2 Timothy 2:20

2 Timothy 2:20 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour.
• New International Version (NIV)In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for special purposes and some for common use.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Now 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.
• New King James Version (NKJV)But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some for honor and some for dishonor.

Context of 2 Timothy 2:20

18They have strayed from the truth by saying that the resurrection has already occurred, and they are undermining some people’s faith. 19However, God’s solid foundation remains standing, bearing this seal: “The Lord knows those who are his,” and “Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from evil.” Now in a wealthy home there are not only gold and silver vessels, but also ones made of wood and of clay, and some are for honorable use, but others for ignoble use. 21So if someone cleanses himself of such behavior, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart, useful for the Master, prepared for every good work. 22But keep away from youthful passions, and pursue righteousness, faithfulness, love, and peace, in company with others who call on the Lord from a pure heart.

2 Timothy 2:20 word by word

Ἐν μεγάλῃ δὲ οἰκίᾳ οὐκ ἔστιν μόνον σκεύη χρυσᾶ καὶ ἀργυρᾶ ἀλλὰ καὶ ξύλινα καὶ ὀστράκινα, καὶ ἃ μὲν εἰς τιμὴν ἃ δὲ εἰς ἀτιμίαν.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·μένmen · on the other handG3303
• Butδέde · thenG1161
• inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• a greatμέγαςmegas · greatG3173
• houseοἰκίαoikia · homeG3614
• there areεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• notοὐou · noG3756
• onlyμόνονmonon · onlyG3440
• vesselsσκεῦοςskeuos · vesselG4632
• of goldχρύσεοςchruseos · goldenG5552
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• of silverἀργύρεοςargureos · silverG693
• butἀλλάalla · butG235
• of woodξύλινοςxulinos · woodenG3585
• of earthὀστράκινοςostrakinos · clayG3749
• someὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
• toεἰςeis · towardG1519
• honourτιμήtimē · honorG5092
• dishonourἀτιμίαatimia · dishonourG819

Cross-references for 2 Timothy 2:20

• 1 Corinthians 3:9We are coworkers belonging to God. You are God’s field, God’s building.
• Ephesians 2:22in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.
• 1 Timothy 3:15in case I am delayed, to let you know how people ought to conduct themselves in the household of God, because it is the church of the living God, the support and bulwark of the truth.
• Hebrews 3:2who is faithful to the one who appointed him, as Moses was also in God’s house.
• 1 Peter 2:5you yourselves, as living stones, are built up as a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood and to offer spiritual sacrifices that are acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
• Exodus 27:3You are to make its pots for the ashes, its shovels, its tossing bowls, its meat hooks, and its fire pans – you are to make all its utensils of bronze.
• Ezra 1:6All their neighbors assisted them with silver utensils, gold, equipment, animals, and expensive gifts, not to mention all the voluntary offerings.
• Ezra 6:5Furthermore let the gold and silver vessels of the temple of God, which Nebuchadnezzar brought from the temple in Jerusalem and carried to Babylon, be returned and brought to their proper place in the temple in Jerusalem. Let them be deposited in the temple of God.’
• Lamentations 4:2The precious sons of Zion were worth their weight in gold – Alas! – but now they are treated like broken clay pots, made by a potter. ג (Gimel)
• Daniel 5:2While under the influence of the wine, Belshazzar issued an order to bring in the gold and silver vessels – the ones that Nebuchadnezzar his father had confiscated from the temple in Jerusalem – so that the king and his nobles, together with his wives and his concubines, could drink from them.
• 2 Corinthians 4:7But we have this treasure in clay jars, so that the extraordinary power belongs to God and does not come from us.
• Romans 9:21Has the potter no right to make from the same lump of clay one vessel for special use and another for ordinary use?

Commentaries on 2 Timothy 2:20

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20But in a great house - Here the apostle carries on the allusion introduced in the preceding verse. As the foundation of God refers to God's building, i.e. the whole system of Christianity, so here the great house is to be understood of the same; and the different kinds of vessels mean the different teachers, as well as the different kinds of members. In this sacred house at Ephesus there were vessels of gold and silver - eminent, holy, sincere, and useful…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 20But in a great house - Still keeping up the comparison of the church with a building. The idea is, that the church is a large edifice, and that in such a building we are not to expect entire uniformity in all the articles which it contains. There are not only vessels of gold and of silver, … - You are not to expect to find all the articles of furniture alike, or all made of the same material. Variety in the form, and use, and material, is necessary in…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. 2020. in a great house--that is, the visible professing Christian Church (1Ti 3:15). Paul is speaking, not of those without, but of the [visible] family of God [Calvin]. So the parable of the sweep-net (Mt 13:47-49) gathering together of every kind, good and bad: as the good and bad cannot be distinguished while under the waves, but only when brought to shore, so believers and unbelievers continue in the same Church, until the judgment makes the everlasting…Read the comment

Topics related to 2 Timothy 2:20

• Minister, Christian
• Parables
• Righteous

In the dictionaries

• Acknowledge
• Approved
• Commit
• Deny
• Eat
• Endure
• Entangle
• Eternal
• Faithful
• Foolish

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