And the Lord will rescue me from every evil actionThis phrase reflects the Apostle Paul's confidence in God's deliverance. Throughout his ministry, Paul faced numerous threats and persecutions (
2 Corinthians 11:23-27). His assurance here is rooted in the belief that God is sovereign over all circumstances and can protect His servants from harm. This echoes the promise found in
Psalm 34:19, "Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all." The phrase also suggests a spiritual rescue, indicating that God will preserve Paul from the spiritual harm that evil actions could cause.
and bring me safely into His heavenly kingdom.
Paul's focus shifts from earthly deliverance to eternal security. The "heavenly kingdom" refers to the eternal reign of God, a theme prevalent in the New Testament (Matthew 6:10,Revelation 11:15). This reflects the Christian hope of eternal life with God, transcending earthly trials. Paul's confidence in being brought safely into this kingdom underscores the assurance of salvation and eternal life promised to believers (John 10:28-29). It also highlights the eschatological hope that sustains Christians through persecution and suffering.
To Him be the glory forever and ever.
This doxology attributes eternal glory to God, a common practice in Paul's writings (Romans 11:36,Galatians 1:5). It acknowledges God's supreme authority and the eternal nature of His kingdom. The phrase emphasizes that all glory belongs to God, not only for His acts of deliverance but also for His eternal plan of salvation. This reflects the biblical theme that God's glory is the ultimate purpose of creation and redemption (Isaiah 43:7,Ephesians 1:12).
Amen.
"Amen" is a Hebrew word meaning "truly" or "so be it," used to affirm the truth of a statement. In this context, it serves as a solemn affirmation of the preceding doxology, expressing Paul's heartfelt agreement and trust in God's promises. It is a common conclusion in biblical prayers and doxologies, signifying agreement and certainty (Revelation 22:20-21).
Persons / Places / Events
1.
Paul- The apostle and author of the letter, writing to Timothy from prison, facing the end of his life.
2.
Timothy- A young pastor and close companion of Paul, recipient of the letter, encouraged to remain faithful.
3.
The Lord- Refers to Jesus Christ, whom Paul trusts for deliverance and eternal salvation.
4.
Heavenly Kingdom- The eternal realm of God, where believers are promised eternal life with Him.
5.
Evil Deed- Represents the trials, persecutions, and spiritual attacks Paul faces.
Teaching Points
Trust in Divine DeliverancePaul exemplifies unwavering trust in God's ability to rescue him from all evil. Believers are encouraged to cultivate a similar faith, trusting God in the face of trials and adversities.
Eternal PerspectivePaul's focus on being brought safely into the heavenly kingdom reminds Christians to maintain an eternal perspective, valuing eternal life over temporary struggles.
Glorifying God in All CircumstancesDespite his circumstances, Paul gives glory to God. Believers should learn to glorify God in every situation, recognizing His sovereignty and goodness.
Perseverance in FaithPaul's confidence in God's deliverance encourages believers to persevere in their faith, knowing that God is faithful to His promises.
Encouragement in CommunityPaul's letter to Timothy serves as an encouragement to remain steadfast. Christians should support and encourage one another in their spiritual journeys.
Bible Study Questions and Answers
1.What is the meaning of 2 Timothy 4:18?
2.How does 2 Timothy 4:18 assure us of God's deliverance from evil?
3.What does "bring me safely into His heavenly kingdom" mean for believers today?
4.How can we trust God's protection as described in 2 Timothy 4:18?
5.What other scriptures affirm God's promise of deliverance and eternal safety?
6.How can you apply the promise of 2 Timothy 4:18 in daily life?
7.How does 2 Timothy 4:18 assure believers of God's protection and deliverance?
8.What does 2 Timothy 4:18 reveal about God's sovereignty over evil?
9.How does 2 Timothy 4:18 relate to the concept of eternal security?
10.What are the top 10 Lessons from 2 Timothy 4?
11.Why does Psalm 56 emphasize trust in God for rescue (Psalm 56:3–4) when many faithful believers in history have faced death without apparent intervention?
12.How is Jesus represented in each book of the Bible?
