1 Thou therefore, my child, be strong in the grace which [is] in Christ Jesus. 2 And the things thou hast heard of me in the presence of many witnesses, these entrust to faithful men, such as shall be competent to instruct others also. 3 Take thy share in suffering as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. 4 No one going as a soldier entangles himself with the affairs of life, that he may please him who has enlisted him as a soldier. 5 And if also any one contend [in the games], he is not crowned unless he contend lawfully. 6 The husbandman must labour before partaking of the fruits. 7 Think of what I say, for the Lord will give thee understanding in all things. 8 Remember Jesus Christ raised from among [the] dead, of [the] seed of David, according to my glad tidings, 9 in which I suffer even unto bonds as an evil-doer: but the word of God is not bound. 10 For this cause I endure all things for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation which [is] in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. 11 The word [is] faithful; for if we have died together with [him], we shall also live together; 12 if we endure, we shall also reign together; if we deny, he also will deny us; 13 if we are unfaithful, he abides faithful, for he cannot deny himself. 14 Of these things put in remembrance, testifying earnestly before the Lord not to have disputes of words, profitable for nothing, to the subversion of the hearers. 15 Strive diligently to present thyself approved to God, a workman that has not to be ashamed, cutting in a straight line the word of truth. 16 But profane, vain babblings shun, for they will advance to greater impiety, 17 and their word will spread as a gangrene; of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus; 18 [men] who as to the truth have gone astray, saying that the resurrection has taken place already; and overthrow the faith of some. 19 Yet the firm foundation of God stands, having this seal, [The] Lord knows those that are his; and, Let every one who names the name of [the] Lord withdraw from iniquity. 20 But in a great house there are not only gold and silver vessels, but also wooden and earthen; and some to honour, and some to dishonour. 21 If therefore one shall have purified himself from these, [in separating himself from them], he shall be a vessel to honour, sanctified, serviceable to the Master, prepared for every good work. 22 But youthful lusts flee, and pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace, with those that call upon the Lord out of a pure heart. 23 But foolish and senseless questionings avoid, knowing that they beget contentions. 24 And a bondman of [the] Lord ought not to contend, but be gentle towards all; apt to teach; forbearing; 25 in meekness setting right those who oppose, if God perhaps may sometime give them repentance to acknowledgment of [the] truth, 26 and that they may awake up out of the snare of the devil, [who are] taken by him, for his will.
2 Timothy 2 Darby Translation
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
People & places in this chapter
From this site's family tree and Bible maps, only where those guides cite this chapter.
People
Hymenaeus
A man who shipwrecked his faith; Paul handed him over to Satan to learn not to blaspheme, and he taught that the resurrection had already happened.
Cited in the guide: 1 Timothy 1:20; 2 Timothy 2:17
Philetus
Named with Hymenaeus as one whose teaching spreads like gangrene, claiming the resurrection had already happened.
