English Standard Version
2 Timothy 2:21
21Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work.
2 Timothy 2:21 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work.
- New International Version (NIV)Those who cleanse themselves from the latter will be instruments for special purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work.
- New Living Translation (NLT)If you keep yourself pure, you will be a special utensil for honorable use. Your life will be clean, and you will be ready for the Master to use you for every good work.
Context of 2 Timothy 2:21
19But God's firm foundation stands, bearing this seal: "The Lord knows those who are his," and, "Let everyone who names the name of the Lord depart from iniquity." 20Now in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver but also of wood and clay, some for honorable use, some for dishonorable. Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work. 22So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. 23Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels.
Read all of 2 Timothy 22 Timothy 2:21 word by word
ἐὰν οὖν τις ἐκκαθάρῃ ἑαυτὸν ἀπὸ τούτων, ἔσται σκεῦος εἰς τιμὴν ἡγιασμένον εὔχρηστον τῷ δεσπότῃ, εἰς πᾶν ἔργον ἀγαθὸν ἡτοιμασμένον.¶Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Ifἐάνean · ifG1437
- a manτιςtis · oneG5100
- thereforeοὖνoun · therefore/thenG3767
- purgeἐκκαθαίρωekkathairō · to cleanseG1571
- himselfἑαυτοῦheautou · themselfG1438
- fromἀπόapo · away fromG575
- theseοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
- he shall beεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
- a vesselσκεῦοςskeuos · vesselG4632
- untoεἰςeis · towardG1519
- honourτιμήtimē · honorG5092
- sanctifiedἁγιάζωhagiazō · to sanctifyG37
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- meet forεὔχρηστοςeuchrēstos · helpfulG2173
- the master’sὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- the master’sδεσπότηςdespotēs · masterG1203
- preparedἑτοιμάζωhetoimazō · to make readyG2090
- everyπᾶςpas · allG3956
- goodἀγαθόςagathos · goodG18
- workἔργονergon · workG2041
Cross-references for 2 Timothy 2:21
- Psalms 119:9How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word.
- Isaiah 1:25I will turn my hand against you and will smelt away your dross as with lye and remove all your alloy.
- Isaiah 52:11Depart, depart, go out from there; touch no unclean thing; go out from the midst of her; purify yourselves, you who bear the vessels of the Lord.
- Jeremiah 15:19Therefore thus says the Lord: "If you return, I will restore you, and you shall stand before me. If you utter what is precious, and not what is worthless, you shall be as my mouth. They shall turn to you, but you shall not turn to them.
- Malachi 3:3He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, and they will bring offerings in righteousness to the Lord.
- 1 Corinthians 5:7Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.
- 2 Corinthians 7:1Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God.
- 1 Peter 1:22Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart,
- 1 John 3:3And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.
- 2 Timothy 2:20Now in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver but also of wood and clay, some for honorable use, some for dishonorable.
- 1 Peter 1:7so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
- Acts 9:15But the Lord said to him, "Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel.
- 2 Timothy 3:17that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.
- Ephesians 2:10For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
Commentaries on 2 Timothy 2:21
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 21If a man therefore purge himself from these - He that takes heed to his ways and to his doctrines, and walks with God, will separate himself, not only from all false doctrine, but from all wicked men, and thus be sanctified and proper to be employed by the Master in every good word and work. The apostle has not made the application of these different similes, and it is very difficult to tell what he means.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 21If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour - If a man “cleanse” or “purify” himself; compare the notes on John 15:2. The word “these” refers, here, to the persons represented by the vessels of wood and of earth - the vessels made to dishonor, as mentioned in the previous verse 2 Timothy 2:20. The idea is, that if one would preserve himself from the corrupting influence of such men, he would be fitted to be a vessel of…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. 20-21Building on 2:19, the apostle Paul uses imagery of vessels in a wealthy home (see Romans 9:21). In God's household, Christians should strive to be like a valuable and useful vessel, not a cheap or useless one.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2121. If a man ... purge himself from these--The Greek expresses "If one (for example, thou, Timothy) purify himself (so as to separate) from among these" (vessels unto dishonor). sanctified--set apart as wholly consecrated to the Lord. and meet--Some oldest manuscripts omit "and." the master's--the Lord's. Paul himself was such a vessel: once one among those of earth, but afterwards he became by grace one of gold. prepared unto every good work--(2Ti 3:17…Read the comment
Topics related to 2 Timothy 2:21
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
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