13.Will you be with me in Paradise today?
14.(Psalm 118:17) Does the assertion “I shall not die, but live” contradict mortality or promise an unrealistic divine protection?What Does 2 Timothy 4:18 Mean
And the Lord will rescue me• Paul speaks with certainty about the Lord’s personal involvement in deliverance, echoing earlier testimony: “The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed” (2 Timothy 3:11).
• This confidence mirrors David’s: “The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears; He delivers them from all their troubles” (Psalm 34:17).
• The assurance is grounded in the character of God who “has delivered us… and will deliver us again” (2 Corinthians 1:10).
from every evil action• “Every” encompasses plots, persecutions, and temptations—anything intended to derail the gospel or the believer.
•Psalm 121:7 promises, “The LORD will guard you from all harm; He will preserve your soul”.
• Even when the faithful suffer, the evil intended against them cannot ultimately succeed (Romans 8:28;Genesis 50:20).
• Peter agrees: “Who can harm you if you are zealous for what is good?” (1 Peter 3:13), underscoring that final harm is impossible for those kept by God.
and bring me safely• God’s rescue is not partial; He shepherds His own all the way home (Psalm 23:4).
• Jesus promised, “No one can snatch them out of My hand” (John 10:28-29).
• Paul rests in the same certainty he offered the Philippians: “He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion” (Philippians 1:6).
into His heavenly kingdom• The destination is a real, prepared place: “In My Father’s house are many rooms… I am going there to prepare a place for you” (John 14:2-3).
• Entrance is lavish: “You will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 1:11).
•Revelation 21:3-4 paints the final picture—God with His people, every tear wiped away. This is the future Paul anticipates moments before martyrdom.
To Him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.• Theological truth naturally yields doxology. Paul’s praise echoesRomans 11:36: “To Him be the glory forever! Amen”.
•Ephesians 3:20-21 reminds believers that God is “able to do immeasurably more… to Him be the glory.”
• Jude closes similarly, directing worship to “the only God our Savior… before all time and now and forever” (Jude 24-25). Paul’s final word is worship, and so should ours be.
summary• Paul’s confidence rests in the Lord’s active, ongoing rescue.
• No evil plot can ultimately succeed against God’s people.
• The Lord not only delivers from danger but also escorts believers safely home.
• The heavenly kingdom is a literal, promised destination prepared by Christ.
• Sound doctrine culminates in heartfelt praise, assigning glory to God now and for eternity.
(18)
And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work . . .--Many commentators have explained these words as the expression of St. Paul's confidence that the Lord not only had, in the late trial, strengthened His servant, and given him courage to endure, but that He would watch over him in the future which still lay before him, and would preserve him from every danger of faint-heartedness, from every risk of doing dishonour to his Master; but such an interpretation seems foreign to the
spirit in which St. Paul was writing to Timothy. In the whole Epistle there is not one note of fear--nothing which should lead us to suspect that the martyr Apostle was fearful for himself. It reads--does this last letter of the great Gentile teacher--in many places like a triumphant song of death. It, therefore, appears unnatural to introduce into the closing words of the Epistle the thought of the Lord's help in the event of the Apostle's losing heart. Far better is it to supply after "every evil work" the words "
of the enemies,"and to understand the deliverance which the Lord will accomplish for him, not as a deliverance from any shrinking or timidity unworthy of an apostle of the Lord, not even as a deliverance from the martyr-death, which he knew lay before him,
but that through this very death,the Lord Jesus would deliver him from all weariness and toil, and would bring him safe into His heavenly kingdom. (See
Psalm 23:4.) St. Paul before (
Philippians 1:23 had expressed a longing to come to Christ through death. He then bursts into an ascription of praise to that Lord Jesus Christ whom he had loved so long and so well, and who, in all his troubles and perplexities, had never left him friendless. For a similar ascription of glory to the Second Person of the ever blessed Trinity, see
Hebrews 13:21. (Comp. also
Romans 9:5.)
Verse 18. -
The Lord for
and the Lord, A.V. and T.R.;
will for
shall, A.V.;
save for
preserve, A.V.;
the glory for
glory, A.V.
Deliver me... save me (see preceding note). The language here is also very like that of the Lord's Prayer:
Ῥῦσαι ἡμᾶς ἀπὸτοῦ πονηροῦ σοῦ γὰρ ἐστιν ἡ βασιλεία... καὶδόξα εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας Ἀμήν (
Matthew 6:13).
Every evil work. Alford goes altogether astray in his remarks on this passage. Interpreted by the Lord's Prayer, and by its own internal evidence, the meaning clearly is, "The Lord, who stood by me at my trial, will continue to be my Saviour. He will deliver me from every evil design of mine enemies, and from all the wiles and assaults of the devil, in short, from the whole power of evil, and will bring me safe into his own kingdom of light and righteousness." There is a strong contrast, as Bengel pithily observes, between "the evil work" and "his heavenly kingdom." A triumphant martyrdom is as true a deliverance as escape from death. Compare our Lord's promise, "There shall not an hair of your head perish" (
Luke 21:18 compared with ver. 16). St. Paul's confidence simply is that the Lord would, in his own good time and way, transfer him from this present evil world, and from the powers of darkness, into his eternal kingdom of light and righteousness.
Parallel Commentaries ...
Greek
[And] theὁ(ho)Article - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3588:The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.LordΚύριος(Kyrios)Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2962:Lord, master, sir; the Lord. From kuros; supreme in authority, i.e. controller; by implication, Master.will rescueῥύσεταί(rhysetai)Verb - Future Indicative Middle - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 4506:To rescue, deliver (from danger or destruction).meμε(me)Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 1st Person Singular
Strong's 1473:I, the first-person pronoun. A primary pronoun of the first person I.fromἀπὸ(apo)Preposition
Strong's 575:From, away from. A primary particle; 'off, ' i.e. Away, in various senses.everyπαντὸς(pantos)Adjective - Genitive Neuter Singular
Strong's 3956:All, the whole, every kind of. Including all the forms of declension; apparently a primary word; all, any, every, the whole.evilπονηροῦ(ponērou)Adjective - Genitive Neuter Singular
Strong's 4190:Evil, bad, wicked, malicious, slothful.actionἔργου(ergou)Noun - Genitive Neuter Singular
Strong's 2041:From a primary ergo; toil; by implication, an act.andκαὶ(kai)Conjunction
Strong's 2532:And, even, also, namely.bring [me] safelyσώσει(sōsei)Verb - Future Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 4982:To save, heal, preserve, rescue. From a primary sos; to save, i.e. Deliver or protect.intoεἰς(eis)Preposition
Strong's 1519:A primary preposition; to or into, of place, time, or purpose; also in adverbial phrases.Hisαὐτοῦ(autou)Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 846:He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.heavenlyἐπουράνιον(epouranion)Adjective - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 2032:From epi and ouranos; above the sky.kingdom.βασιλείαν(basileian)Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 932:From basileus; properly, royalty, i.e. rule, or a realm.To Him [be]ᾧ(hō)Personal / Relative Pronoun - Dative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3739:Who, which, what, that.theἡ(hē)Article - Nominative Feminine Singular
Strong's 3588:The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.gloryδόξα(doxa)Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular
Strong's 1391:From the base of dokeo; glory, in a wide application.foreverαἰῶνας(aiōnas)Noun - Accusative Masculine Plural
Strong's 165:From the same as aei; properly, an age; by extension, perpetuity; by implication, the world; specially a Messianic period.[and]τῶν(tōn)Article - Genitive Masculine Plural
Strong's 3588:The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.ever.αἰώνων(aiōnōn)Noun - Genitive Masculine Plural
Strong's 165:From the same as aei; properly, an age; by extension, perpetuity; by implication, the world; specially a Messianic period.Amen.ἀμήν(amēn)Hebrew Word
Strong's 281:Of Hebrew origin; properly, firm, i.e. trustworthy; adverbially, surely.
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NT Letters: 2 Timothy 4:18 And the Lord will deliver me (2 Tim. 2Ti iiTi ii Tim) 
