2 Timothy 3:10

But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience,

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(10) But thou hast fully known my doctrine.—Literally, But thou wert a follower of my doctrine; thou followedst as a disciple, and thus hast fully known. The Greek word translated “fully known” (see 1Timothy 4:6) denotes a diligently tracing out step by step. See Luke 1:3, where the same word is rendered, in the English version: “having had perfect understanding,” having traced up to their source all the events relating to the foundation of Christianity. Here St. Paul recalls to Timothy’s mind what had been his—St. Paul’s—life, and words, and works. No one knew the history of this life like Timothy, the pupil and the friend, who had been long trained to assist in carrying on his teacher’s work after St. Paul was removed. And this appeal to Timothy’s recollection of the past has two distinct purposes: (1) It was to contrast that life of St. Paul’s, with which the disciple was so well acquainted, with the lives of those false men, of whom Timothy was warned so earnestly, who were poisoning the stream of Christianity at Ephesus; and (2) the memory of the master was to serve as a spur to the disciple, the heroic faith of the old man was to act as an incentive to the young teacher to suffer bravely in his turn.

With this pattern of steady faith and heroic work before his eyes, Timothy would never be able to endure the wretched mock Christianity these new teachers were labouring to introduce into the communities of the believers of Asia; he would at once separate himself and his from these evil influences.

My doctrine.—Or, teaching, in which the leading of a pure self-denying life was inseparably bound up with a belief in the great Christian doctrines. “This hast thou, my pupil from boyhood, known in all its details. Thou hast known how I taught others.”

Manner of life.—“And also how I lived myself:” “my ways which be in Christ,” as he once before phrased it (1Corinthians 4:17), “my conduct.”

Purpose.—“My purpose—from which you know I never swerved—of remaining true to the Gospel of my Lord and to my great life’s mission to the Gentiles.” (See Acts 2:23, where the word is used in respect to others’ purpose.)

Faith.—Possibly, trust in God, but better, St. Paul’s faith or belief in the fundamental doctrines of Christianity.

Longsuffering.—Towards his many bitter adversaries, especially those among his own countrymen. In spite of all that long, unwearied, sleepless persecution, which he, the former Pharisee leader, endured at the hands of the Jews, he loved Israel to the end, with a love intense as it was changeless, loved them even to be willing for their sake to give up his eternal hopes. (See Romans 9:3.)

Charity.—My love, which (in his own sunny words) beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things—the love which never faileth. (See 1 Corinthians 13)

Patience.—That characteristic virtue of St. Paul, that “brave patience” which hopefully endured opposition to his favourite schemes, which cheerfully bore the most painful suffering when it came as a consequence of work in his Master’s cause. This concluding word led naturally on to the brief catalogue of persecutions of the next verse.

Benson Commentary

2 Timothy 3:10-13. But thou hast a better pattern to follow; for thou hast fully known my doctrine — In all the branches of it; manner of life — My conduct toward God, his people, and all men; purpose — The end and design of my ministry, namely, the glory of God in the salvation of men, and not any honour, interest, or advantage of my own; faith — My fidelity in the discharge of my duty; long-suffering — When treated in the most injurious manner; charity — Or love rather, to all men, saints or sinners, not excepting even mine enemies and persecutors; patience — Under great and long-continued trials; persecutions — From Jews and Gentiles; afflictions — Τοις παθημασιν, sufferings; at Antioch — In Pisidia; at Iconium, at Lystra — See the margin; what persecutions I endured — Timothy being a native of Lystra, and Paul’s disciple and companion when the apostle was stoned in that city, and dragged out of the streets as one dead, he may have been present on that occasion, and even one of those who stood round him when he revived, Acts 14:20. But out of them all the Lord delivered me — And therefore be not thou discouraged if thou meetest with similar trials; yea, and all that will live godly — That will conduct themselves by the strict rules of piety prescribed in the gospel of Christ, not turning aside to the right hand or the left, and having the Spirit of Christ, without which we are not his; shall suffer persecution — More or less: there is no exception. Therefore count the cost, reader. Art thou resolved to live godly in Christ Jesus, out of whom there is no godliness? Hence we infer, that either the apostle was mistaken in making this assertion, or those who think they are religious, and are not persecuted in some shape or other, deceive themselves. But evil men and seducers — Though they may escape persecution, are yet in a more wretched state, for they provoke God to give them up to the lusts of their own hearts, and so shall wax worse and worse — More corrupt in heart and life, and more obstinate in their opposition to the gospel and its faithful ministers; deceiving and being deceived — He who has once begun to deceive others, is both the less likely to recover from his own errors, and the more ready to embrace the errors of other men.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

