2 Timothy 4:17 (ASV)

Passage

But the Lord stood by me, and strengthened me; that through me the message might me fully proclaimed, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion.

Nearby Context

2 Timothy 4:15 of whom do thou also beware; for he greatly withstood our words.

2 Timothy 4:16 At my first defence no one took my part, but all forsook me: may it not be laid to their account.

2 Timothy 4:17 But the Lord stood by me, and strengthened me; that through me the message might me fully proclaimed, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion.

2 Timothy 4:18 The Lord will deliver me from every evil work, and will save me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom [be] the glory forever and ever. Amen.

2 Timothy 4:19 Salute Prisca and Aquila, and the house of Onesiphorus.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "lord", "stood", "strengthened", "through", "message", "might", "fully", and "proclaimed". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "lord" and "stood", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 16's "At my first defence no one took..." into verse 18's "The Lord will deliver me from every...", so "lord" and "stood" belong inside that flow. In 2 Timothy context, the local focus is Christ, faith, and discipleship.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "lord" and "stood" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.