2 Timothy 1:14
What does 2 Timothy 1:14 mean?
A plain-English look at 2 Timothy 1:14 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What 2 Timothy 1:14 means
Paul urges Timothy to guard “that good thing” entrusted to him, a precious deposit of the gospel and sound doctrine. Guarding implies vigilance against distortion, neglect, or theft by false teachers and pressures. Yet Timothy is not left to himself; he must guard it “through the Holy Spirit which dwelleth in us.” The indwelling Spirit supplies strength, wisdom, and courage to keep the truth intact and to pass it on. The deposit is good because it is God’s saving message; to lose or dilute it would harm souls. Paul links divine help and human responsibility: Timothy must actively protect the treasure, relying moment by moment on the Spirit’s enabling presence.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000That good thing which was committed unto thee guard through the Holy Spirit which dwelleth in us.
KJV
King James Version · 1611That good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901That good thing which was committed unto thee guard through the Holy Spirit which dwelleth in us.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949That good thing which was given to you keep safe, through the Holy Spirit which is in us.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862the good thing committed guard thou through the Holy Spirit that is dwelling in us;
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752Keep the good thing committed to thy trust by the Holy Ghost who dwelleth in us.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890Keep, by the Holy Spirit which dwells in us, the good deposit entrusted.
Context
This command follows the call to hold the pattern of sound words (verse 13) and precedes the sad report of desertion in Asia (verse 15). It frames Timothy’s task as a sacred trust in a season when many are abandoning Paul. The reference to the Spirit balances the weight of responsibility with assurance of divine aid. The flow moves from personal assurance (verse 12) to pastoral duty (verses 13–14) to real-life examples of unfaithfulness and faithfulness (verses 15–18), which highlight the urgency of guarding the gospel.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- 1 Corinthians 6:19
Or know ye not that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit which is in you, which ye have from God? and ye are not your own;
- Romans 8:9
But ye are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you. But if any man hath not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
- 2 Timothy 1:12
For which cause I suffer also these things: yet I am not ashamed; for I know him whom I have believed, and I am persuaded that he is able to guard that which I have committed unto him against that day.
- 2 Corinthians 5:19
to wit, that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself, not reckoning unto them their trespasses, and having committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
- Romans 3:2
Much every way: first of all, that they were intrusted with the oracles of God.
- Romans 8:11
But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwelleth in you, he that raised up Christ Jesus from the dead shall give life also to your mortal bodies through his Spirit that dwelleth in you.
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