Survey of the Letters of Paul back to the top     back to main page for this verse 2 Timothy 4:17 Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion. This last section of Chapter 4 has seven [7] verses. 2 Timothy 4:16-22 16 At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge. 17 Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion. 18 And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom [meaning of God]: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. 19 Salute Prisca and Aquila, and the household of Onesiphorus. 20 Erastus abode at Corinth: but Trophimus have I left at Miletum sick. 21 Do thy diligence to come before winter. Eubulus greeteth thee, and Pudens, and Linus, and Claudia, and all the brethren. 22 The Lord Jesus Christ be with thy spirit. Grace be with you. Amen. We will begin with the Barclay commentary: LAST WORDS AND GREETINGS 2 Timothy 4:16-22 …paraphrased At my first defense, no one was there to stand by me, but all forsook me. May it not be reckoned against them! But the Lord stood beside me, and he strengthened me, so that through me the proclamation of the gospel was fully made so that the Gentiles might hear it. So I was rescued from the mouth of the lion. The Lord will rescue me from every evil, and will save me for his heavenly kingdom. Glory be to him for ever and ever. Amen. Greet Prisca and Aquila [AK-wih-luh], and the family of Onesiphorus [on'uh-SIF-uh-ruhs]. Erastus [ih-RAS-tuhs] stayed in Corinth. I left Trophimus [TROF-uh-muhs] at Miletus. Exibulus [Ex-aw-bu-lus] sends greetings to you, as do Pudens [POO-dinz], Linus and Claudia, and all the brothers. The Lord be with your spirit. Grace be with you. A Roman trial began with a preliminary examination to formulate the precise charge against the prisoner. When Paul was brought to that preliminary examination, not one of his friends stood by him. It was too dangerous to proclaim oneself the friend of a man on trial for his life. One of the curious things about this passage is the number of reminiscences of Psalm 22. ‘Why have you forsaken me? – all forsook me.’ ‘There is no one to help – no one was there to stand by me.’ ‘Save me from the mouth of the lion! – I was rescued from the mouth of the lion.’ ‘All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord – that the Gentiles might hear it.’ ‘Dominion belongs to the Lord – The Lord will save me for his heavenly kingdom.’ It seems certain that the words of this psalm were running in Paul’s mind. And the lovely thing is that this was the psalm which was in the mind of Jesus when he hung upon his cross. As Paul faced death, he took encouragement from the same psalm that his Lord used in the same circumstances. Three things brought Paul courage in that lonely hour. (1) Everyone had forsaken him; but the Lord was with him. Jesus had said that he would never leave his followers or forsake them, and that he would be with them to the end of the world. Paul is a witness that Jesus kept his promise. If to do the right means to be alone, as Joan of Arc said, ‘It is better to be alone with God.’ (2) Paul would use even a Roman court to proclaim the message of Christ. He obeyed his own commandment: in season and out of season, he pressed the claims of Christ on men and women. He was so busy thinking of the task of preaching that he forgot the danger. Those who are immersed in the task before them have conquered fear. (3) He was quite certain of the ultimate rescue. He might seem to be the victim of circumstances and a criminal condemned by Roman justice, but Paul saw beyond the present time and knew that his eternal safety was assured. It is always better to be in danger for a moment and safe for eternity than to be safe for a moment and to jeopardize eternity. ~Barclay commentary Now to the other commentaries beginning with the general and going to the specific. First from the Matthew Henry main: Notwithstanding this God stood by him (2 Timothy 4:17) - gave him extraordinary wisdom and courage, to enable him to speak so much the better himself. When he had nobody to keep him in countenance, God made his face to shine. - That by me the preaching might be fully known - that is, “God brought me out from that difficulty that I might preach the gospel, which is my business.” Nay, it should seem, that he might preach the gospel at that time; for Paul knew how to preach at the bar as well as in the pulpit. And that all the Gentiles might hear; the emperor himself and the great men who would never have heard Paul preach if he had not been brought before them. And I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion - that is, of Nero (as some think) or some other judge. Some understand it only as a proverbial form of speech, to signify that he was in imminent danger. And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work. See how Paul improved his experiences: “He that