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Selected Verse: 2 Timothy 4:8 - King James

Verse	Translation	Text
2Ti 4:8	King James	Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.

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A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]
a crown--rather as Greek, "the crown." The "henceforth" marks the decisive moment; he looks to his state in a threefold aspect: (1) The past "I have fought"; (2) The immediate present; "there is laid up for me." (3) The future "the Lord will give in that day" [BENGEL]. crown--a crown, or garland, used to be bestowed at the Greek national games on the successful competitor in wrestling, running, &c. (compare Pe1 5:4; Rev 2:10). of righteousness--The reward is in recognition of righteousness wrought in Paul by God's Spirit; the crown is prepared for the righteous; but it is a crown which consists in righteousness. Righteousness will be its own reward (Rev 22:11). Compare Exo 39:30. A man is justified gratuitously by the merits of Christ through faith; and when he is so justified God accepts his works and honors them with a reward which is not their due, but is given of grace. "So great is God's goodness to men that He wills that their works should be merits, though they are merely His own gifts" [POPE CELESTINE I., Epistles, 12]. give--Greek, "shall award" in righteous requital as "Judge" (Act 17:31; Co2 5:10; Th2 1:6-7). in that day--not until His appearing (Ti2 1:12). The partakers of the first resurrection may receive a crown also at the last day, and obtain in that general assembly of all men, a new award of praise. The favorable sentence passed on the "brethren" of the Judge, who sit with Him on His throne, is in Mat 25:40, taken for granted as already awarded, when that affecting those who benefited them is being passed [BENGEL]. The former, the elect Church who reign with Christ in the millennium, are fewer than the latter. The righteous heavenly Judge stands in contrast to the unrighteous earthly judges who condemned Paul. me--individual appropriation. Greek, "not only to me." them that love--Greek, "have loved, and do love"; habitual love and desire for Christ's appearing, which presupposes faith (compare Heb 9:28). Compare the sad contrast, Ti2 4:10, "having loved this present world."

A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]

a crown--rather as Greek, "the crown." The "henceforth" marks the decisive moment; he looks to his state in a threefold aspect: (1) The past "I have fought"; (2) The immediate present; "there is laid up for me." (3) The future "the Lord will give in that day" [BENGEL].

crown--a crown, or garland, used to be bestowed at the Greek national games on the successful competitor in wrestling, running, &c. (compare Pe1 5:4; Rev 2:10).

of righteousness--The reward is in recognition of righteousness wrought in Paul by God's Spirit; the crown is prepared for the righteous; but it is a crown which consists in righteousness. Righteousness will be its own reward (Rev 22:11). Compare Exo 39:30. A man is justified gratuitously by the merits of Christ through faith; and when he is so justified God accepts his works and honors them with a reward which is not their due, but is given of grace. "So great is God's goodness to men that He wills that their works should be merits, though they are merely His own gifts" [POPE CELESTINE I., Epistles, 12].

give--Greek, "shall award" in righteous requital as "Judge" (Act 17:31; Co2 5:10; Th2 1:6-7).

in that day--not until His appearing (Ti2 1:12). The partakers of the first resurrection may receive a crown also at the last day, and obtain in that general assembly of all men, a new award of praise. The favorable sentence passed on the "brethren" of the Judge, who sit with Him on His throne, is in Mat 25:40, taken for granted as already awarded, when that affecting those who benefited them is being passed [BENGEL]. The former, the elect Church who reign with Christ in the millennium, are fewer than the latter. The righteous heavenly Judge stands in contrast to the unrighteous earthly judges who condemned Paul.

me--individual appropriation. Greek, "not only to me."

them that love--Greek, "have loved, and do love"; habitual love and desire for Christ's appearing, which presupposes faith (compare Heb 9:28). Compare the sad contrast, Ti2 4:10, "having loved this present world."

