2 Timothy 2:15

2 Timothy 2:15 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
• New International Version (NIV)Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

Context of 2 Timothy 2:15

13Even if we no longer trust him, he will still be someone that people can trust. He will always remain true to his nature.’ 14Continue to tell these things to God's people there, so that they remember them. Use God's authority and warn them not to quarrel about words. To quarrel about little things does not help anyone. Instead, it destroys those people who listen. Always try very much to serve God in a way that makes him happy. Then he will accept you as a good worker that he can trust. You must teach God's true message correctly. Then you will have no reason to be ashamed of your work. 16But stay away from people who talk about silly things that are not important to God. A message like that causes people to live more and more in a way that does not please God. 17It causes people to become sick in their spirits. More and more people become sick as a result. Hymenaeus and Philetus are two of the people who teach that kind of false message.

2 Timothy 2:15 word by word

σπούδασον σεαυτὸν δόκιμον παραστῆσαι τῷ θεῷ, ἐργάτην ἀνεπαίσχυντον, ὀρθοτομοῦντα τὸν λόγον τῆς ἀληθείας.¶Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Studyσπουδάζωspoudazō · be eagerG4704
• to shewπαρίστημιparistēmi paristanō · to stand byG3936
• thyselfσεαυτοῦseautou seautō seauton sautou sautō sauton · yourselfG4572
• approvedδόκιμοςdokimos · testedG1384
• unto Godὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• unto Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
• a workmanἐργάτηςergatēs · workerG2040
• that needeth not to be ashamedἀνεπαίσχυντοςanepaischuntos · unashamedG422
• rightly dividingὀρθοτομέωorthotomeō · to cut straightG3718
• the wordλόγοςlogos · wordG3056
• of truthἀλήθειαalētheia · truthG225

Cross-references for 2 Timothy 2:15

• Hebrews 4:11So we must do everything possible to arrive in God's special place of rest. God's people in the wilderness did not obey him. We must not be like them. If we do not obey God, we also will fail to arrive in that place.
• 2 Peter 1:10So, my friends, try very much to live in a way that pleases God. God has chosen you to be his own people. Show that you really do belong to him! If you do these things, you will never turn away from God.
• 2 Peter 3:14So, my friends, live in a good way, because you are waiting for these things to happen. Try very much to do what makes God happy. Then, when you meet God, he will see that you are clean. He will see that there is no trouble in your minds.
• Acts 2:22Peter then said, ‘People of Israel, listen to what I am saying! Jesus, the man from Nazareth, came with God's authority to do his work. God did many powerful and special things through him. These miracles showed you clearly that God had sent him. You know about all this. These things happened here, and you saw them.
• Romans 14:18If anyone serves Christ in that way, they will make God happy. And other people will respect them.
• Romans 16:10Say ‘hello’ to Apelles. He has shown that he trusts Christ very well. Say ‘hello’ to those people who belong to Aristobulus's family.
• 2 Corinthians 5:9But all the time we want to please the Lord. We want to do that while we are still at home in our body here on earth. We also want to please him when we go away from these bodies.
• 2 Corinthians 10:18Who is really good? It is not the person who praises himself. It is the person that the Lord says is a good person.
• Galatians 1:10When I say these things, I am not trying to please people. No, it is God that I want to please. If I only wanted to make people happy, then I would not be a servant of Christ.
• 1 Thessalonians 2:4Instead, we say what God wants us to say. He has chosen us to tell his good news to people. So we do not do it to make people happy. We do it to make God happy. He is the one who knows what we are really like.
• Matthew 13:52Jesus said to them, ‘Some teachers of God's Law have now learned about the kingdom of heaven. These men are like the master of a house who takes things out of the room where he keeps them. Some of the valuable things he brings out are new and some of them are old.’
• 2 Corinthians 3:6God has made us his servants. So we are able to tell people the message of his new agreement. This new agreement is not about rules. Rules tell people what they must do and they bring death. But God's new agreement comes from his Spirit. And the Spirit brings new life to us, not death.
• 2 Corinthians 6:3We do not want anyone to think bad things about our work. So we do nothing that might cause trouble for anyone.
• 1 Timothy 4:6You must explain these things to the believers and teach them God's true message. If you do that, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus. Continue to study the message about Jesus that you have already learned. That will help you to be strong.
• Mark 4:33Jesus taught God's message to the people. He used many stories like these. He told the people as much as they could understand.
• Luke 12:42Jesus replied, ‘Be a wise servant. Be someone that the master can trust. The master will choose a man like that. He will say to him, “I want you to rule my house and the other servants. Give them the food that they need at the right time.”

Commentaries on 2 Timothy 2:15

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 15Study to show thyself approved unto God - Endeavour so to cultivate and improve thy heart and mind, that thou mayest not be a reproach to him from whom thou professest to receive thy commission. Rightly dividing the word of truth - It is generally supposed that the apostle alludes here to the care taken to divide the sacrifices under the law; the priests studied, in dividing the victim down the spine, to do it so scrupulously that one half of the spinal…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 15Study to show thyself approved unto God - Give diligence 2 Peter 2:10, or make an effort so to discharge the duties of the ministerial office as to meet the divine approbation. The object of the ministry is not to please men. Such doctrines should be preached, and such plans formed, and such a manner of life pursued, as God will approve. To do this demands study or care - for there are many temptations to the opposite course; there are many things the…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 14-21Verses 14-21 Those disposed to strive, commonly strive about matters of small moment. But strifes of words destroy the things of God. The apostle mentions some who erred. They did not deny the resurrection, but they corrupted that true doctrine. Yet nothing can be so foolish or erroneous, but it will overturn the temporary faith of some professors. This foundation has two writings on it. One speaks our comfort. None can overthrow the faith of any whom God…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 15accurately handles the word of truth: The Berean Standard Bible connects this verse to interpreting the gospel teachings correctly. Another possibility is that the apostle Timothy should remain focused on his teaching ministry and avoid getting involved in the arguments of false teachers (see 1 Timothy 1:4; 2 Timothy 2:16).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1515. Study--Greek, "Be earnest," or "diligent." to show--Greek, "present," as in Ro 12:1. thyself--as distinguished from those whom Timothy was to charge (2Ti 2:14). approved--tested by trial: opposed to "reprobate" (Tit 1:16). workman--alluding to Mt 20:1, &c. not to be ashamed--by his work not being "approved" (Php 1:20). Contrast "deceitful workers" (2Co 11:13). rightly dividing--"rightly handling" [Vulgate]; "rightly administering" [Alford]; literally…Read the comment

Topics related to 2 Timothy 2:15

• Minister, Christian
• Preaching
• Truth
• Word of God

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Acknowledge
• Approved
• Commit
• Deny
• Eat
• Endure
• Entangle
• Eternal

Commentaries on 2 Timothy 2

• 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