2 Timothy 4:17

Timothy 4:17 

Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion.

a. NLT: But the Lord stood with me and gave me strength so that I might preach the Good News in its entirety for all the Gentiles to hear. And he rescued me from certain death.

b. NIV: But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. And I was delivered from the lion’s mouth.

c. YLT: And the Lord stood by me, and did strengthen me, that through me the preaching might be fully assured, and all the nations might hear, and I was freed out of the mouth of a lion.

d. Amplified Bible Classic: But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, so that through me the (Gospel) message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. So I was delivered out of the jaws of the lion.

e. Worrell Translation: The Lord stood by me, and strengthened me, that through me the proclamation might be fully announced, and that all the gentiles might hear; and I was delivered out of the mouth of a lion. 

f. Wuest Translation: But the Lord took His stand at my side to render all the assistance I needed, and clothed me with strength, in order that through me the public proclamation might be heralded abroad in full measure, and that all the Gentiles might hear.

1. “Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me…” 

a. Notwithstanding [Strong: 1161 de deh a primary particle (adversative or continuative); but, and, etc.:--also, and, but, moreover, now (often unexpressed in English).]

b. the Lord [Strong: 2962 kurios koo'-ree-os from kuros (supremacy); supreme in authority, i.e. (as noun) controller; by implication, Master (as a respectful title):-- God, Lord, master, Sir.]

c. stood [Strong: 3936 paristemi par-is'-tay-mee, or prolonged paristano par-is-tan'-o from 3844 and 2476; to stand beside, i.e. (transitively) to exhibit, proffer, (specially), recommend, (figuratively) substantiate; or (intransitively) to be at hand (or ready), aid:--assist, bring before, command, commend, give presently, present, prove, provide, shew, stand (before, by, here, up, with), yield.] [Zodhiates: paristano & paristemi; para-near; histemi-to place, stand   to cause to stand near or before, generally with the idea of to be present.] [D.C. Note: Zodhiates says in 2 Timothy 4:17 it is figuratively. I disagree.]

d. [with] me [Strong: 3427 moi moy the simpler form of 1698; to me:--I, me, mine, my.]

1). I personally believe that Jesus appeared to Paul and stood with him during his appearance before Nero. The first reason I believe that is because the Lord appeared to Paul a number of times. On the road to Damascus Acts 9:1-6; in Jerusalem Acts 22:17-21; Paul’s out of body experience in heaven 2 Corinthians 12:2-4. At the beginning of his incarceration the Lord appeared to him. When Paul was on his way to Rome an angel appeared and stood by him and gave him an encouraging message.

 a). Acts 27:22-24 And now I exhort you to be of good cheer: for there shall be no loss of any man’s life among you, but of the ship.

27:23 For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve,

27:24 Saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Caesar: and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee.   

(1) The Greek word used here for “stood”, is the same word used in 2 Timothy4:17. I not only believe the Lord strengthened him but I believe he also held his hand.

(2) Isaiah 41:10-13 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.

41:11 Behold, all they that were incensed against thee shall be ashamed and confounded: they shall be as nothing; and they that strive with thee shall perish.

41:12 Thou shalt seek them, and shalt not find them, even them that contended with thee: they that war against thee shall be as nothing, and as a thing of nought.

41:13 For I the LORD thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee.

2). There is another instance where it says the Lord stood by Paul but it is a different greek word.

a). Acts 23:11 And the night following the Lord stood by him, and said, Be of good cheer, Paul: for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome.

b).  The Greek word used for “stood” here is “stood by” [Strong: 2186  ephistemi ef-is'-tay-mee from 1909 and 2476; to stand upon, i.e. be present (in various applications, friendly or otherwise, usually literal); --assault, come (in, to, unto, upon), be at hand (instant), present, stand (before, by, over).] [Zodhiates: ephistemi; epi-by, near, upon; histemi-to stand; to place oneself upon or near, to stand upon, by, near.]

2. “…and strengthened me…”

a. and [Strong: 2532 kai kahee apparently, a primary particle, having a copulative and sometimes also a cumulative force; and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words:--and, also, both, but, even, for, if, or, so, that, then, therefore, when, yet.] 

b. strengthened [Strong: 1743 endunamoo en-doo-nam-o'-o from 1722 and 1412; to empower:--enable, (increase in) strength(-en), be (make) strong.] [Thayer: to be strong, endue with strength, strengthen, to receive strength, be strengthened, increase in strength….]

1). Rick Renner 12/4/16: The word “strengthened” in the Greek is endunamoo, which always refers to an empowerment or an inner strengthening. It is a compound of the words en and dunamis. The word en means in. The word dunamis means explosive strength, ability, and power. It’s where we get the word dynamite.

c. me [Strong: 3165 me meh a shorter (and probably originally) from of 1691; me:--I, me, my.]

