II Timothy 4:18

And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work - None of the evil designs formed against me to make me unfaithful or unsteady, to cause me to save my life at the expense of faith and a good conscience, shall succeed; my life may go, but he will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom. A continuance on earth the apostle expects not; but he has glory full in view, and therefore he gives God glory for what he had done, and for what he had promised to do.

And the Lord shall, &c.--Hope draws its conclusions from the past to the future [BENGEL]. will preserve me--literally, "will save" (Psa 22:21), "will bring me safe to." Jesus is the Lord and the Deliverer (Phi 3:20; Th1 1:10): He saves from evil; He gives good things. heavenly kingdom--Greek, "His kingdom which is a heavenly one." to whom, &c.--Greek, "to whom be the glory unto the ages of ages." The very hope produces a doxology: how much greater will be the doxology which the actual enjoyment shall produce! [BENGEL].

Erastus abode at Corinth,.... He was chamberlain of that city, Rom 16:23 who being sent along with Timothy into Macedonia, Act 19:22 very probably went from thence into Achaia, to Corinth, his native place, where he stayed. But Trophimus have I left at Miletum sick. Trophimus was an Asian, of the city of Ephesus, the same that is spoken of in Act 20:4. Some say he suffered martyrdom the same day the Apostle Paul did; but others say, that after that time he was bishop of Arles in France. This man went with the apostle into Asia, and from thence to Jerusalem, and came along with him in his voyage to Rome, but falling sick by the way, was left at Miletum. Some, instead of Miletum, would read Melita, that being the island Paul, and the ship's company, escaped to, when they were shipwrecked, Act 28:1 here it is supposed Trophimus was left sick. Others have observed, that there was a city called Miletus in the island of Crete, under which Paul sailed, Act 27:7, see footnote (j), and is the place intended; but there is no need to suppose either of these; no doubt Miletum, near to Ephesus, is meant; and as the apostle sailed by the coast of Asia, Act 27:7, on which shore Miletum was, there is no difficulty in supposing him put ashore there. The Alexandrian copy reads "Melotus". (j) Plin. l. 4. c. 12.

4:18 God would continue to strengthen Paul and keep him strong in the faith (4:7) to the end of his life (see 1:12). • The Lord’s heavenly Kingdom contrasts with the earthly kingdom that was about to pass judgment on Paul (see also 4:1; 1 Cor 15:48-49; Heb 12:18-29). • All glory . . . Amen: Paul’s doxology in the face of execution expresses confidence that God’s glory will be upheld (cp. 1 Tim 1:17; 6:15-16). • to God (literally to him): The Greek suggests that this praise is ascribed to “the Lord” of the preceding sentence—namely, to Jesus (cp. Titus 2:13).