John Calvin Commentary 2 Timothy 1:16

"The Lord grant mercy unto the house of Onesiphorus: for he oft refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain;" — 2 Timothy 1:16 (ASV)

May the Lord grant mercy. From this prayer we infer that the good deeds done to the saints are not thrown away, even though they cannot repay them; for when he prays to God to reward them, this carries the force of a promise. At the same time, Paul testifies his gratitude by desiring that God will grant the reward, because he is unable to pay. What if he had possessed abundant means of reward? Undoubtedly, he would have shown that he was not ungrateful.

To the family of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me. It is noteworthy that although he praises the kindness of Onesiphorus alone, yet, on his account, he prays for mercy to the whole family. From this we infer that “the blessing of God rests not only on the head of the righteous man,” but on all his house. So great is the love of God toward his people that it spreads over all who are connected with them.

And was not ashamed of my chain. This is a proof not only of his generosity but also of his zeal, since he cheerfully exposed himself to danger and to the reproach of men in order to assist Paul.