messenger of good news, but as a dangerous criminal, physically shackled. This external reality posed a deep challenge to his audience, inviting them to question how good news could lead to such ignominy.
  • "but the word of God is not chained": This phrase functions as a triumphant counter-argument and a divine assurance. It creates a stark paradox: the messenger is bound, but the message itself, the very power of God, is eternally free and cannot be restrained by human or worldly power. This is the divine principle that transcends the immediate suffering.

2 Timothy 2 9 Bonus section

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• Paul's example in 2 Timothy 2:9 serves as a profound paradox that empowers believers. The weakest point of the human messenger (chains and suffering) becomes the strongest testimony to the divine power of the message. This echoes the concept of God's power being made perfect in weakness (2 Cor 12:9).
• The historical accounts indicate that Paul's initial Roman imprisonment (Acts 28:30-31) actually led to the gospel spreading within the Praetorian Guard, validating his own assertion here that his confinement contributed to the advance of the gospel (Phil 1:12-14). His later, more severe imprisonment that resulted in this letter reinforced that reality.
• This verse stands as an eternal reminder of the resilience and inherent authority of God's word. Empires rise and fall, human powers attempt to suppress divine truth, but the logos tou theou transcends all temporal limitations, always accomplishing God's purpose, never returning void.
• The assurance that "the word of God is not chained" would have been a massive encouragement to Timothy, who was exhorted to "endure hardship" (2 Tim 2:3) and "preach the word" (2 Tim 4:2) in times of growing apostasy and persecution. It implies that Timothy's efforts to preach the unchained Word will not be in vain, regardless of the personal cost.
• The phrase ou dedetai uses the perfect tense, which signifies an action completed in the past but with continuing results. This implies that the Word has never been, nor ever will be, truly bound. It denotes a continuous, unhindered state, contrasting with Paul's present state of being bound.

2 Timothy 2 9 Commentary

h2Commentaryh2Paul, writing from what would be his final imprisonment, paints a stark picture of his current reality: enduring severe suffering, even disgrace, as he is unjustly condemned as a common criminal and bound by chains. Yet, this dire personal situation does not diminish his steadfast hope or his core message to Timothy. The heart of the verse lies in the powerful "but"—a divine adversative that radically shifts the perspective from Paul's human limitations to God's boundless freedom. While the apostle, a living embodiment of the gospel, may be physically restrained and slandered, the "word of God" itself, the eternal truth and transformative message of salvation, remains utterly unchained. This highlights a fundamental theological truth: human opposition and physical restraint cannot ultimately thwart the sovereign plan of God or the unstoppable advance of His word. Paul's chains, rather than silencing the gospel, paradoxically become a testament to its irrepressible power, as its reach extends beyond the prison walls. It assures Timothy that despite present persecutions and the potential suffering he too might face, the mission will continue and God's purpose through His Word will prevail. The freedom of the Word ensures that no decree, no empire, no prison can contain its life-giving force.Example: Consider missionaries imprisoned in hostile nations today. While their physical bodies are confined, the gospel continues to spread through secret channels, through their bold testimony to guards, or even through their very suffering which prompts questions and spiritual inquiry. Their chains do not bind the Word, but often illuminate its enduring power.