3:10-13 The more fully we know the doctrine of Christ, as taught by the apostles, the more closely we shall cleave to it. When we know the afflictions of believers only in part, they tempt us to decline the cause for which they suffer. A form of godliness, a profession of Christian faith without a godly life, often is allowed to pass, while open profession of the truth as it is in Jesus, and resolute attention to the duties of godliness, stir up the scorn and enmity of the world. As good men, by the grace of God, grow better, so bad men, through the craft of Satan, and the power of their own corruptions, grow worse. The way of sin is down-hill; such go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. Those who deceive others, deceive themselves, as they will find at last, to their cost. The history of the outward church, awfully shows that the apostle spake this as he was moved by the Holy Ghost.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

But thou hast fully known my doctrine ... - Margin, "been a diligent follower of." The margin is more in accordance with the usual meaning of the Greek word, which means, properly, to accompany side by side; to follow closely; to trace out; to examine Luke 1:3, and to conform to. The meaning here, however, seems to be, that Timothy had an opportunity to follow out; i. e., to examine closely the manner of life of the apostle Paul. He had been so long his companion, that he had had the fullest opportunity of knowing how he had lived and taught, and how he had borne persecutions. The object of this reference to his own life and sufferings is evidently to encourage Timothy to bear persecutions and trials in the same manner; compare 2 Timothy 3:14. He saw, in the events which began already to develope themselves, that trials must be expected; he knew that all who would live holy lives must suffer persecution; and hence, he sought to prepare the mind of Timothy for the proper endurance of trials, by a reference to his own case. The word "doctrine," here, refers to his "teaching," or manner of giving instruction. It does not refer, as the word now does, to the opinions which he held; see the notes at 1 Timothy 4:16. In regard to the opportunities which Timothy had for knowing the manner of Paul's life, see the introduction to the Epistle, and Paley, Hor. Paul., "in loc." Timothy had been the companion of Paul during a considerable portion of the time after his conversion. The "persecutions" referred to here 2 Timothy 3:11 are those which occurred in the vicinity of Timothy's native place, and which he would have had a particular opportunity of being acquainted with. This circumstance, and the fact that Paul did not refer to other persecutions in more remote places, is one of the "undesigned coincidences," of which Paley has made so much in his incomparable little work - Horae Paulinae.

Manner of life - Literally, "leading, guidance;" then, the method in which one is led - his manner of life; compare the notes at 1 Thessalonians 2:1.

Purpose - Plans, or designs.

Faith - Perhaps fidelity, or faithfulness.

Long-suffering - With the evil passions of others, and their efforts to injure him. See the word explained in the notes at 1 Corinthians 13:4.

Charity - see the notes at 1 Corinthians 13.

