2 Timothy 2:13

Context

2 Timothy is traditionally regarded as a letter written by Paul to his disciple Timothy while Paul was imprisoned in Rome. The authorship of the Pastoral Epistles, the group that also includes 1 Timothy and Titus, remains a matter of ongoing scholarly discussion. In chapter 2, Paul urges Timothy to be strong in grace and to share in suffering for the sake of the gospel.

Verses 11–13 open with "It is a faithful saying" (that is, a trustworthy saying). The passage consists of four lines, each beginning with "if," and many scholars regard it as a quotation from a hymn or confessional formula used in the early church. Verse 13 is the final line: "If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself." Immediately before it, verse 12 contains the warning "if we deny him, he also will deny us." The Korean word mippeuda, used in traditional Korean Bible translations for "faithful," is an archaic term meaning "trustworthy" or "faithful."

Interpretation

• As a promise of comfort: This reading holds that Christ's faithfulness does not change despite human weakness and failure. It often distinguishes between the "denial" of verse 12 (deliberate rejection) and the "believing not" of verse 13 (faith that wavers and weakens). Peter, who was restored after denying Christ three times, is commonly cited as an example.
• As a continuation of the warning: This reading holds that the Lord's being "faithful" means he is faithful not only to his promises but also to his warnings. On this interpretation, verse 13 does not soften the warning of verse 12 but confirms it. Some commentators take this view.
• As a statement about God's nature: This reading takes "he cannot deny himself" to mean that God does nothing contrary to his own character. The verse is cited as a proof text in discussions of God's omnipotence and immutability (his unchangeableness).

Debates and Issues

• Assurance of salvation and perseverance: In the Reformed tradition, including Presbyterianism, this verse is often read in connection with the perseverance of the saints described in chapter 17 of the Westminster Confession of Faith. The perseverance of the saints is the doctrine that those who are truly saved will be preserved to the end. The Wesleyan tradition, including Methodist and Holiness churches, acknowledges the possibility that a person may fall from grace and therefore holds that the comfort of verse 13 must always be read together with the warning of verse 12. Among Baptists, the emphasis varies from church to church and from pastor to pastor.
• Translation: The Greek verb can be rendered either as "not believe" or as "be unfaithful." The Revised Korean Revised Version replaced the archaic word ilhyang used in the Korean Revised Version with the modern hangsang (both meaning "always"), and the New Korean Standard Version expresses the idea with the word sinsil ("faithful").
• Quotation out of context: Some have pointed out that quoting verse 13 in isolation, without the warning of verse 12, can make it sound like a justification for negligence in the Christian life.

In the Korean Church

The verse is frequently quoted in sermons that proclaim God's unchanging faithfulness to believers facing trials or failure. The expression "faithful God" (mippeusin Hananim) remains widely used in sermons and in public prayers offered on behalf of the congregation.

Related Passages

• Romans 3:3-4
• Matthew 10:33
• John 10:27-29
• Hebrews 10:26-31
• Malachi 3:6