Cited in the guide: 2 Timothy 2:17
Cross references (26)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 2 Corinthians 12:9–10; 2 Timothy 1:7; Ephesians 6:10; Philippians 4:13; 1 Corinthians 16:13
- 2 2 Timothy 1:13–14; 1 Timothy 4:6; 1 Timothy 6:12; Malachi 2:7; Titus 1:5–9
- 3 Hebrews 12:2–3; James 1:12; 2 Timothy 4:5; 2 Timothy 1:8; Ephesians 6:11–18
- 4 1 Thessalonians 2:4; Luke 8:14; 2 Peter 2:20; 1 Corinthians 7:22–23; 1 Corinthians 9:25–26
- 5 1 Corinthians 9:24–27; Revelation 3:11; 2 Timothy 4:7–8; James 1:12; Colossians 1:29
- 6 Hebrews 10:36; 1 Corinthians 9:7–11; 1 Corinthians 3:6–9; John 4:35–38; Luke 10:2
- 7 James 1:5; 1 John 5:20; Genesis 41:38–39; Luke 24:45; Ephesians 1:17–18
- 8 Acts 2:24; Romans 2:16; 2 Thessalonians 2:14; 1 Corinthians 15:11–20; Matthew 1:1
- 9 Acts 28:31; Philippians 1:7; 2 Timothy 1:8; Ephesians 6:19–20; Colossians 4:3
- 10 1 Peter 5:10; Colossians 1:24; 2 Corinthians 1:6; 2 Timothy 2:3; Colossians 1:27
- 11 Romans 6:8; Colossians 3:3–4; Romans 6:5; 1 Timothy 1:15; 2 Corinthians 4:10
- 12 Romans 8:17; Matthew 10:33; Revelation 20:4; Luke 12:9; Revelation 20:6
- 13 Numbers 23:19; Romans 3:3; 1 Thessalonians 5:24; 2 Thessalonians 3:3; Titus 1:2
- 14 Titus 3:9–11; 2 Timothy 2:23; 2 Timothy 4:1; Romans 14:1; 1 Timothy 5:21
- 15 1 Thessalonians 2:4; 2 Peter 1:10; 1 Timothy 4:6; 2 Corinthians 10:18; 2 Corinthians 5:9
- 16 Titus 3:9; 1 Timothy 6:20; 2 Timothy 2:14; 2 Thessalonians 2:7–8; Titus 1:14
- 17 1 Timothy 1:20; Nahum 3:15; James 5:3
- 18 1 Corinthians 15:12; 1 Timothy 1:19; Hebrews 3:10; 1 Timothy 6:10; Matthew 22:29
- 19 John 10:14; 1 Corinthians 8:3; Nahum 1:7; 1 John 3:7–10; Numbers 16:5
- 20 Romans 9:21–23; 1 Peter 2:5; 1 Timothy 3:15; 1 Corinthians 3:9; Ezra 1:6
- 21 Ephesians 2:10; 2 Timothy 3:17; 2 Corinthians 7:1; Psalm 119:9; 1 Peter 1:22
- 22 1 Peter 2:11; 1 Peter 3:11; 1 Corinthians 6:18; 1 Timothy 6:11; Psalm 119:9
- 23 2 Timothy 2:14; Titus 3:9; 1 Timothy 4:7; 1 Timothy 6:4–5; 1 Timothy 1:4
- 24 Titus 3:2; James 1:19–20; Titus 1:7; 1 Thessalonians 2:7; 1 Timothy 3:2–3
- 25 Acts 11:18; Galatians 6:1; 1 Timothy 2:4; 1 John 5:16; Acts 8:22
- 26 1 Timothy 3:7; Isaiah 49:25–26; Psalm 124:7; Colossians 1:13; Isaiah 42:6–7
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
The young sailor at sea is inspired with great confidence, if the Master of the ship has been preserved in a shipwreck. For he will not consider that it is from his inexperience that he is exposed to the storm, but from the nature of things; and this has no little effect upon his mind.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 13 (1889)
But those surgings in me required to find him at full leisure, that I might pour them out to him, but never were they able to find him so; and I heard him, indeed, every Lord's day, "rightly dividing the word of truth" among the people; and I was all the more convinced that all those knots of crafty calumnies, …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 1 (1886)
… discourses with us, both in the Old Testament, and in the New; in the one saying, "O my people, what have I done unto thee?" in the other, "Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me." And Paul too bids, "In meekness instruct those that oppose themselves." And Christ again, when His disciples had come to Him, requiring fire to come down …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)
Paul also saith, Remember Jesus Christ raised from the dead, of the seed of David, according to my Gospel: and in the beginning of the Epistle to the Romans he saith, Which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 7 (1894)
… but rather of the succour rendered "in the power of his might." For He Himself has bound the strong man and spoiled his goods, that is, us men, whom our enemy had abused in every evil activity, and made "vessels meet for the Master's use" us who have been perfected for every work through the making ready of that part …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 8 (1895)