2 Timothy 2:21

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.
• English Standard Version (ESV)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.
• 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.

Context of 2 Timothy 2:21

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.” 20Now 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. So 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. 23But reject foolish and ignorant controversies, because you know they breed infighting.

2 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 person maintain a pure life? By guarding it according to your instructions!
• Isaiah 1:25I will attack you; I will purify your metal with flux. I will remove all your slag.
• Isaiah 52:11Leave! Leave! Get out of there! Don’t touch anything unclean! Get out of it! Stay pure, you who carry the Lord’s holy items!
• Jeremiah 15:19Because of this, the Lord said, “You must repent of such words and thoughts! If you do, I will restore you to the privilege of serving me. If you say what is worthwhile instead of what is worthless, I will again allow you to be my spokesman. They must become as you have been. You must not become like them.
• Malachi 3:3He will act like a refiner and purifier of silver and will cleanse the Levites and refine them like gold and silver. Then they will offer the Lord a proper offering.
• 1 Corinthians 5:7Clean out the old yeast so that you may be a new batch of dough – you are, in fact, without yeast. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.
• 2 Corinthians 7:1Therefore, since we have these promises, dear friends, let us cleanse ourselves from everything that could defile the body and the spirit, and thus accomplish holiness out of reverence for God.
• 1 Peter 1:22You have purified your souls by obeying the truth in order to show sincere mutual love. So love one another earnestly from a pure heart.
• 1 John 3:3And everyone who has this hope focused on him purifies himself, just as Jesus is pure).
• 2 Timothy 2:20Now 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.
• 1 Peter 1:7Such trials show the proven character of your faith, which is much more valuable than gold – gold that is tested by fire, even though it is passing away – and will bring praise and glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.
• Acts 9:15But the Lord said to him, “Go, because this man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before Gentiles and kings and the people of Israel.
• 2 Timothy 3:17that the person dedicated to God may be capable and equipped for every good work.
• Ephesians 2:10For we are his workmanship, having been created in Christ Jesus for good works that God prepared beforehand so we may do 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

• Holiness
• Minister, Christian
• Parables
• Purity
• Righteous
• Sanctification
• Works

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