2 Timothy 4

The concluding personal remarks of Chapter 4 are very interesting.  We actually get an inside look at the early church.  We learn:

Paul had a first hearing to proclaim his innocence and no one he expected to help actually did.  (v. 16)  Rather, everyone deserted him.  God's strength helped him to get through it.

Paul hopes that Timothy would come to Rome and help him.  (v. 9). He also hopes that he brings Mark.  (v. 11).  Mark is interesting because from Acts 15:36-41, Mark may have deserted Paul when Paul "usurped" control of the missionary group over that of Barnabas.  We do not exactly know what happened and why Paul split from Barnabas (15:39), but if Mark sparked the conflict, 2 Timothy 4:11 shows that Paul forgives Mark.

One deserter is a man named "Demas" who left Paul in Rome and went to Thessalonica.  (v. 10). Other deserters include Crecens and Titus.  (v. 10)

Paul's Epistle to Titus is actually the very next book of the Bible immediately after 2 Timothy.  We can presume that this is the same Titus.  Titus would eventually desert Paul.

Luke did not desert Paul (v. 11), but it also appears that Luke did not appear on behalf of Paul at this trial.