2 Timothy 4:9 (ASV)

Passage

Give diligence to come shortly unto me:

Nearby Context

2 Timothy 4:7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith:

2 Timothy 4:8 henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give to me at that day; and not to me only, but also to all them that have loved his appearing.

2 Timothy 4:9 Give diligence to come shortly unto me:

2 Timothy 4:10 for Demas forsook me, having loved this present world, and went to Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia.

2 Timothy 4:11 Only Luke is with me. Take Mark, and bring him with thee; for he is useful to me for ministering.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "give", "diligence", "come", and "shortly". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "give" and "diligence", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 8's "henceforth there is laid up for me..." into verse 10's "for Demas forsook me having loved this...", so "give" and "diligence" 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 "give" and "diligence" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.