Patience - "A calm temper, which suffers evils without murmuring or discontent." Webster.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

10. fully known—literally, "fully followed up" and traced; namely, with a view to following me as thy pattern, so far as I follow Christ; the same Greek as in Lu 1:3, "having had perfect understanding of all things." His pious mother Eunice and grandmother Lois would recommend him to study fully Paul's Christian course as a pattern. He had not been yet the companion of Paul at the time of the apostle's persecutions in Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra (Ac 13:50; 14:5, 19), but is first mentioned as such Ac 16:1-3. However, he was "a disciple" already, when introduced to us in Ac 16:1-3; and as Paul calls him "my own son in the faith," he must have been converted by the apostle previously; perhaps in the visit to those parts three years before. Hence arose Timothy's knowledge of Paul's persecutions, which were the common talk of the churches in those regions about the time of his conversion. The incidental allusion to them here forms an undesigned coincidence between the history and the Epistle, indicating genuineness [Paley, Horæ Paulinæ]. A forger of Epistles from the Acts would never allude to Timothy's knowledge of persecutions, when that knowledge is not expressly mentioned in the history, but is only arrived at by indirect inference; also the omission of Derbe here, in the Epistle, is in minute accordance with the fact that in Derbe no persecution is mentioned in the history, though Derbe and Lystra are commonly mentioned together. The reason why he mentions his persecutions before Timothy became his companion, and not those subsequent, was because Timothy was familiar with the latter as an eye-witness and Paul needed not to remind him of them, but the former Timothy had traced up by seeking the information from others, especially as the date and scene of them was the date and scene of his own conversion.

doctrine—"teaching."

manner of life—"conduct," "behavior."

purpose—The Greek is elsewhere usually used of God's "purpose." But here, as in Ac 11:23, of Paul's determined "purpose of heart in cleaving unto the Lord." My set aim, or resolution, in my apostolic function, and in every action is, not my selfish gain, but the glory of God in Christ.

long-suffering—towards my adversaries, and the false teachers; towards brethren in bearing their infirmities; towards the unconverted, and the lapsed when penitent (2Ti 4:2; 2Co 6:6; Ga 5:22; Eph 4:2; Col 3:12).

charity—love to all men.

patience—"endurance"; patient continuance in well-doing amidst adversities (2Ti 3:11; Ro 2:7).

Matthew Poole's Commentary

But thou hast fully known my doctrine: our translation here seemeth a little strange, for the Greek is: Thou hast diligently followed me in doctrine, eu de parhkolouyhdav mou th didaskalia that is: Thou wert in my company, thou wert a follower of me, and so must know what doctrine I preached; what

manner of life I lived; what my

purpose, whole scope and design, was; what

faith I taught and professed; what

long-suffering I used, both towards my malicious adversaries and my weaker brethren; what

charity or love I showed towards all men, whether friends or foes; what

patience I showed in bearing injuries.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

But thou hast fully known my doctrine,.... This, with what follows, is said in opposition to the characters, principles, and practices of the above wicked men, and for the imitation and encouragement of Timothy, and of others, whether ministers or private believers: the apostle calls the doctrine he delivered, "my doctrine": not because he was the author of it, or that it was a scheme of principles formed and contrived by him; but because it was the doctrine which he had received from God, which was given him to preach, and which he did preach purely and faithfully; otherwise it was the doctrine of Christ, and the same with that which was preached by the rest of the apostles; and which was the doctrine of the Scriptures, and was according to godliness; and as preached by him, was all of a piece, and without any adulteration, or mixture, and was open and manifest, and well known to Timothy, and others; for he used no hidden things of dishonesty, nor did he conceal his principles, or keep back anything that was profitable. And as well known was his

manner of life; both his civil life, how he spent his time, not in ease and idleness, but oftentimes in labour with his own hands; nor did he live in a sensual and voluptuous manner, but frequently was in hunger, and thirst, and nakedness; and likewise his religious life, and conversation, not only in the church, which was spent in the ministry of the word, and ordinances; but in the world, which, by the grace of God, was in simplicity and godly sincerity, in a very just, holy, and unblamable manner: his life was agreeable to his doctrine, and ornamental to his profession: and even the secrets of his mind, his views, his aims and ends in all he did, which are signified by his

purpose, were open and manifest; and which were not to obtain glory and applause from men, nor to gather wealth and riches for himself; but that God might be glorified in the salvation of men; that Christ might be magnified both in his life and death; that his Gospel might be spread, his kingdom be enlarged, and that many souls might be converted and brought to the knowledge of him; and hence he became all things to all, that he might gain some. And as the doctrine of

faith, embraced, professed, and preached by him, was well known, so no less conspicuous was the grace of faith in him, with respect to his interest in God's everlasting love, in salvation by Jesus Christ, and in eternal glory and happiness; of which be had a full assurance, and which remained constant and firm in him to the end. Unless rather his faithfulness in the discharge of his ministerial work should be here designed, for which he was very remarkable; as also for his

longsuffering both towards those that were without, the open enemies and persecutors of the Gospel, and towards them that were within, the brethren, whose infirmities he bore; and also for the success of the Gospel as the husbandman has long patience, and waits long for the former and latter rain to which is added

charity; which suffers long, and is kind; and may include his love to God, to Christ, and to the souls of men; which was very great, and particularly to his countrymen, the Jews, and also to the Gentiles; and especially to the churches he was more immediately concerned with, and even to all the saints: this is left out in the Alexandrian copy: it follows,

patience; in bearing all indignities, reproaches, afflictions, and persecutions, for the sake of Christ and his Gospel; by which he was not in the least moved, but persevered with, great courage and constancy to the end.

Geneva Study Bible

{4} But thou hast {b} fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience,

(4) So that we are not deceived by such hypocrites, we must set before us the virtues of the holy servants of God, and we must not be afraid of persecution which they suffered willingly, and which always follows true godliness. But we must especially hold fast the doctrine of the apostles, the sum of which is this, that we are saved through faith in Christ Jesus.

(b) You thoroughly know not only what I taught and did, but also how I thought and was inclined.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Meyer's NT Commentary

2 Timothy 3:10-11. As a contrast to the heresy, the apostle now describes Timothy’s former conduct, for the purpose of inciting him to show a like fidelity still.

σὺ δὲ παρηκολούθησας] The verb denotes neither that he was an actual witness (Chrysostom: τούτων σὺ μάρτυς; so, too, Theophylact, Oecumenius, Erasmus, and others;—this exposition is unsuitable, since these events, 2 Timothy 3:11, in the apostle’s life had taken place before Timothy’s conversion), nor even that the knowledge was gained through others (Luther: “thou hast come to know”). Παρακολουθεῖν means “follow,” either theoretically, as in Luke 1:3 (“of intellectual following after, by which the knowledge of a thing is gained,” Meyer on the passage), or practically, as in 1 Timothy 4:6. Here it can only have the latter meaning. Here, however, as in 1 Timothy 4:6, it is not equivalent to imitari, follow as a pattern (de Wette), for that does not agree with διωγμοῖς (2 Timothy 3:11), but the apostle’s διδασκαλία, ἀγωγὴ κ.τ.λ. are regarded as guides by which Timothy is to steer his course through life (so also van Oosterzee, Hofmann, Otto[50]). Wiesinger explains it: “thou hast let thyself be moved by my διδασκαλία κ.τ.λ. to join thyself to me.” But this explanation unjustifiably limits the παρακολουθεῖν to “the act by which Timothy first joined himself to the apostle;” further, this notion of joining himself is imported; and finally, it would seem superfluous to enumerate the particular points if they are only to be understood as motives for Timothy’s joining himself to the apostle.

The aorist says that Timothy followed the apostle before; there is no indication whether he did so later. This earlier period was, of course, the time when he was the apostle’s ΣΥΝΕΡΓΌς. The perfect would have meant that Timothy continued to do so.

ΜΟΥ Τῇ ΔΙΔΑΣΚΑΛΊᾼ] comp. 1 Timothy 4:6.

Τῇ ἈΓΩΓῇ] With this and the following words ΜΟΥ is to be supplied. Mack wrongly says that ΜΟΥ is not to be supplied, and that ἈΓΩΓΉ and the terms following do not refer to Paul, but to Timothy: “thou hast followed my doctrine in behaviour,” etc. Apart from the unnatural construction, this view is decidedly opposed by 2 Timothy 3:11, for it is quite untenable to suppose that Timothy in the places named suffered persecution just as Paul did.

ἈΓΩΓΉ (ἍΠ. ΛΕΓ.) in classic Greek is both transitive, “the guidance,” and intransitive, “mode of life,” ratio vivendi. The latter meaning (see Esther 2:20) should here be retained; the word cannot of itself mean guidance of the church, as some interpret it. Luther says well: “my manner.”

τῇ προθέσει] cf. Acts 11:23, “the purpose on which the mode of life is founded.”

Τῇ ΠΊΣΤΕΙ] not “fidelity in office,” nor “conscientiousness,” but “faith.”

Τῇ ΜΑΚΡΟΘΥΜΊᾼ Κ.Τ.Λ.] The difference between ΜΑΚΡΟΘΥΜΊΑ and ὙΠΟΜΟΝΉ is, that the former is applied to one who is not irritated, the latter to one who is not discouraged.—2 Timothy 3:11. ΤΟῖς ΔΙΩΓΜΟῖς, ΤΟῖς ΠΑΘΉΜΑΣΙΝ] The transition to these is formed by ὙΠΟΜΟΝΉ. The idea of ΔΙΩΓΜΟῖς is expanded by adding ΠΑΘΉΜΑΣΙΝ. The apostle is thinking specially of his persecutions, and his reason is that Timothy shrank to a certain extent from suffering; comp. 2 Timothy 1:6-8.

ΟἿΆ ΜΟΙ ἘΓΈΝΟΝΤΟ (ἘΓΈΝΕΤΟ)] ΟἿΑ is distinguished from the relative Ἅ, inasmuch as it points to the nature of the ΠΑΘΉΜΑΤΑ; Ἅ would have limited ΠΑΘΉΜΑΣΙΝ to what the apostle had to endure in Antioch, etc.; but ΟἿΑ indicates that he means by ΠΑΘΉΜΑΣΙΝ all sufferings of the same nature as those endured in Antioch, etc. This is the case also with ΟἽΟΥς farther on. The sufferings endured in Antioch, etc., are mentioned because they took place at the time when Timothy was adopted by Paul as his colleague.

In the next words: ΟἽΟΥς ΔΙΩΓΜΟῪς ὙΠΉΝΕΓΚΑ, the verb is emphatic; it was important, when directing Timothy to the example given him, to remind him that the persecutions had been borne undauntedly—and then that the Lord had granted rescue from them all; hence he continues: ΚΑῚ ἘΚ ΠΆΝΤΩΝ ΜΕ ἘΡΎΣΑΤΟ Ὁ ΚΎΡΙΟς. Erasmus, Flatt, Mack, Heydenreich unnecessarily take the sentence: ΟἽΙΥς … ὙΠΉΝΕΓΚΑ, as a touching appeal; Hofmann, both this sentence and the preceding one: ΟἿΆ ΜΟΙ ἘΓΈΝΕΤΟ Κ.Τ.Λ. This would only be an unsuitable interruption of the quiet train of thought.[51]

ὑποφέρειν denotes persevering, stedfast endurance, 1 Corinthians 10:13; 1 Peter 2:17.

καὶ ἐκ πάντων με κ.τ.λ.] Chrysostom: ἀμφότερα παρακλήσεως, ὅτι καὶ ἐγὼ προθυμίαν παρειχόμην γενναίαν, καὶ οὐκ ἐγκατελείφθην. He mentions his sufferings, and his rescue from them, that he may encourage Timothy to be ready to suffer for Christ’s sake. It is to be observed that με ἐρύσατο refers not only to rescue from bodily danger, but also to rescue from the danger of being unfaithful to his calling, so that out of his sufferings he had issued without hurt to body or soul; comp. 2 Timothy 4:17.

