2 Timothy 1 · Verse 16

2 Timothy 1:16

The Lord give mercy unto the house of Onesiphorus; for he oft refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain:
2 Timothy 1:16, King James Version

2 Timothy 1:16 in other translations

BSBMay the Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, because he has often refreshed me and was unashamed of my chains.
WEBMay the Lord grant mercy to the house of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain,
ASVThe Lord grant mercy unto the house of Onesiphorus: for he oft refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain;
YLTmay the Lord give kindness to the house of Onesiphorus, because many times he did refresh me, and of my chain was not ashamed,
DARBYThe Lord grant mercy to the house of Onesiphorus, for he has often refreshed me, and has not been ashamed of my chain;
BBEMay the Lord give mercy to the house of Onesiphorus because he frequently gave me help, and had no feeling of shame because I was in chains;
WebsterThe Lord give mercy to the house of Onesiphorus; for he often refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain:

What does 2 Timothy 1:16 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
16. The Lord give mercy--even as Onesiphorus had abounded in works of mercy. the house of Onesiphorus--He himself was then absent from Ephesus, which accounts for the form of expression (2Ti 4:19). His household would hardly retain his name after the master was dead, as Bengel supposes him to have been. Nowhere has Paul prayers for the dead, which is fatal to the theory, favored by Alford also, that he was dead. God blesses not only the righteous man himself, but all his household. my chain--Paul in the second, as in his first imprisonment, was bound by a chain to the soldier who guarded him.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes
Verse 16. The Lord give mercy unto the house of Onesiphorus. The family of Onesiphorus--for so the word house is often used. He was himself still living, 2Ti 1:18, but not improbably then absent from his home. Comp. 2Ti 4:19. H e was evidently of Asia, and is the only one who is mentioned from that region who had showed the apostle kindness in his trials. He is mentioned only in this epistle, and nothing more is known of him. The record is entirely honourable to him, and for his family the apostle felt a warm interest on account of the kindness which he had shown to him in prison. The ecclesiastical traditions also state that he was one of the seventy disciples, and was ultimately bishop of Corone. But there is no evidence of this. There is much force in the remark of the editor of the Pictorial Bible, that "the pretended lists of the seventy disciples seem to have been made out on the principle of including all the names incidentally mentioned in the sacred books, and not otherwise appropriated."

For he oft refreshed me. That is, showed me kindness, and ministered to my wants.

And was not ashamed of my chain. Was not ashamed to be known as a friend of one who was a prisoner on account of religion. Paul was bound with a chain when a prisoner at Rome, Php 1:13,14,16, Col 4:3,18; Phm 1:10; Acts 28:20.

(d) "Onesiphorus" 2Ti 4:19 (e) "chain" Acts 28:20

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 16 The Lord give mercy - Onesiphorus had acknowledged him, and continued to do so; he, and his house, or family, ministered to him in prison, and were not ashamed of their imprisoned pastor, nor of the cause for which he was in disgrace and suffering. As he showed mercy to the apostle, the apostle prays the Lord to show mercy to him.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 2 Timothy 1:15-18

The apostle mentions the constancy of Onesiphorus; he oft refreshed him with his letters, and counsels, and comforts, and was not ashamed of him. A good man will seek to do good. The day of death and judgment is an awful day. And if we would have mercy then, we must seek for it now of the Lord. The best we can ask, for ourselves or our friends, is, that the Lord will grant that we and they may find mercy of the…

Read the full comment on 2 Timothy 1:15-18 →

2 Timothy 1:16 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

δῴηdōēwould grantG1325
ἔλεοςeleosmercyG1656
ὁhotheG3588
κύριοςkuriosLordG2962
τῷtōto theG3588
ὈνησιφόρουOnēsiphorouof OnesiphorusG3683
οἴκῳ·oikōhousehold;G3624
ὅτιhotibecauseG3754
πολλάκιςpollakisoftenG4178
μεmemeG3165
ἀνέψυξενanepsuxenhe refreshedG404
καὶkaiandG2532
τὴνtēntheG3588
ἅλυσίνhalusinchainG254
μουmouof mineG3165
οὐκouknotG3756
ἐπαισχύνθη,epaischunthēhe was ashamed of,G1870

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for 2 Timothy 1:16

  • 2 Timothy 4:19

    Salute Prisca and Aquila, and the household of Onesiphorus.

  • Philemon 1:20

    Yea, brother, let me have joy of thee in the Lord: refresh my bowels in the Lord.

  • Ephesians 6:20

    For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

  • Hebrews 10:34

    For ye had compassion of me in my bonds, and took joyfully the spoiling of your goods, knowing in yourselves that ye have in heaven a better and an enduring substance.

  • Philemon 1:7

    For we have great joy and consolation in thy love, because the bowels of the saints are refreshed by thee, brother.

  • Acts 28:20

    For this cause therefore have I called for you, to see you, and to speak with you: because that for the hope of Israel I am bound with this chain.

  • Nehemiah 13:22

    And I commanded the Levites that they should cleanse themselves, and that they should come and keep the gates, to sanctify the sabbath day. Remember me, O my God, concerning this also, and spare me according to the greatness of thy mercy.

  • 2 Corinthians 9:12-14

    For the administration of this service not only supplieth the want of the saints, but is abundant also by many thanksgivings unto God; Whiles by the experiment of this ministration they glorify God for your professed subjection unto the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal distribution unto them, and unto all men; And by their prayer for you, which long after you for the exceeding grace of God in you.

  • Psalms 18:25

    With the merciful thou wilt shew thyself merciful; with an upright man thou wilt shew thyself upright;

  • Matthew 25:35-40

    For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? …

  • Nehemiah 5:19

    Think upon me, my God, for good, according to all that I have done for this people.

  • 2 Timothy 1:8

    Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God;

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Lord.
18; Ne 5:19; 13:14,22,31; Ps 18:25; 37:26; Mt 5:7; 10:41,42
Mt 25:35-40; 2Co 9:12-14; Heb 6:10; 10:34
the house.
4:19
refreshed.
1Co 16:18; Phm 1:7,20
and was.
8
my.
Ac 28:20; Eph 6:20; *marg:

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • 2 Timothy 1:15

    This thou knowest, that all they which are in Asia be turned away from me; of whom are Phygellus and Hermogenes.

  • 2 Timothy 1:16

    The Lord give mercy unto the house of Onesiphorus; for he oft refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain:

  • 2 Timothy 1:17

    But, when he was in Rome, he sought me out very diligently, and found me.

Read all of 2 Timothy 1

2 Timothy 1:16 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Dé el Señor misericordia á la casa de Onesíforo; que muchas veces me refrigeró, y no se avergonzó de mi cadena:
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Le Seigneur fasse miséricorde à la maison d’Onésiphore, car il m’a souvent consolé et n’a point eu honte de ma chaîne,
German
Elberfelder 1871		Der Herr gebe dem Hause des Onesiphorus Barmherzigkeit, denn er hat mich oft erquickt und sich meiner Kette nicht geschämt;
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Det misericordiam Dominus Onesiphori domui: quia sæpe me refrigeravit, et catenam meam non erubuit: