2 Timothy 4 6

2 Timothy 4:6 kjv

For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.

2 Timothy 4:6 nkjv

For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand.

2 Timothy 4:6 niv

For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time for my departure is near.

2 Timothy 4:6 esv

For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come.

2 Timothy 4:6 nlt

As for me, my life has already been poured out as an offering to God. The time of my death is near.

2 Timothy 4 verses

2 Timothy 4 6 Meaning

This verse encapsulates Paul’s profound realization and acceptance of his impending death, which he views not as an end, but as a deliberate and sacred culmination of his life's service. He sees himself as a libation, a sacrificial offering poured out to God, and his death as a release or "departure" from earthly service into eternal presence with Christ, a moment he perceives as imminent and divinely appointed.

2 Timothy 4 6 Context

Second Timothy is Paul’s final letter, written from a Roman prison likely under emperor Nero’s reign, just before his martyrdom. This letter serves as a farewell charge to his spiritual son, Timothy, urging him to remain steadfast in faith and ministry, to guard the truth, and to endure hardship. In chapter 4, Paul intensifies his charge, emphasizing the solemnity and urgency of proclaiming the Word. Verse 6 stands as Paul's personal rationale and backdrop for these urgent instructions. He knows his life is coming to an end, creating a powerful emotional and spiritual context for his last words of encouragement and warning. Historically, libations or "drink offerings" were common in both Jewish (OT ritual sacrifices) and pagan cultures, often involving pouring out wine or other liquids as an act of worship or dedication. Paul appropriates this well-understood imagery, reframing it as his ultimate act of devotion to God.

2 Timothy 4 6 Word analysis

• For (γάρ - gar): This conjunction links the verse directly to the preceding urgent charge for Timothy to "preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching" (2 Tim 4:2). Paul’s impending death provides the gravitas and the impetus for Timothy's immediate action and steadfastness.
• I (ἐγὼ - egō): The emphatic first-person pronoun highlights Paul's personal experience and resolve. It is a direct statement about his current state.
• am already (ἤδη - ēdē): Signifies that the process has commenced; it's not a future possibility but a present reality that is unfolding. His death is imminent and, in a spiritual sense, has already begun to happen.
• being poured out (σπένδομαι - spendomai): This is a vivid metaphor from the world of sacrifice. Spendomai is a Greek term meaning "to pour out a libation or drink offering." It's in the present passive indicative, indicating an ongoing process that is happening to Paul, yet accepted by him.
  • Significance: It reflects the Old Testament practice (e.g., Num 15:1-10; Ex 29:40-41) where a drink offering of wine was poured out beside a burnt offering or grain offering. It was an act of complete dedication and finality. Paul views his life, his very blood, as this complete offering. This implies a conscious, willing self-sacrifice, much like Christ's offering of Himself (Eph 5:2). It’s a polemic against pagan practices which might involve human sacrifice for appeasement; Paul's "sacrifice" is his obedient death to the One True God, fulfilling his ministry.
• as a drink offering: This explicit phrase reinforces the sacrificial imagery. Paul's life and impending martyrdom are considered the final act of devotion. It's not a one-time event but the climax of a life of service dedicated wholly to Christ, mirroring Phil 2:17 where Paul expresses a similar sentiment.
• and (καί - kai): Connects the idea of his life being poured out with the certainty of his "departure."
• the time (ὁ καιρός - ho kairos): This term refers to a divinely appointed, opportune, or specific moment in time, rather than just chronological time (chronos). It signifies that Paul believes his death is not accidental but part of God's perfect plan.
• of my departure (τῆς ἀναλύσεώς - tēs analuseōs): The Greek word analusis carries rich meaning. It can denote:
  • "Unloosing": Like a ship unloosing its moorings to set sail, or breaking camp and striking tents. This imagery speaks of release, freedom, and a journey to a new destination.
  • "Return": To go back home, implying death is a returning to God’s presence.
  • "Dissolution": The breaking up or cessation of earthly life.
  • Significance: For Paul, death is not an end into nothingness, nor a grim fate. It is a purposeful "unloosing" from the confines of his earthly body and ministry, a liberation into a greater reality: direct fellowship with Christ (cf. Phil 1:23; 2 Cor 5:8). This is a strong counter-cultural perspective to pagan fears of death.
• is at hand (ἐφέστηκεν - ephestēken): This verb, in the perfect active indicative, means "it stands by," "it has arrived and is present," or "it is imminent and fixed." The perfect tense emphasizes a completed state resulting from a past action—the time is not just coming but has already drawn near and is now here and certain.

Words-group analysis:

• For I am already being poured out as a drink offering: This phrase signals Paul’s readiness and serene acceptance of martyrdom. His life has been a continual offering, and now the final, ultimate offering is upon him. It reflects a life completely spent and dedicated for the gospel.
• and the time of my departure is at hand: This group clarifies the nature of his "being poured out." It is specifically a departure from earthly life. The term "departure" transforms the typical human fear of death into a spiritual anticipation of homecoming and being with Christ, framing it not as an abrupt end but as a purposeful transition into eternal fellowship.

2 Timothy 4 6 Bonus section

Paul's adoption of the "drink offering" imagery in the New Testament transcends the literal ritualistic sacrifice. In the Old Covenant, drink offerings were accompaniments to animal sacrifices, symbolizing joy, thanksgiving, and dedication. By likening his life to such an offering, Paul elevates the very act of living a faithful life and suffering for Christ to a form of holy worship. This echoes the broader New Testament call for believers to offer their bodies as "living sacrifices" (Rom 12:1), extending the concept of sacrifice beyond temple rituals to everyday existence and culminating in one's death, if it is for Christ. For Paul, his death would not be a mere execution, but a culminating act of worship, a final act of devotion to the one whom he had served wholeheartedly. His perspective fundamentally reshapes the ancient world's view of death, moving from a feared unknown or cyclical existence to a glorious and desired transition to be with the Lord.

2 Timothy 4 6 Commentary

2 Timothy 4:6 reveals Paul's ultimate surrender and spiritual peace in the face of death. He perceives his imminent martyrdom not as defeat or an unfortunate end, but as the fulfillment of his sacrificial ministry to God, using the potent imagery of a "drink offering." This "pouring out" symbolizes a life completely dedicated and now perfectly consumed for Christ's sake. His view of death as a "departure" speaks volumes about his hope in Christ; it is a loosening of bonds, a setting sail towards his eternal home, and a reunion with his Lord. This verse beautifully articulates a profound trust and unwavering conviction that transcends all earthly suffering and offers an eternal perspective on life's ending. It stands as a powerful testament to the triumph of faith over the fear of death, showcasing Paul’s exemplary readiness for eternal rest and reward.