delivered doth deliver, and we trust he will yet deliver, will deliver me from every evil work, from any ill done to me by others. And shall preserve me to his heavenly kingdom.” And for this he gives glory to God, rejoicing in hope of the glory of God. Observe, (1.) If the Lord stand by us, he will strengthen us, in a time of difficulty and danger, and his presence will more than supply every one's absence. (2.) When the Lord preserves his servants from great and imminent danger, it is for eminent work and service. Paul was preserved that by him the preaching might be fully known, etc. (3.) Former deliverances should encourage future hopes. (4.) There is a heavenly kingdom, to which the Lord will preserve his faithful witnessing or suffering servants. (5.) We ought to give God the glory of all past, present, and future deliverances: To whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. ~Matthew Henry Main Now to the Matthew Henry Concise which covers verses 14-18: There is as much danger from false brethren, as from open enemies. It is dangerous having to do with those who would be enemies to such a man as Paul. The Christians at Rome were forward to meet him, Acts 28, but when there seemed to be a danger of suffering with him, then all forsook him. God might justly be angry with them, but he prays God to forgive them. The apostle was delivered out of the mouth of the lion, that is, of Nero, or some of his judges. If the Lord stands by us, he will strengthen us in difficulties and dangers, and his presence will more than supply every one's absence. ~Matthew Henry Concise Now from the F. B. Meyer which covers verses 13-22: The winter was approaching, and the Apostle would be glad of his cloak amid the damp of the Mamertine prison. Evidently his arrest under Nero’s orders had been so sudden and peremptory that he was not allowed to go into his lodgings for this and other possessions, such as the books mentioned in 2 Timothy 4:13. Quoted verse: 2 Timothy 4:13 [see Lesson] The cloke that I left at Troas with Carpus, when thou comest, bring with thee, and the books, but especially the parchments. He had made his first appearance before Nero, and was expecting a further appearance to receive his sentence. But the Lord was with him, and his comfort was that he had proclaimed the gospel to the highest audience in the world of his time. His one thought always was that the gospel should be heard by men, whether they would hear or forbear. If that were secured, he did not count the cost to himself. The lion may stand for Nero or Satan. See Luke 22:31; 1 Peter 5:8. From 2 Timothy 4:20 we gather that miraculous gifts of healing, of which Paul was possessed, may not be used merely for friendship’s sake, but only where the progress of the gospel requires them. ~ F. B. Meyer Quoted verses: Luke 22:31 And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: 1 Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: 2 Timothy 4:20 [see Lesson] Erastus [ih-RAS-tuhs] abode at Corinth: but Trophimus [TROF-uh-muhs] have I left at Miletum sick. Notice this now from the Biblical Illustrator: Man’s extremity [condition of extreme distress or need] is God’s opportunity 1. All men forsook me, but the Lord stood by me. Hence, observe: that man’s extremity is God’s opportunity, or when man’s help faileth then God appeareth, He then cometh in as an Auxiliary. The Lord only is immutable [unchangeable], He never faileth His at their need. God’s people are never less alone than when they are most alone; never less forsaken than when they are forsaken of all. 2. Strengthening grace [mercy, pardon, favor, help] is the gift of God. “And strengthened me.” He doth not only give us renewing grace and then leave us to our own free-will, but He giveth us persevering grace also. As He is the Author of our grace by vocation, so He is the finisher of it by preservation. 3. Whilst God hath any work for His servants to do, He will assist and uphold them in spite of all oppositions. “That by me the preaching might be fully known.” Though Nero rage against Paul, and all men forsake him, yet God will assist him that He may preach the gospel to the world. Our comfort is, that our times are not in our enemies’ hands but in the hands of a gracious God. 4. God would have His truth revealed to the sons of men. “And that all the Gentiles might hear.” He would have the gospel known—fully known—to the Gentiles. Truth is good, and the more common it is the better. Where it getteth ground, Satan’s kingdom falleth like lightning from heaven suddenly and irresistibly (Luke 10:18). Let none then hide their talents, but as the sun freely communicateth its light and heat to us, so let us freely impart our gifts unto others. Quoted verse: Luke 10:18 And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven. 5. The Church’s enemies ofttimes are lions. “And I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion.” Lions for potency, lions for policy (Psalm 17:12), lions for cruelty, lions for terror. Be serpents for policy, and not for poison, lions for prowess, and not for rapine. Be not familiar with these lions, come not near their-dens lest they make a prey of you, have no fellowship with such unfruitful works of darkness but reprove them rather. Quoted verse: Psalm 17:12 Like as a lion that is greedy of his prey, and as it were a young lion lurking in secret places. 