Command and Promise in the Epistles
In the first epistle, intending to hand over ecclesiastical canons, he spoke by command; but in the second, by promise, he said: for the apostleship indeed ordains the things that are profitable by the command of God, but to those who hear it, it promises life, not of the present, but of the eternal, that which is in Christ Jesus. In the first epistle, by command, he says he is intending to ordain, but in the second epistle, by promise: for the apostleship indeed ordains, but on the hope of obtaining eternal life, it promises those who obey.
He does not say 'not the ceasing of life,' but 'of the faith toward God.'
Because the trial against those preaching the gospel was making a cutting off of the gospel, because of this he says: suffer hardship for the gospel. And he brought forward: according to the power of God, because the very suffering itself needs the help of God, the one having abolished death and having enlightened life and incorruption through the gospel. There was life also in Adam and among those after him, but by the death of disobedience it was darkened. It was therefore enlightened now by the resurrection of Christ; it was darkened by death, it is being enlightened through Christ. And how is it possible to test the gospel? As...
Greek
Fragmenta in epistulam ii ad Timotheum (in catenis) 2 Tim 1,1 Ἐν μὲν τῇ προτέρᾳ ἐπιστολῇ μέλλων ἐκκλησιαστικοὺς κανόνας παραδιδόναι, εἶπε κατ' ἐπιταγήν, ἐν δὲ τῇ δευτέρᾳ κατ' ἐπαγγελίαν ἔφη· ἡ γὰρ ἀποστολὴ ἡ μὲν κατ' ἐπιταγὴν τοῦ θεοῦ διατάττει τὰ συμφέροντα, ἡ δὲ τοῖς ἀκούουσι ἐπαγγελίαν ζωῆς, οὐ τῆς νῦν ἀλλὰ τῆς ἀϊδίου, τῆς ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ. Ἐν τῇ πρώτῃ ἐπιστολῇ κατ' ἐπιταγὴν λέγει μέλλων διατάττειν, ἐν δὲ τῇ δευτέρᾳ ἐπιστολῇ κατ' ἐπαγγελίαν· ἡ γὰρ ἀποστολὴ διατάττει μέν, ἐπ' ἐλπίδι δὲ τοῦ τυχεῖν αἰωνίου ζωῆς τοὺς ὑπακούοντας. 2 Tim 1,3 Οὐ τὸ ἀπαράλειπτον λέγει τοῦ βίου, ἀλλὰ τῆς εἰς θεὸν πίστεως. 2 Tim 1,8®10 Ἐπειδὴ ὁ κατὰ τῶν εὐαγγελιζομένων πειρασμὸς ἐκκοπὴν ἐποίει τῷ εὐαγγελίῳ, διὰ τοῦτό φησιν· συγκακοπάθησον τῷ εὐαγγελίῳ. ἐπήγαγε δέ· κατὰ δύναμιν θεοῦ, ἐπειδὴ αὐτὸ τὸ κακοπαθεῖν τῆς τοῦ θεοῦ δεῖται βοηθείας, τοῦ καταργήσαντος μὲν τὸν θάνατον, φωτίσαντος δὲ ζωὴν καὶ ἀφθαρσίαν διὰ τοῦ εὐαγγελίου. ἦν καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ Ἀδὰμ ζωὴ καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν μετ' αὐτόν, ἀλλὰ τῷ θανάτῳ τῆς παρακοῆς ἐζοφώθη. ἐφωτίσθη οὖν νῦν τῇ ἀναστάσει τοῦ Χριστοῦ· ἐζοφώθη τῷ θανάτῳ, φωτίζεται διὰ τοῦ Χριστοῦ. Καὶ πῶς οἷόν τε πειράζεσθαι τὸ εὐαγγέλιον; ὡς
About this text
Explore how early Christians understood spiritual authority and eternal life through this insightful commentary on 2 Timothy.
Original English Translation of Severianus of Gabala’s Fragmenta in epistulam ii ad Timotheum — new OET from PG 65 Greek.
Catalogue & scope
Khazarzar scan
Witnesses
- Copy-text PG 65 (Khazarzar) (Greek)
This is an AI-assisted study translation. Source fidelity and completeness have not been independently certified. Open Greek on each section for the source text. This is not a complete critical edition.