English Standard Version
2 Timothy 2:16
16But avoid irreverent babble, for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness,
2 Timothy 2:16 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.
- New International Version (NIV)Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly.
- New King James Version (NKJV)But shun profane and idle babblings, for they will increase to more ungodliness.
- New Living Translation (NLT)Avoid worthless, foolish talk that only leads to more godless behavior.
Context of 2 Timothy 2:16
14Remind them of these things, and charge them before God not to quarrel about words, which does no good, but only ruins the hearers. 15Do 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. But avoid irreverent babble, for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness, 17and their talk will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, 18who have swerved from the truth, saying that the resurrection has already happened. They are upsetting the faith of some.
Read all of 2 Timothy 22 Timothy 2:16 word by word
Τὰς δὲ βεβήλους κενοφωνίας περιΐστασο· ἐπὶ πλεῖον γὰρ προκόψουσιν ἀσεβείας,Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- Butδέde · thenG1161
- shunπεριΐστημιperiistēmi · to stand aroundG4026
- profaneβέβηλοςbebēlos · profaneG952
- vain babblingsκενοφωνίαkenophōnia · empty talkG2757
- forγάρgar · forG1063
- they will increaseπροκόπτωprokoptō · to advanceG4298
- untoἐπίepi · upon/to/againstG1909
- moreπλείων, πλεῖονpleiōn pleion pleon · greaterG4119
- ungodlinessἀσέβειαasebeia · ungodlinessnessG763
Cross-references for 2 Timothy 2:16
- 2 Timothy 2:14Remind them of these things, and charge them before God not to quarrel about words, which does no good, but only ruins the hearers.
- 1 Timothy 4:7Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness;
- 1 Timothy 6:20O Timothy, guard the deposit entrusted to you. Avoid the irreverent babble and contradictions of what is falsely called "knowledge,"
- 2 Timothy 3:13while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.
- Ezra 10:10And Ezra the priest stood up and said to them, "You have broken faith and married foreign women, and so increased the guilt of Israel.
- Hosea 12:1Ephraim feeds on the wind and pursues the east wind all day long; they multiply falsehood and violence; they make a covenant with Assyria, and oil is carried to Egypt.
- 1 Corinthians 5:6Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump?
- 1 Corinthians 15:33Do not be deceived: "Bad company ruins good morals."
- 2 Thessalonians 2:7For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work. Only he who now restrains it will do so until he is out of the way.
- Hebrews 12:15See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no "root of bitterness" springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled;
- 2 Peter 2:2And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed.
- Revelation 13:3One of its heads seemed to have a mortal wound, but its mortal wound was healed, and the whole earth marveled as they followed the beast.
Commentaries on 2 Timothy 2:16
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 16Shun profane and vain babblings - This is the character he gives of the preaching of the false teachers. Whatever was not agreeable to the doctrine of truth was, in the sight of God, empty and profane babbling; engendering nothing but ungodliness, and daily increasing in that.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 16But shun profane and vain babblings, - see the notes at 1 Timothy 6:20. For they will increase unto more ungodliness - Their tendency is to alienate the soul from God, and to lead to impiety. Such kinds of disputation are not merely a waste of time, they are productive of positive mischief. A man fond of contention in religious things is seldom one who has much love for the practical duties of piety, or any very deep sense of the distinction between right…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. 14-26Timothy must focus on Paul's teaching and avoid the teachings and behavior of false teachers 2:8–13. The false teachings were probably similar to those in 1 Timothy 6:20–21.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1616. shun--literally, "stand above," separate from, and superior to. vain--opposed to "the truth" (2Ti 2:15). babblings--with loud voice: opposed to the temperate "word" (Tit 3:9). increase--Greek, advance"; literally, "strike forward": an image from pioneers cutting away all obstacles before an advancing army. They pretend progress; the only kind of progress they make is to a greater pitch of impiety. more ungodliness--Greek, "a greater degree of impiety."Read the comment
Topics related to 2 Timothy 2:16
In the dictionaries
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
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries