ISB ~ 2 Timothy 2 v19

God’s firm foundation:The gospel message, or perhaps the Church, which upholds the truth (1 Tim 3:15).

this seal:Of the two quotations that follow, the first is from the Greek version of Num 16:5, and the second is drawn from an unknown source, though its wording resembles parts of Sir 35:3 and Is 26:13.

• The context of the first excerpt is Korah’s rebellion against Moses and the Aaronic priesthood, for which he and his fellow dissenters are destroyed by the Lord. Paul hints that a similar crisis is afoot in Ephesus, where Timothy is the legitimate priest and shepherd of God’s people, while the false teachers are doomed to face God’s judgment.

names the name of the Lord:An act of prayer and worship (Gen 4:26; Acts 9:14; 1 Cor 1:2), unless the divine name is taken in vain (Ex 20:7; Lev 24:10-16).