6. God many times suffers His dearest children to fall into the mouths of these lions, so that to a carnal eye they seem hopeless and helpless. 7. That God will deliver His from this great danger. He that brought thee into the mouth of the lion will bring thee out again (Daniel 6:22). ~Biblical Illustrator Quoted verse: Daniel 6:22 My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions' mouths, that they have not hurt me: forasmuch as before him innocency was found in me; and also before thee, O king, have I done no hurt. Here is another piece from the Biblical Illustrator: God’s goodness in the greatest distresses I. Paul’s experience of God’s loving care for him in his past deliverances. 1. The enemies of the truth are oft for power, always for malice—lions. 2. God suffers His dearest children to fall into the mouths of lions. 3. In their extremities [condition of extreme distress or need] God delivers them— (1) By suspending the malice of their foes. (2) By raising up one lion against another. (3) By diverting them from their intended prey. (4) By changing their nature to lambs. (5) By showing Himself a lion. (6) By making them lions to themselves. (7) By making them friends, putting some conceit or fancy into their heart. (8) By making His own people lions to their adversaries. II. Paul’s assured hope, built upon his experience. 1. “The Lord shall deliver me from every evil work.” God preserves from evil works by planting the graces of faith and fear in us. 2. “And will preserve me unto His heavenly [meaning of God] kingdom.” By Himself, and by inferior agencies. III. The issue of both his experience and his hopes. As they flow from God’s grace, so he ascribes to Him the glory. We honour ourselves when we honour God; our praising God causes others to do so. ~Biblical Illustrator We will now go to the specific commentaries. The various commentaries break out this verse into many different configurations as you will see. I will put them all under these four parts: 1] Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me and strengthened me. 2] That by me the preaching might be fully known. 3] And that all the Gentiles might hear. 4] And I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion. 1] Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me and strengthened me. The Lord stood with me - He had a better helper than man. He had an assurance that the Lord was with him. ~People's New Testament Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me - Though all “men” forsook me, yet “God” did not. This expresses a universal truth in regard to the faithfulness of God [see Psalm 27:10; and Job 5:17-19]. ~Barnes Notes Quoted verses: Psalm 27:10 When my father and my mother forsake me, then the LORD will take me up. Job 5:17-20 17 Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth: therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty: 18 For he maketh sore, and bindeth up: he woundeth, and his hands make whole. 19 He shall deliver thee in six troubles: yea, in seven there shall no evil touch thee. 20 In famine he shall redeem thee from death: and in war from the power of the sword. The Lord stood with me - When all human help failed, God, in a more remarkable manner, interposed; and thus the excellency plainly appeared to be of God, and not of man. ~Adam Clarke The Lord stood with me - The presence of God or Christ is more than all friends whatever, and is often enjoyed by the believer, when they drop him; and is a bulwark against all enemies and fears of them; if God is with him, and on his side, though friends fail, and enemies rage, he has nothing to fear. ~John Gill And strengthened me - inwardly with strength in his soul, with might in his inward man, unto all longsuffering with joyfulness: he was weak in himself, and could do nothing without Christ; Christ was his strength, in him it lay, and to him he looked for it; of which he often had experience, and now afresh; he strengthened him to plead his own cause, to make his defence without fear; he gave him presence of mind, boldness, courage, and intrepidity, freedom of thought and expression; and put it into his heart what he should say, and gave him a mouth and wisdom, which his adversaries could not resist. All which he takes notice of with thankfulness, admiring the divine goodness to him, and taking nothing to himself: and the end of this was. ~John Gill And strengthened me - Greek, “put strength in me.” ~Jamieson, Fausset, Brown 2] That by me the preaching might be fully known. That by me the preaching might be fully known. - The sentiment of this passage then is, that the truth of the gospel is made known, or that men may become fully assured of it, by the testimony which is borne to it by its friends in the near prospect of death. One of the most important means of establishing the truth of the gospel in the world has been the testimony borne to it by martyrs, and the spirit of unwavering confidence in God which they have evinced. ~Barnes Notes That by me the preaching might be fully known - When called on to make his defense he took occasion to preach the Gospel, and to show that the great God of heaven and earth had designed to illuminate the Gentile world with the rays of his light and glory. ~Adam Clarke That by me the preaching might be fully known - that is, that the doctrine of the Gospel, preached by him, might be made fully known by him; as to the author and original of it, to be of God, and not of men; and as to the matter of it, to be spiritual, and not concerning the things of the world; and as to the effects and consequences of it, to have no tendency to raise sedition and disturbances in commonwealths, but, on the contrary, promote peace and love. ~John Gill That by me the preaching might be fully known - The Lord strengthened him, so that in his defense he could proclaim to the Gentiles boldly the principles of the gospel. For the manner in which he was wont to defend himself, see in Acts his famous speeches before Felix, Festus, and Agrippa. ~People's New Testament 3] And that all the Gentiles might hear. And that all the Gentiles might hear - Paul was at this time in Rome. His trial was before a pagan tribunal, and he was surrounded by Pagans. Rome, too, was then the center of the world, and at all times there was a great conflux of strangers there. His trial, therefore, gave him an opportunity of testifying to the truth of Christianity before Gentile rulers, and in such circumstances that the knowledge of his sufferings, and of the religion for which he suffered, might be conveyed by the strangers who witnessed it to the ends of the world. His main object in life was to make the gospel known to the Gentiles, and he had thus an opportunity of furthering that great cause, even on what he supposed might be the trial which would determine with him the question of life or death. ~Barnes Notes 4] And I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion. And I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion - This may either mean that he was delivered from Nero, compared with a lion, or literally that he was saved from being thrown to lions in the amphitheater, as was common in Rome. ~Barnes Notes And I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion - Out of the mouth of the lion. Probably a proverbial expression indicating deliverance from great danger. Some have thought it meant that he was delivered from being thrown to the lions. ~People's New Testament And this interesting piece from the JFB: I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion — namely, Satan, the roaring, devouring lion. I was prevented falling into his snare, “The Lord shall deliver me from every evil work,” namely, both from evil and the evil one, as the Greek of the Lord’s Prayer expresses it. It was not deliverance from Nero (who was called the lion) which he rejoiced in, for he did not fear death, but deliverance from the temptation, through fear, to deny His Lord. ~Jamieson, Fausset, Brown Now clearly the main phrase in verse 17 is "Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me. The rest of the verse is specific to Paul's life and current situation. Our life and situation now or in the future may be different but the fact that God will stand with you and strengthen you will apply. Some closing verses on this point; Psalm 37:39 But the salvation of the righteous is of the LORD: he is their strength in the time of trouble. Psalm 109:31 For he shall stand at the right hand of the poor, to save him from those that condemn his soul. Matthew 10:19 But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak. Isaiah 41:10 ...God speaking to Israel and by extension us Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness. 2 Corinthians 12:9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Notice a couple of quotes: "Dear God, I don't ask you to make my life easier, but I ask you to give me strength to face all my troubles." "How can I say, 'I can't' when the Bible says, 'I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.'"  [Philippians 4:13] "Lord, help me to remember that nothing is going to happen to me today that you and I together can't handle." This is the lesson of verse 17. back to the top     back to main page for this verse