Question: Does the Greek text of 2 Tim. 1:16-18 imply that Onesiphorus had already been dead by the time of writing these words?:

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> The Lord give mercy unto the house of Onesiphorus; for he oft
>  refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain: But, when he was in
>  Rome, he sought me out very diligently, and found me. The Lord grant
>  unto him that he may find mercy of the Lord in that day: and in how
>  many things he ministered unto me at Ephesus, thou knowest very well.
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Answer: 
The key of this text is the phrase **that day**, which occurs in the following three verses:

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> [**2 Tim 1:16-18**](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Timothy%201%3A12&version=NASB;SBLGNT) (NASB)  
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> 16 The Lord grant mercy to the house of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains; 17 but when he was in Rome, he eagerly searched for me and found me— 18the Lord grant to him to find mercy from the Lord on **that day**—and you know very well what services he rendered at Ephesus.
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> [**2 Tim 4:8**](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Timothy%204%3A8&version=NASB;SBLGNT) (NASB)  
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> 8 in the future 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.
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> [**2 Tim 1:12**](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Timothy%201%3A12&version=NASB;SBLGNT) (NASB)  
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> 12 For this reason I also suffer these things, but I am not ashamed; for I know whom I have believed and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until **that day**.
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If the author of the epistle refers to himself as receiving his reward of due compensation on **that day**, and the author was alive when he wrote these words, then why should we assume that Onesiphorus was necessarily already dead just because he too was supposed to receive his reward of due compensation on **that day**?
I think that we need to understand firstly that Paul is contrasting Onesiphorus and his household with those people he mentions in v14. He is commending them for their care of him. 

The fact that it is just Onesiphorus' household that Paul speaks of in v15 and not Onesiphorus himself suggests that he wasn't there at the time. That might mean that he was dead, or it could simply mean he was elsewhere, after all Paul refers to the household of Stephanas in 1 Cor 16:15 when he is very much alive (just not at home 1 Cor 16:17)

It is easy to read a lot into the term "The Lord grant mercy to" in v15 and conclude that Paul was praying for comfort for the household. But that is not what he says. Notice in v18 he also prays for mercy for Onesiphorus as well and it doesn't seem to me that praying for mercy for one already dead would fit with Paul's theology. Paul is always praying/ asking for mercy or grace for people. Many of his letters open with such a prayer: Rom 1:7, 1 Cor 1:3, 2 Cor 1:2, Gal 1:3, Eph 1:2, Phil 1:2, Col 1:2, 1 Thess 1:1, 2 Thess 1:2, 1 Tim 1:2, 2 Tim 1:2, Tit 1:4, Phm 1:3 

In the end the evidence is not conclusive either way, so it seems clear that Paul presumed Timothy would know the situation, and that beyond our own curiosity the question does not have a great significance. By that I mean that we should not build a doctrine upon this as a key text, or even use it as a proof text for 'prayer for the dead' etc. The ambiguity precludes it's worth to that end.