[50] Otto: “παρακολουθεῖν is to be taken in its most literal sense, not comprobari, amplecti, or even imitari, but follow after. Timothy of his own accord not only followed after his doctrine, but also his sufferings; for that these lay in the path of an apostle was shown clearly enough by events in Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra. Hence, however, he is not to be surprised if he finds on his way the very thing he had willingly followed after.”—Hofmann explains it: “Timothy as scholar followed that in which Paul had preceded him as teacher, so that Christianity taught him what Christianity was.”

[51] Hofmann maintains that if the sentences beginning with οἷα and οἵους were to be relative sentences, the apostle would have written: τοῖς διωγμοῖς, οἵους ὑπήνεγκα, τοῖς παθήμασιν, οἷά μοι ἐγένετο; but this would make too wide a separation between the cognate ideas διωγμοῖς and παθήμασιν, and the second sentence: οἷα κ.τ.λ., would be only a weak appendage.—The objection, that the relative sentence with διωγμοῖς is quite superfluous, is quite removed if the emphasis be placed on ὑπήνεγκα. Nor can it be said that “διωγμούς is unskilfully introduced,” since this introduction was necessary, if the apostle wished to express his thought in a relative clause.

Expositor's Greek Testament

2 Timothy 3:10-17. I am not really uneasy about your steadfastness. You joined me as a disciple from spiritual and moral inducements only. The persecutions you saw me endure you knew to be typical of the conditions of a life of godliness. Stand in the old paths. Knowledge of the Holy Scriptures on which your growing mind was fed is never out of date as an equipment for the man of God.

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

10. But thou hast fully known my doctrine] The ms. authority on the whole favours the aorist, which suits also the aorists of 2 Timothy 3:14 and does not assert, as the perfect would, the certainty of Timothy’s settled continuance in ‘following.’ The perfect may have come in from 1 Timothy 4:6, where it is more appropriate in connexion with the present participle ‘being continuously nourished.’ On the meaning of the word see note there: thou didst closely follow.

my doctrine; manner of life] Again, teaching; cf. 1 Timothy 1:10. ‘Manner of life’ is a word occurring here only in N.T., a substantive derived from the verb used above ‘led’ 2 Timothy 3:6 and Romans 8:14, which shews how conduct is the natural derived sense; cf. Gifford’s note ‘all who are moved and guided by the Spirit and follow His guidance.’ The word is classical in the general sense of ‘guidance,’ ‘course,’ ‘training’; and occurs Ar. Eth. N. x. vii. 3, as here.

purpose] In 2 Timothy 1:9, and wherever else it is used in St Paul’s epistles, refers to God’s purpose and plan of salvation. It occurs four times in N.T. to render’ the shew-bread.’ But in Acts 11:23 it is used of Barnabas who ‘exhorted them all that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord,’ and this is exactly the force here.

faith] In the same general and usual sense as in 2 Timothy 2:22; 1 Timothy 6:11, where ‘love’ and ‘brave patience’ also occur; for this last see also note on 2 Timothy 2:10.

longsuffering] Occurs with ‘brave patience’ or ‘endurance’ in Colossians 1:11, where Lightfoot distinguishes thus: ‘While “endurance” is the temper which does not easily succumb under suffering, “long-suffering” is the self-restraint which does not hastily retaliate a wrong. The one is opposed to cowardice or despondency, the other to wrath or revenge (Proverbs 15:18).’ In 1 Timothy 6:11 this ‘endurance’ is coupled with ‘meekness of heart’ which is rather the opposite of ‘rudeness,’ ‘harshness.’ See 2 Timothy 2:25, and note.

charity] As throughout N.T., love.

10–17. The appeal for pure life and doctrine in view both of St Paul’s own past and the evil future

The connexion is: ‘You were trained to a life the opposite of all this, in learning to copy me, in learning to rest all upon the Scriptures; see that you live the life.’