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]
Henceforth there is laid up for me - At the end of my race, as there was a crown in reserve for those who had successfully striven in the Grecian games; compare the notes on Co1 9:25. The word "henceforth" - λοιπὸν loipon - means "what remains, or as to the rest;" and the idea is, that that was what remained of the whole career. The race had been run; the conflict had been waged; and all which was now necessary to complete the whole transaction, was merely that the crown be bestowed. A crown of righteousness - That is, a crown won in the cause of righteousness, and conferred as the reward of his conflicts and efforts in the cause of holiness. It was not the crown of ambition; it was not a garland won in struggles for earthly distinction; it was that which was the appropriate reward of his efforts to be personally holy, and to spread the principles of holiness as far as possible through the world. Which the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give me - The Lord Jesus, appointed to judge the world, and to dispense the rewards of eternity. It will be seen in the last day that the rewards of heaven are not conferred in an arbitrary manner, but that they are bestowed because they ought to be, or that God is righteous and just in doing it. No man will be admitted to heaven who ought not, under all the circumstances of the case, to be admitted there; no one will be excluded who ought to have been saved. At that day - That is, the time when he will come to judge the world; Matt. 25. And not to me only - "Though my life has been spent in laboriously endeavoring to spread his religion; though I have suffered much, and labored long; though I have struggled hard to win the prize, and now have it full in view, yet I do not suppose that it is to be conferred on me alone. It is not like the wreath of olive, laurel, pine, or parsley (See the notes at Co1 9:25), which could be conferred only on one victor (See the notes at Co1 9:24); but here every one may obtain the crown who strives for it. The struggle is not between me and a competitor in such a sense that, if 'I' obtain the crown, 'he' must be excluded; but it is a crown which 'he" can obtain as well as 'I.' As many as run - as many as fight the good fight - as many as keep the faith - as many as love his appearing, may win the crown as well as I." Such is religion, and such is the manner in which its rewards differ from all others. At the Grecian games, but one could obtain the prize; Co1 9:24. All the rest who contended in those games, no matter how numerous they were, or how skilfully they contended, or how much effort they made, were of course subjected to the mortification of a failure, and to all the ill-feeling and envy to which such a failure might give rise. So it is in respect to all the prizes which this world can bestow. In a lottery, but one can obtain the highest prize; in a class in college, but one can secure the highest honor; in the scramble for office, no matter how numerous the competitors may be, or what may be their merits, but one can obtain it. All the rest are liable to the disappointments and mortifications of defeat. Not so in religion. No matter how numerous the competitors, or how worthy any one of them may be, or how pre-eminent above his brethren, yet all may obtain the prize; all may be crowned with a diadem of life, of equal brilliancy. No one is excluded because another is successful; no one fails of the reward because another obtains it. Who, then, would not make an effort to win the immortal crown? Unto all them also that love his appearing - That is, unto all who desire his second coming. To believe in the second advent of the Lord Jesus to judge the world, and to desire his return, became a kind of a criterion by which Christians were known. No others but true Christians were supposed to believe in that, and no others truly desired it; compare Rev 1:7; Rev 22:20. It is so now. It is one of the characteristics of a true Christian that he sincerely desires the return of his Saviour, and would weLcome his appearing in the clouds of heaven.

The Scofield Bible Commentary, by Cyrus Ingerson Scofield, [1917]
righteousness (See Scofield) - (Jo1 3:7).

Vincent's Word Studies, by Marvin R. Vincent [1886]
Henceforth (λοιπὸν) Lit. as to what remains. Λοιπὸν or τὸ λοιπὸν either finally, as Co2 13:11; or henceforth as here, Mar 14:41; Co1 7:29, Heb 10:13 : or for the rest, besides, as Th1 4:1 (note); Th2 3:1. There is laid up (ἀπόκειται) Or laid away. In Pastorals only here. In Paul, see Col 1:5 (note). Luk 19:20 of the pound laid up in a napkin. A crown of righteousness (ὃ τῆς δικαιοσύνης στέφανος) The phrase N.T.o. See on στεφανοῦται is crowned, Ti2 2:5. Rend. the crown. Judge (κριτής) Comp. Ti2 4:1. Mostly in Luke and Acts. oP. Only here in Pastorals. Applied to Christ, Act 10:42; Jam 5:9; to God, Heb 12:28; Jam 4:12. Shall give (ἀποδώσει) Most frequent in Synoptic Gospels. It may mean to give over or away, as Mat 27:58; Act 5:8; Heb 12:16 : or to give back, recompose, as here, Mat 6:4, Mat 6:6, Mat 6:18; Rom 2:6. At that day (ἐν ἐκείνῃ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ) See on Ti2 1:12. That love his appearing (τοῖς ἠγαπηκόσι τὴν ἐπιφάνειαν αὐτοῦ) For love rend. have loved. Appearing, Christ's second coming: see on Ti1 6:14; see on Th2 2:8. The phrase N.T.o. Some have interpreted appearing as Christ's first coming into the world, as Ti2 1:10; but the other sense is according to the analogy of Co1 2:9; Phi 3:20; Heb 9:28.

Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65]
The crown of that righteousness - Which God has imputed to me and wrought in me. Will render to all - This increases the joy of Paul, and encourages Timotheus. Many of these St. Paul himself had gained. That have loved his appearing - Which only a real Christian can do. I say a real Christian, to comply with the mode of the times: else they would not understand, although the word Christian necessarily implies whatsoever is holy, as God is holy. Strictly speaking, to join real or sincere to a word of so complete an import, is grievously to debase its noble signification, and is like adding long to eternity or wide to immensity.

Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826
Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown - This I can claim as my due; but the crown I expect is not one of fading leaves, but a crown of righteousness; the reward which God, in his kindness, has promised to them who are faithful to the grace he has bestowed upon them. The Lord, the righteous Judge - He alludes here to the brabeus, or umpire in the Grecian games, whose office it was to declare the victor, and to give the crown. At that day - The day of judgment; the morning of the resurrection from the dead. Unto all them also that love his appearing - All who live in expectation of the coming of Christ, who anticipate it with joyfulness, having buried the world and laid up all their hopes above. Here is a reward, but it is a reward not of debt but of grace; for it is by the grace of God that even an apostle is fitted for glory. And this reward is common to the faithful; it is given, not only to apostles, but to all them that love his appearing. This crown is laid up - it is in view, but not in possession. We must die first. I have several times noted the allusions of St. Paul to the Greek poets, and such as seemed to argue that he quoted immediately from them. There is a passage in the Alcestis of Euripides, in which the very expressions used here by the apostle are found, and spoken on the occasion of a wife laying down her life for her husband, when both his parents had refused to do it. Ουκ ηθελησας ουδ' ετολμησας θανειν Του σου προ παιδος· αλλα την δ' ειασατε Γυναικ' οθνειαν, ἡν εγω και μητερα Πατερα τε γ' ενδικως αν ἡγοιμην μονην· Και τοι καλον γ' αν τανδ' αγων' ηγωνισω, Του σου προ παιδος κατθανων. Alcest. v. 644. "Thou wouldst not, neither darest thou to die for thy son; but hast suffered this strange woman to do it, whom I justly esteem to be alone my father and mother: thou wouldst have fought a good fight hadst thou died for thy son." See Sophocles and Aeschylus, quoted Ti1 6:15. The καλος αγων, good fight, was used among the Greeks to express a contest of the most honorable kind, and in this sense the apostle uses it.

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¹⁰ For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia.

²⁸ So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.

⁴⁰ And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

¹² For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.

⁶ Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you;
⁷ And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels,

¹⁰ For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.

³¹ Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.

³⁰ And they made the plate of the holy crown of pure gold, and wrote upon it a writing, like to the engravings of a signet, HOLINESS TO THE LORD.

¹¹ He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.

¹⁰ Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.

⁴ And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.

²⁰ He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.

⁷ Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.

²⁴ Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.

²⁵ And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.

⁷ Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.

²⁸ So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.

²⁰ For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:

⁹ But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

¹⁰ But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel:

⁸ And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:

¹⁴ That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukeable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ:

⁶ Who will render to every man according to his deeds:

¹⁸ That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.

⁶ But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.

⁴ That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.

¹⁶ Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright.

⁸ And Peter answered unto her, Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much? And she said, Yea, for so much.

⁵⁸ He went to Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be delivered.

¹² There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another?

²⁸ Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:

⁹ Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned: behold, the judge standeth before the door.

⁴² And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead.

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;

⁵ And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully.

²⁰ And another came, saying, Lord, behold, here is thy pound, which I have kept laid up in a napkin:

⁵ For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel;

¹ Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you:

¹ Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more.

¹³ From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool.

²⁹ But this I say, brethren, the time is short: it remaineth, that both they that have wives be as though they had none;

⁴¹ And he cometh the third time, and saith unto them, Sleep on now, and take your rest: it is enough, the hour is come; behold, the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.

¹¹ Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you.

¹⁵ Which in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords;