2 Timothy 3:5

2 Timothy 3:5 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
• New International Version (NIV)having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.
• English Standard Version (ESV)having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.
• New King James Version (NKJV)having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!

Context of 2 Timothy 3:5

3unloving, irreconcilable, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, without love for what is good, 4traitors, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to the form of godliness but denying its power. Avoid these people. 6For among them are those who worm their way into households and deceive gullible women overwhelmed by sins and led astray by a variety of passions, 7always learning and never able to come to a knowledge of the truth.

2 Timothy 3:5 word by word

ἔχοντες μόρφωσιν εὐσεβείας, τὴν δὲ δύναμιν αὐτῆς ἠρνημένοι. καὶ τούτους ἀποτρέπου.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·καίkai · andG2532
• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Havingἔχωechō · to have/beG2192
• a formμόρφωσιςmorphōsis · formG3446
• of godlinessεὐσέβειαeusebeia · pietyG2150
• butδέde · thenG1161
• denyingἀρνέομαιarneomai · to denyG720
• the powerδύναμιςdunamis · powerG1411
• thereofαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• fromἀποτρέπωapotrepō · to avoidG665
• suchοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778

Cross-references for 2 Timothy 3:5

• Isaiah 29:13The Lord said: These people approach me with their speeches to honor me with lip-service, yet their hearts are far from me, and human rules direct their worship of me.
• Isaiah 48:1“Listen to this, house of Jacob — those who are called by the name Israel and have descended from Judah, who swear by the name of the Lord and declare the God of Israel, but not in truth or righteousness.
• Isaiah 58:1“Cry out loudly, don’t hold back! Raise your voice like a ram’s horn. Tell my people their transgression and the house of Jacob their sins.
• Ezekiel 33:30“As for you, son of man, your people are talking about you near the city walls and in the doorways of their houses. One person speaks to another, each saying to his brother, ‘Come and hear what the message is that comes from the Lord!’
• Matthew 7:15“Be on your guard against false prophets who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravaging wolves.
• Matthew 23:27“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which appear beautiful on the outside, but inside are full of the bones of the dead and every kind of impurity.
• Romans 2:20an instructor of the ignorant, a teacher of the immature, having the embodiment of knowledge and truth in the law —
• 1 Timothy 5:8But if anyone does not provide for his own family, especially for his own household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
• 2 Timothy 2:16Avoid irreverent and empty speech, since those who engage in it will produce even more godlessness,
• Romans 16:17Now I urge you, brothers and sisters, to watch out for those who create divisions and obstacles contrary to the teaching that you learned. Avoid them,
• Ephesians 4:14Then we will no longer be little children, tossed by the waves and blown around by every wind of teaching, by human cunning with cleverness in the techniques of deceit.
• 2 Thessalonians 3:6Now we command you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to keep away from every brother or sister who is idle and does not live according to the tradition received from us.
• 1 Timothy 6:5and constant disagreement among people whose minds are depraved and deprived of the truth, who imagine that godliness is a way to material gain.
• 2 John 1:10If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your home, and do not greet him;

Commentaries on 2 Timothy 3:5

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 5Having a form of godliness - The original word signifies a draught, sketch, or summary, and will apply well to those who have all their religion in their creed, confession of faith, catechism, bodies of divinity, etc., while destitute of the life of God in their souls; and are not only destitute of this life, but deny that such life or power is here to be experienced or known. They have religion in their creed, but none in their hearts. And perhaps to…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 5Having a form of godliness - That is, they profess religion, or are in connection with the church. This shows that the apostle referred to some great corruption in the church; and there can be little doubt that he had his eye on the same great apostasy to which he refers in 2 John 1:10-11; see the notes at 2 Corinthians 6:17.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 5such as these: These people rejected good teaching. They denied the power that could make them live as God desires (3:2–4; see 1 Timothy 1:5–11; Colossians 2:16–23).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 55. form--outward semblance. godliness--piety. denying--rather as Greek, "having denied," that is, renounced. the power--the living, regenerating, sanctifying influence of it. turn away--implying that some of such characters, forerunners of the last days, were already in the Church.Read the comment

Topics related to 2 Timothy 3:5

• Apostasy
• Character
• Commandments
• Company
• Fellowship
• Formalism
• Hypocrisy
• Minister, Christian
• Wicked (People)
• Worldliness

In the dictionaries

• Correction
• Creep
• Doctrine
• Godly
• Inspiration
• Reprobate
• Unholy
• Wise
• Worse
• Form

Commentaries on 2 Timothy 3

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings