2 Timothy 1 · Verse 3

2 Timothy 1:3

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 1:3, King James Version

2 Timothy 1:3 in other translations

BSBI thank God, whom I serve with a clear conscience as did my forefathers, as I constantly remember you night and day in my prayers.
WEBI thank God, whom I serve as my forefathers did, with a pure conscience. How unceasing is my memory of you in my petitions, night and day
ASVI thank God, whom I serve from my forefathers in a pure conscience, how unceasing is my remembrance of thee in my supplications, night and day
YLTI am thankful to God, whom I serve from progenitors in a pure conscience, that unceasingly I have remembrance concerning thee in my supplications night and day,
DARBYI am thankful to God, whom I serve from my forefathers with pure conscience, how unceasingly I have the remembrance of thee in my supplications night and day,
BBEI give praise to God, whose servant I have been, with a heart free from sin, from the time of my fathers, because in my prayers at all times the thought of you is with me, night and day
WebsterI 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;

What does 2 Timothy 1:3 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
3. I thank--Greek, "I feel gratitude to God." whom I serve from my forefathers--whom I serve (Ro 1:9) as did my forefathers. He does not mean to put on the same footing the Jewish and Christian service of God; but simply to assert his own conscientious service of God as he had received it from his progenitors (not Abraham, Isaac, &c., whom he calls "the fathers," not "progenitors" as the Greek is here; Ro 9:5). The memory of those who had gone before to whom he is about to be gathered, is now, on the eve of death, pleasant to him; hence also, he calls to mind the faith of the mother and grandmother of Timothy; as he walks in the faith of his forefathers (Ac 23:1; 24:14; 26:6, 7; 28:20), so Timothy should persevere firmly in the faith of his parent and grandparent. Not only Paul, but the Jews who reject Christ, forsake the faith of their forefathers, who looked for Christ; when they accept Him, the hearts of the children shall only be returning to the faith of their forefathers (Mal 4:6; Lu 1:17; Ro 11:23, 24, 28). Probably Paul had, in his recent defense, dwelt on this topic, namely, that he was, in being a Christian, only following his hereditary faith. that ... I have remembrance of thee--"how unceasing I make my mention concerning thee" (compare Phm 4). The cause of Paul's feeling thankful is, not that he remembers Timothy unceasingly in his prayers, but for what Timothy is in faith (2Ti 1:5) and graces; compare Ro 1:8, 9, from which supply the elliptical sentence thus, "I thank God (for thee, for God is my witness) whom I serve ... that (or how) without ceasing I have remembrance (or make mention) of thee," &c. night and day--(See on 1Ti 5:5).

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

Barnes' Notes
Verse 3. I thank God, whom I serve from my forefathers. Paul reckoned among his forefathers the patriarchs and the holy men of former times, as being of the same nation with himself; though it may be that he also included his more immediate ancestors, who, for anything known to the contrary, may have been distinguished examples of piety. His own parents, it is certain, took care that he should be trained up in the ways of religion. Comp. Php 3:4, Php 3:5; Acts 26:4; Acts 26:5. The phrase "from my forefathers," probably means, after the example of my ancestors. He worshipped the same God; he held substantially the same truths; he had the same hope of the resurrection and of immortality; he trusted to the same Saviour having come, on whom they relied as about to come. His was not, therefore, a different religion from theirs; it was the same religion carried out and perfected. The religion of the Old Testament and the New is essentially the same. Acts 23:6.

With pure conscience. Acts 23:1.

That without ceasing. Comp. Rom 12:12, 1Thes 5:17.

I have remembrance of thee in my prayers night and day. Php 1:3, 1:4.

(c) "serve" Acts 23:1 (*) "from my forefathers" "After" (d) "pure conscience" Heb 13:18

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 3 Whom I serve from my forefathers - Being born a Jew, I was carefully educated in the knowledge of the true God, and the proper manner of worshipping him. With pure conscience - Ever aiming to please him, even in the time when through ignorance I persecuted the Church. Without ceasing I have remembrance of thee - The apostle thanks God that he has constant remembrance of Timothy in his prayers. It is a very rare thing now in the Christian Church, that a man particularly thanks God that he is enabled to pray for Others. And yet he that can do this most must have an increase of that brotherly love which the second greatest commandment of God requires: Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. It is also a great blessing to be able to maintain the spirit of a pure friendship, especially through a considerable lapse of time and absence. He that can do so may well thank God that he is saved from that fickleness and unsteadiness of mind which are the bane of friendships, and the reproach of many once warm-hearted friends.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 2 Timothy 1:1-5

The promise of eternal life to believers in Christ Jesus, is the leading subject of ministers who are employed according to the will of God. The blessings here named, are the best we can ask for our beloved friends, that they may have peace with God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. Whatever good we do, God must have the glory. True believers have in every age the same religion as to substance. Their faith is…

Read the full comment on 2 Timothy 1:1-5 →

2 Timothy 1:3 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.

ΧάρινCharinThankfulG5485
ἔχωechōI amG2192
τῷtō<the>G3588
θεῷ,theōto God,G2316
ᾧhōwhomG3739
λατρεύωlatreuōI serveG3000
ἀπὸapofromG575
προγόνωνprogonōn[my] forefathersG4269
ἐνenwithG1722
καθαρᾷkatharaa pureG2513
συνειδήσει,suneidēseiconscience,G4893
ὡςhōsasG5613
ἀδιάλειπτονadialeiptonunceasinglyG88
ἔχωechōI haveG2192
τὴνtēntheG3588
περὶperiofG4012
σοῦsouyouG4771
μνείανmneianremembranceG3417
ἐνeninG1722
ταῖςtaistheG3588
δεήσεσίνdeēsesinprayersG1162
μουmouof mineG3165
νυκτὸςnuktosnightG3571
καὶkaiandG2532
ἡμέραςhēmerasdayG2250

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

Cross references for 2 Timothy 1:3

  • Romans 1:8-9

    First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world. For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers;

  • Hebrews 13:8

    Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.

  • Acts 24:14

    But this I confess unto thee, that after the way which they call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the law and in the prophets:

  • Acts 23:1

    And Paul, earnestly beholding the council, said, Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day.

  • Acts 22:3

    I am verily a man which am a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, yet brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, and taught according to the perfect manner of the law of the fathers, and was zealous toward God, as ye all are this day.

  • 1 Timothy 1:19

    Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck:

  • Acts 24:16

    And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward God, and toward men.

  • 1 Timothy 1:5

    Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned:

  • 2 Timothy 3:15

    And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

  • Acts 27:23

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

  • 1 Thessalonians 3:10

    Night and day praying exceedingly that we might see your face, and might perfect that which is lacking in your faith?

  • Acts 26:4

    My manner of life from my youth, which was at the first among mine own nation at Jerusalem, know all the Jews;

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
I thank.
Ro 1:8; Eph 1:16
whom.
5; 3:15; Ac 22:3; 24:14; 26:4; 27:23; Ga 1:14
with.
Ac 23:1; 24:16; Ro 1:9; 9:1; 2Co 1:12; 1Ti 1:5,19; Heb 13:8
that.
Ro 1:9; 1Th 1:2,3; 3:10
night.
Lu 2:37

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

Context

  • 2 Timothy 1:2

    To Timothy, my dearly beloved son: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

  • 2 Timothy 1:3

    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 1:4

    Greatly desiring to see thee, being mindful of thy tears, that I may be filled with joy;

Read all of 2 Timothy 1

2 Timothy 1:3 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Doy gracias á Dios, al cual sirvo desde mis mayores con limpia conciencia, de que sin cesar tengo memoria de ti en mis oraciones noche y día;
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Je suis reconnaissant envers Dieu, que je sers dès mes ancêtres avec une conscience pure, de ce que je me souviens si constamment de toi dans mes supplications, nuit et jour
German
Elberfelder 1871		Ich danke Gott, dem ich von meinen Voreltern her mit reinem Gewissen diene, wie unablässig ich deiner gedenke in meinen Gebeten, Nacht und Tag,
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Gratias ago Deo, cui servio a progenitoribus in conscientia pura, quod sine intermissione habeam tui memoriam in orationibus meis, nocte ac die