2 TIM 2:5 Interlinear View

SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 2:1–13: Timothy should be willing to endure hardship as he serves Jesus Christ

Paragraph 2:3–7

In this paragraph Paul compared Christians to three types of people in order to give Timothy three different instructions.

As a soldier endures hardship, endure hardship for the Lord.
As an athlete is self-disciplined, be self-disciplined.
As a farmer works hard, work hard for the Lord.

In 2:3 Paul explicitly stated one of the two main themes of the letter. That theme is that a Christian who wants to serve the Lord must be like a loyal soldier. He must be willing to endure suffering.

2:5a

Likewise, a competitor

Also, when someone competes in a game/sport,
Here is another example: when someone runs in a race against others

Likewise, a competitor: In this verse Paul compared Christians to athletes. Just as an athletic competitor has to follow rules when he plays a game, so Christ has given believers rules regarding their behavior. Paul made this comparison to remind Timothy that he should follow all these rules.

Likewise: The common combination of Greek conjunctions de kai (“and also”) connects 2:4 and 2:5. The BSB translates this phrase with the word Likewise to show that Paul was using another example to illustrate his point. Another way to show this connection is with the word “also,” as the NET, NASB, and NCV have done.

a competitor: This phrase is the translation of the Greek verb athleō. The English word “athlete” comes from this verb. It means “to compete in a contest.” This verb implies that the athlete is not merely playing a game for fun. He wants to win. Also, the verb implies that the contest was for young people or adults—Paul was not talking about a child’s game. Other ways to express this idea are:

if someone plays in a sport/game

if a runner runs a race

if anyone competes as an athlete (NIV)

2:5b–c

does not receive the crown unless he competes according to the rules.

he does not win the prize unless he competes/runs according to the rules.
if he does not obey the rules of the race/sport, no one will give him a prize/ reward when he finishes/wins the game/contest.

does not receive the crown: In the sports that Paul was thinking of, the person in charge of the contest, or some other important person, placed a crown made out of leaves on the head of the winner as a symbol of victory.

If you do not have a word for “crown,” you can use a more general term, such as “prize” or “reward.”

unless he competes according to the rules: The point of the comparison in 2:5a is that there are specific rules for each sport that people who compete in that sport must obey. The person who does not obey the rules cannot win.

Another way to state this is:

if he does not follow/obey the rules

if he does not compete/play according to the rules

General Comment on 2:5

In some languages, it may be more natural to reverse the order of 2:5b and 2:5c as follows:

If he does not compete according to the rules, he does not win the victor’s crown.

It is also possible to combine 2:5a–c as follows:

Also, an athlete cannot win a prize if he does not play by the rules.

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: grammar-connect-words-phrases

δὲ καὶ

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: ἐάν Δέ καί ἀθλῇ τὶς οὒ στεφανοῦται ἐάν μή νομίμως ἀθλήσῃ)

Here the phrase But also introduces another example or metaphor that Paul uses to explain how Timothy should serve Jesus. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a word or phrase that introduces another example, or you could leave But also untranslated. Alternate translation: [Further] or [Similarly]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

ἐὰν & ἀθλῇ τις, οὐ στεφανοῦται, ἐὰν μὴ νομίμως ἀθλήσῃ

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: ἐάν Δέ καί ἀθλῇ τὶς οὒ στεφανοῦται ἐάν μή νομίμως ἀθλήσῃ)

Here Paul speaks about an athlete who competes in a sport. He speaks about this to help Timothy understand how to behave. Just as an athlete will only receive the crown given to the winner if he competes lawfully, so Timothy will only be rewarded if he serves Jesus lawfully, that is, as Jesus desires. Since Paul tells Timothy in [2:7](../02/07.md) to think carefully about the examples that he gives in this verse and in [2:4](../02/04.md) and [2:6](../02/06.md), you should not explain the meaning of this metaphor here. However, if it would be helpful in your language, you could use a form that indicates that Paul is using a metaphor or giving an example. Alternate translation: [imagine that you are an athlete. If anyone competes as an athlete, he is not crowned if he has not competed lawfully]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / hypo

ἐὰν & ἀθλῇ τις, οὐ στεφανοῦται, ἐὰν μὴ νομίμως ἀθλήσῃ

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: ἐάν Δέ καί ἀθλῇ τὶς οὒ στεφανοῦται ἐάν μή νομίμως ἀθλήσῃ)

Here Paul uses an imaginary situation to show what happens when athletes do not compete lawfully. Use a natural method in your language for introducing an imaginary situation. Alternate translation: [suppose someone did not compete lawfully. In that case, he would not be crowned]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

ἀθλῇ

˓may_be˒_competing

Here the word competes refers specifically to competing in an athletic event. If it would be helpful in your language, you could make that idea more explicit. Alternate translation: [competes in an athletic event] or [competes as an athlete]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / doublenegatives

οὐ στεφανοῦται, ἐὰν μὴ νομίμως ἀθλήσῃ

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: ἐάν Δέ καί ἀθλῇ τὶς οὒ στεφανοῦται ἐάν μή νομίμως ἀθλήσῃ)

If it would be helpful in your language, you could state the meaning in positive form. Alternate translation: [he can only be crowned if he has competed lawfully]

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive

οὐ στεφανοῦται

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: ἐάν Δέ καί ἀθλῇ τὶς οὒ στεφανοῦται ἐάν μή νομίμως ἀθλήσῃ)

If your language does not use this passive form, you could express the idea in active form or in another way that is natural in your language. If you need to say who would do the action, it is clear from the context that it would be the officials or referees who were judging the competition. Alternate translation: [the officials will not crown him]

Note 7 topic: translate-unknown

οὐ στεφανοῦται

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: ἐάν Δέ καί ἀθλῇ τὶς οὒ στεφανοῦται ἐάν μή νομίμως ἀθλήσῃ)

In Paul’s culture, when athletes won competitions, they were crowned with wreaths made from the leaves of plants. If your readers would not be familiar with this custom, you could refer to how athletes are recognized as winners in your culture, or you could use a more general statement. Alternate translation: [he is not given an award] or [he is not declared the winner]

Note 8 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

μὴ νομίμως ἀθλήσῃ

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: ἐάν Δέ καί ἀθλῇ τὶς οὒ στεφανοῦται ἐάν μή νομίμως ἀθλήσῃ)

Here Paul refers to the rules that governed a competition. The athletes had to obey the rules, or they would be removed from the competition and not have an opportunity to win. If it would be helpful in your language, you could make that idea more explicit. Alternate translation: [he has not competed according to the rules of the competition]

OET-LV English word order (‘Reverse’ interlinear)

Note: The OET-RV is still only a first draft, and so far only a few words have been (mostly automatically) matched to the Hebrew or Greek words that they’re translated from.

Acknowledgements: The SR Greek text, lemmas, morphology, and VLT gloss are all thanks to the CNTR.

OET interlinear 2 TIM 2:5

SR Greek word order

Section 2:1–13: Timothy should be willing to endure hardship as he serves Jesus Christ

Paragraph 2:3–7

2:5a

2:5b–c

General Comment on 2:5

OET-LV English word order (‘Reverse’ interlinear)

OET interlinear 2 TIM 2:5

SR Greek word order

Section 2:1–13: Timothy should be willing to endure hardship as he serves Jesus Christ

Paragraph 2:3–7

2:5a

2:5b–c

General Comment on 2:5

OET-LV English word order (‘Reverse’ interlinear)

OET interlinear 2 TIM 2:5