• 2 Timothy 1:3
    The Kingdom Interlinear Translation of the Greek Scriptures

    • 3 Χάριν Thanks ἔχω I am having τῷ to the θεῷ, God, ᾧ to whom λατρεύω I am rendering sacred service ἀπὸ from προγόνων progenitors ἐν in καθαρᾷ clean συνειδήσει, conscience, ὡς as ἀδιάλειπτον unceasing ἔχω I am having τὴν the περὶ about σοῦ you μνείαν remembrance ἐν in ταῖς the δεήσεσίν supplications μου, of me, νυκτὸς of night καὶ and ἡμέρας of day

  • 2 Timothy 1:3
    The Emphasized Bible

    • 3 Grateful am I unto God,—Unto whom I am rendering divine service from my progenitors in a pure conscience That incessant hold I the remembrance concerning thee in my supplications; Day and night

  • 2 Timothy 1:3
    King James Version

    • 3 I thank God, whom I serve from my forefathers with pure conscience, that without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers night and day;

  • 2 Timothy Study Notes—Chapter 1
    New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures (Study Edition)

    • 1:3

      I am grateful to God: Paul included expressions of gratitude, or thanks, in the opening passages of many of his letters. (Ro 1:8; 1Co 1:4; Eph 1:15, 16; Php 1:3-5; Col 1:3, 4; 1Th 1:2, 3; 2Th 1:3; Phm 4) Now imprisoned in Rome, Paul realizes that he is about to die. (2Ti 4:6-8) He has faced severe opposition and has been abandoned by some of his friends. (2Ti 4:10-12, 14-17) Even so, he opens this letter, not with grief, but with gratitude. Later in this verse, he reveals one cause for thanks​—his friend Timothy, whom Paul includes in his prayers “night and day.” Paul is particularly grateful for the young man’s outstanding faith and calls it “unhypocritical.”​—2Ti 1:5.

      God, to whom I am rendering sacred service: Or “God, whom I am serving (worshipping).” Paul here acknowledges that he has the privilege of worshipping God, as did his faithful Jewish forefathers, men who figured prominently in the Hebrew Scriptures. The expression “rendering sacred service” can refer to worshipping God, both under the Jewish system of things and in the Christian congregation. For example, in rendering Moses’ command to the people to serve Jehovah (De 6:13), the Septuagint uses the same Greek verb that Paul uses here. At Mt 4:10, Jesus quotes from this passage in Deuteronomy when telling the Devil: “It is to [Jehovah] alone you must render sacred service.” (See study note on Mt 4:10; see also Ex 3:12; De 10:12, 20; Jos 22:5; LXX) In his letter to the Romans, Paul shows that an important feature of sacred service is that of preaching the good news about God’s Son.​—See study note on Ro 1:9.

      with a clean conscience: Paul is in prison, chained as a criminal (2Ti 1:16), but he expresses confidence that he has served Jehovah God faithfully and with a pure, unselfish motive. (See study note on 2Ti 1:12.) He earlier wrote to his fellow believers in Corinth: “We have wronged no one, we have corrupted no one, we have taken advantage of no one.”​—2Co 7:2; see study notes on Ro 2:15; 1Ti 1:5.