2 Timothy 4:1
“I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;”
King James Version (KJV)
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Read Full Chapter →Paul solemnly charges Timothy in the presence of God and Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing.
What Does 2 Timothy 4:1 Mean?
Paul rises to the most solemn charge of the letter. He calls Timothy to account before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, naming Christ as the One who will judge both the living and the dead when He appears in His kingdom. The weight of eternity stands behind the words that follow.
This is no casual instruction but a sacred commission given in the presence of the Judge of all. Paul wants Timothy to feel the seriousness of his calling, carried out under the gaze of the One who sees and will one day judge everyone. For the reader, this verse lifts the eyes to the coming appearing of Christ and the certainty of His judgment. It reminds us that our work and our lives unfold before God, and it lends a holy gravity to faithfulness. We serve, finally, before the face of the One who is coming again as King and Judge.