Paul charges Timothy in the presence of God and Christ Jesus to “preach the word” in 2 Timothy 4:1–2. He describes doing so “in season and out of season” and includes reproof, rebuke, and exhortation with complete patience and teaching. The charge is framed by reference to Christ’s appearing and kingdom.
In 2 Timothy 4:1–2 Paul gives Timothy a weighty, public-sounding charge. He frames it as happening “before” God and Jesus Christ, and he ties it to Christ’s future role as judge and to his appearing and royal rule. These verses open the closing instructions of 2 Timothy, where Paul moves from describing the value of Scripture and Timothy’s responsibilities (just prior in 3:14–17) into a direct, urgent commission.
Paul’s words are presented as a formal, weighty charge given “before” God and Jesus Christ. The passage explicitly places Timothy’s work under ultimate oversight, not merely the opinion of the moment (textual claim: the charge is before God and Jesus Christ).
A common mistake is to turn the wording into a slogan. The better reading keeps the phrase tied to the passage, the speaker, and the problem the book is addressing.
Start with 2 Timothy 4:1-2, then read the surrounding section so the answer stays connected to the passage's flow.
1I charge you therefore before God and the Lord, Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom:
2preach the word; be urgent in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with all patience and teaching.