2. “…that by me the preaching might be fully known, and all the Gentiles might hear…”

a. that [Strong: 2443 hina hin'-ah probably from the same as the former part of 1438 (through the demonstrative idea; compare 3588); in order that (denoting the purpose or the result):--albeit, because, to the intent (that), lest, so as, (so) that, (for) to.]

b. by [Strong: 1223 dia dee-ah' a primary preposition denoting the channel of an act; through (in very wide applications, local, causal, or occasional):--after, always, among, at, to avoid, because of (that), briefly, by, for (cause) ... fore, from, in, by occasion of, of, by reason of, for sake, that, thereby, therefore, X though, through(-out), to, wherefore, with (-in). In composition it retains the same general importance.]

c. me [Strong: 1700 emou em-oo' a prolonged form of 3449; of me:--me, mine, my.]

d. the [Strong: 3588 ho ho, including the feminine he hay, and the neuter to to in all their inflections; the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom):--the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.]

e. preaching [Strong: 2782 kerugma kay'-roog-mah from 2784; a proclamation (especially of the gospel; by implication, the gospel itself):--preaching.]

f. might be fully known [Strong: 4135 plerophoreo play-rof-or-eh'-o from 4134 and 5409; to carry out fully (in evidence), i.e. completely assure (or convince), entirely accomplish:--most surely believe, fully know (persuade), make full proof of.] 

g. and [Strong: 2532 kai kahee apparently, a primary particle, having a copulative and sometimes also a cumulative force; and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words:--and, also, both, but, even, for, if, or, so, that, then, therefore, when, yet.]

h. all [Strong: 3956 pas pas including all the forms of declension; apparently a primary word; all, any, every, the whole:--all (manner of, means), alway(-s), any (one), X daily, + ever, every (one, way), as many as, + no(-thing), X thoroughly, whatsoever, whole, whosoever.]

i. the [Strong: 3588 ho ho, including the feminine he hay, and the neuter to to in all their inflections; the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom):--the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.]

j. Gentiles [Strong: 1484 ethnos eth'-nos probably from 1486; a race (as of the same habit), i.e. a tribe; specially, a foreign (non-Jewish) one (usually, by implication, pagan):--Gentile, heathen, nation, people.]

k. might hear [Strong: 191 akouo ak-oo'-o a primary verb; to hear (in various senses):--give (in the) audience (of), come (to the ears), (shall) hear(-er, -ken), be noised, be reported, understand.]  

1). I personally believe that the Lord told Paul that because of his obedience in receiving and preaching and documenting the transmission of the New Covenant, through Paul the whole world would hear the Gospel message. Romans, 1 & 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 & 2 Thessalonians, 1 & 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon and Hebrews, basically the New Covenant were all written by Paul. How else would all the nations hear but through the transmission of the gospel by the epistles of Paul. It was and is impossible for Paul himself to reach all the nations even in his day. We must remember Paul was executed not long after this writing, yet Jesus promised that all the nations would hear. Notice the Amplified and Young’s translations.

a). Amplified Bible: “…so that through me the (Gospel) message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it.”

b). Young’s Literal Translation:  “and the Lord stood by me, and did strengthen me, that through me the preaching might be fully assured, and all the nations might hear, and I was freed out of the mouth of a lion,”

3. “…and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion.”

a. and [Strong: 2532 kai kahee apparently, a primary particle, having a copulative and sometimes also a cumulative force; and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words:--and, also, both, but, even, for, if, or, so, that, then, therefore, when, yet.

b. I was delivered [Strong: 4506 rhoumai rhoo'-om-ahee middle voice of an obsolete verb, akin to 4482 (through the idea of a current; compare 4511); to rush or draw (for oneself), i.e. rescue:--deliver(-er).]

c. out of [Strong: 1537 ek ek or ex ex a primary preposition denoting origin (the point whence action or motion proceeds), from, out (of place, time, or cause; literal or figurative; direct or remote):--after, among, X are, at, betwixt(-yond), by (the means of), exceedingly, (+ abundantly above), for(- th), from (among, forth, up), + grudgingly, + heartily, X heavenly, X hereby, + very highly, in, ...ly, (because, by reason) of, off (from), on, out among (from, of), over, since, X thenceforth, through, X unto, X vehemently, with(-out). Often used in composition, with the same general import; often of completion.]

d. the mouth [Strong: 4750 stoma stom'-a probably strengthened from a presumed derivative of the base of 5114; the mouth (as if a gash in the face); by implication, language (and its relations); figuratively, an opening (in the earth); specially, the front or edge (of a weapon):--edge, face, mouth.]

e. of the lion [Strong: 3023 3023. leon leh-ohn' a primary word; a "lion":--lion.]