complete verse (2 Timothy 4:20)

Following are a number of back-translations of 2 Timothy 4:20:

  • Uma: “Erastus, he is still in the village of Korintus. Trofimus I left in Miletus because he was sick.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Erastus stayed there in Korinto. Toropimus was left by me there in Miletus because he was sick.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Erastus stayed behind in Corinth, and I left Trophimus in Malta for he was sick.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Erastus was left-behind in Corinto, and as for Trofimus, I left him in Miletus because he was sick.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Oh yes, as for Erasto, he stayed behind at Corinto. As for Trofimo, I left him at Melito because he was ill.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Concerning Erastus, he stayed in Corinth. And Trophimus I left in the city of Miletus because he was sick.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

Translation commentary on 2 Timothy 4:20

Erastus appears here and in two other places in the New Testament (Acts 19.22 and Rom 16.23, where he is identified as the city treasurer). It is possible that these verses are referring to the same person. In the Acts passage we are told that Paul sent Erastus and Timothy ahead to Macedonia, while he, Paul, stayed on in Asia for a while.

Corinth is a city in Greece. In 27 B.C. it became the capital of the province of Achaia (see the map, page 6|fig:Map_Paul-12.jpg). The book of Acts informs us that Paul founded the church there during his second missionary journey (see Acts 18.1-18).

Trophimus is perhaps the same Ephesian Christian mentioned twice in the book of Acts: as a companion of Paul (together with Timothy) on his journey to Jerusalem (Acts 20.4, 5), and as the cause of Paul’s problems with the mob in Jerusalem, who thought that Paul had brought a Gentile into the temple (Acts 21.29).

Miletus was an important port city in the Aegean Sea, south of Ephesus. It is mentioned twice in the book of Acts (20.15, 17). It was there where Paul met with the Ephesian church leaders for the last time.

Quoted with permission from Arichea, Daniel C. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Paul’s Second Letter to Timothy. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1995. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

SIL Translator's Notes on 2 Timothy 4:20

4:20a

Erastus has remained at Corinth: Erastus is the name of a Christian man whom Timothy knew. On one of Paul’s missionary trips, Timothy and Erastus had been his companions (Acts 19:22).

4:20b

Trophimus I left sick in Miletus: Trophimus was probably the same person that Luke mentioned in Acts 21:29. In that verse, Luke said that Trophimus was with Paul in Jerusalem on Paul’s last visit there. Trophimus’ home was in Ephesus, so Timothy probably knew him.

Miletus: Miletus was a town on the coast of the Roman province of Asia. It was not far from Ephesus. Apparently Erastus and Trophimus had both been with Paul on a recent trip, and Trophimus had been with Paul until they arrived in Miletus.

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Sung version of 2 Timothy 4

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