2 Timothy 2:9 (LSB)

Passage

for which I endure hardship even to chains as a criminal. But the word of God has not been chained.

Nearby Context

2 Timothy 2:7 Understand what I say, for the Lord will give you insight in everything.

2 Timothy 2:8 Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, of the seed of David, according to my gospel,

2 Timothy 2:9 for which I endure hardship even to chains as a criminal. But the word of God has not been chained.

2 Timothy 2:10 For this reason I endure all things for the sake of the elect, so that they also may obtain the salvation, which is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory.

2 Timothy 2:11 It is a trustworthy saying: For if we died with Him, we will also live with Him;

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "endure", "hardship", "even", "chains", "criminal", "word", "been", and "chained". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "endure" and "hardship", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 8's "Remember Jesus Christ risen from the dead..." into verse 10's "For this reason I endure all things...", so "endure" and "hardship" 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 "endure" and "hardship" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.