Bengel's Gnomen

2 Timothy 3:10. Σὺ δὲ, but thou) An antithesis: so again after new descriptions of evils, 2 Timothy 3:14, ch. 2 Timothy 4:5.—παρηκολούθηκας, thou hast followed out) [fully followed up, traced out and known]. Timothy became the companion of Paul after the persecutions mentioned in this place, Acts 13:50; Acts 14:5; Acts 14:19; Acts 16:3. This is therefore a well chosen word to employ here, as in Luke 1:3. So Antiochus concerning his son: “I am persuaded that he, understanding my mind (παρακολουθοῦντα, following up my mode of thinking); 2Ma 9:27.—τῇ ἀγωγῇ) ἀγωγὴ, mode of life, Fr. conduite.—τῇ προθέσει, purpose) His purpose for the future follows close after his (present) mode of life; comp. Acts 11:23, note; and long-suffering follows close after faith, as in Hebrews 6:12 : patience follows close after love, as in 2 Thessalonians 3:5.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 10. - Didst follow my teaching for hast fully known my doctrine, A.V. and T.R.; conduct for manner of life, A.V.; love for charity, A.V. Didst follow (παρηκολούθησας, which is the R.T. for παρηκολούθηκας, in the perfect, which is the T.R.). The evidence for the two readings is nicely balanced. But St. Paul uses the perfect in l Timothy 4:6 (where see note), and it seems highly improbable that he here used the aorist in order to convey a rebuff to Timothy by insinuating that he had once followed, but that he was doing so no longer. The sentence, "thou didst follow," etc., is singularly insipid. The A.V. "thou hast fully known" gives the sense fully and clearly. Timothy had fully known St. Paul's whole career, partly from what he had heard, and partly from what he had been an eyewitness cf. My teaching. How different from that of those impostors! Conduct (ἀγωγῇ); here only in the New Testament, but found in the LXX. in Esther 2:20 (τὴν ἀγωγὴν αὐτῆς, "her manner of life" - her behaviour towards Mordecai, where there is nothing to answer to it in the Hebrew text); 2 Macc. 4:16 (τὰς ἀγωγάς); 6:8; 11:24. Aristotle uses ἀγωγή for "conduct," or "mode of life" ('Ethics'), and Polybius (4:74, 14), quoted by Alford, has ἀγωγὴ and ἀγωγαὶ τοῦ βίου, "way" or "manner of life." The A.V. "manner of life" is a very good rendering. Purpose (πρόθεσιν); that which a person sets before him as the end to be attained (Acts 11:23; Acts 27:13; 2 Macc. 3:8; and in Aristotle, Polybius, and others). Used often of God's eternal purpose, as e.g., ch. 1:9; Ephesians 1:11, etc. In enumerating these and the following," faith, long suffering, charity, and patience," St. Paul doubtless had in view, not self-glorification, which was wholly alien to his earnest, self-denying character, but the mention of those qualities which he saw were most needed by Timothy. Long suffering (τῇ μακροθυμίᾳ); as 1 Timothy 1:16, of the long suffering of Jesus Christ towards himself, and elsewhere frequently of human patience and forbearance towards others. Patience (τῇ ὑπομονῇ). This is exercised in the patient endurance of afflictions for Christ's sake. It is coupled, as here, with μακροθυμίΑ, long suffering, in Colossians 1:11. 2 Timothy 3:10

Vincent's Word Studies

Hast fully known (παρηκολούθησας)

Better, thou didst follow. See on 1 Timothy 4:6. oP.

Manner of life (ἀγωγῇ)

Or conduct. N.T.o. lxx, mostly 2nd and 3rd Macc. Often in Class., but mostly in a transitive sense, leading, conducting.

Purpose (προθέσει)

See on Acts 11:23; see on Romans 9:11. In Paul, only of the divine purpose.

Long-suffering, charity, patience

For long-suffering, see on James 5:7. For charity rend. love, and see on Galatians 5:22. For patience, see on 2 Peter 1:6; see on James 5:7.