To Timothy, my dearly beloved son: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
My dearly beloved son. In 1 Timothy 1:2 and Titus 1:4, written earlier, the expression is (Greek) 'my genuine son;' marking the sincerity of Timothy: "my dearly beloved son" marks the love of Paul. Alford sees in the change an altered tone as to Timothy-more of mere love, less of confidence-as though Paul saw in him a want of firmness, whence arose the need of stirring up the faith in him (2 Timothy 1:6). [This seems to me not justified by agapeetos (G27), which implies the attachment of reasoning and choice, on the ground of merit in the one "beloved," not merely instinctive love. See Trench, 'Synonyms of New Testament.']