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2 Timothy 4:8
ESV Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.
NIV Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day--and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.
NASB in the future there is reserved for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing.
CSB There is reserved for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on that day, and not only to me, but to all those who have loved his appearing.
NLT And now the prize awaits me — the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on the day of his return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to his appearing.
KJV Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.

What does 2 Timothy 4:8 mean?

Because of Paul's faithfulness to Christ, he can confidently expect heavenly rewards. Salvation is by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8–9), yet eternal rewards are based on one's faithful service to Christ. This is the only place in the New Testament referring to this specific type of crown. Other crowns include the imperishable crown (1 Corinthians 9:24–25), crown of rejoicing (1 Thessalonians), crown of life (James 1:12; Revelation 2:10) and crown of glory (1 Peter 5:4). This crown of righteousness would come from the "righteous judge" (also Psalm 7:11).

Paul expects to obtain this crown on "that Day," a reference which is often debated by interpreters. Some believe this would be when Paul died and stood before the Lord, while others interpret this as a future time such as the end-times "Day of the Lord." Given the context of this passage, it seems more likely to be a reference to when Paul dies. Of much encouragement to Christians is the fact that Paul adds that the crown of righteousness is for him and also "all who have loved his appearing." Any faithful believer has the potential to receive this particular crown.
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