2 Timothy 3:5

2 Timothy 3:5 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
• New International Version (NIV)having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.
• English Standard Version (ESV)having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.
• New King James Version (NKJV)having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!

Context of 2 Timothy 3:5

3unloving, irreconcilable, slanderers, without self-control, savage, opposed to what is good, 4treacherous, reckless, conceited, loving pleasure rather than loving God. They will maintain the outward appearance of religion but will have repudiated its power. So avoid people like these. 6For some of these insinuate themselves into households and captivate weak women who are overwhelmed with sins and led along by various passions. 7Such women are always seeking instruction, yet never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth.

2 Timothy 3:5 word by word

ἔχοντες μόρφωσιν εὐσεβείας, τὴν δὲ δύναμιν αὐτῆς ἠρνημένοι. καὶ τούτους ἀποτρέπου.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·καίkai · andG2532
• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Havingἔχωechō · to have/beG2192
• a formμόρφωσιςmorphōsis · formG3446
• of godlinessεὐσέβειαeusebeia · pietyG2150
• butδέde · thenG1161
• denyingἀρνέομαιarneomai · to denyG720
• the powerδύναμιςdunamis · powerG1411
• thereofαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• fromἀποτρέπωapotrepō · to avoidG665
• suchοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778

Cross-references for 2 Timothy 3:5

• Isaiah 29:13The sovereign master says, “These people say they are loyal to me; they say wonderful things about me, but they are not really loyal to me. Their worship consists of nothing but man-made ritual.
• Isaiah 48:1Listen to this, O family of Jacob, you who are called by the name ‘Israel,’ and are descended from Judah, who take oaths in the name of the Lord, and invoke the God of Israel – but not in an honest and just manner.
• Isaiah 58:1“Shout loudly! Don’t be quiet! Yell as loud as a trumpet! Confront my people with their rebellious deeds; confront Jacob’s family with their sin!
• Ezekiel 33:30“But as for you, son of man, your people (who are talking about you by the walls and at the doors of the houses) say to one another, ‘Come hear the word that comes from the Lord.’
• Matthew 7:15“Watch out for false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are voracious wolves.
• Matthew 23:27“Woe to you, experts in the law and you Pharisees, hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs that look beautiful on the outside but inside are full of the bones of the dead and of everything unclean.
• Romans 2:20an educator of the senseless, a teacher of little children, because you have in the law the essential features of knowledge and of the truth –
• 1 Timothy 5:8But if someone does not provide for his own, especially his own family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
• 2 Timothy 2:16But avoid profane chatter, because those occupied with it will stray further and further into ungodliness,
• Romans 16:17Now I urge you, brothers and sisters, to watch out for those who create dissensions and obstacles contrary to the teaching that you learned. Avoid them!
• Ephesians 4:14So we are no longer to be children, tossed back and forth by waves and carried about by every wind of teaching by the trickery of people who craftily carry out their deceitful schemes.
• 2 Thessalonians 3:6But we command you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to keep away from any brother who lives an undisciplined life and not according to the tradition they received from us.
• 1 Timothy 6:5and constant bickering by people corrupted in their minds and deprived of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a way of making a profit.
• 2 John 1:10If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house and do not give him any greeting,

Commentaries on 2 Timothy 3:5

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 5Having a form of godliness - The original word signifies a draught, sketch, or summary, and will apply well to those who have all their religion in their creed, confession of faith, catechism, bodies of divinity, etc., while destitute of the life of God in their souls; and are not only destitute of this life, but deny that such life or power is here to be experienced or known. They have religion in their creed, but none in their hearts. And perhaps to…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 5Having a form of godliness - That is, they profess religion, or are in connection with the church. This shows that the apostle referred to some great corruption in the church; and there can be little doubt that he had his eye on the same great apostasy to which he refers in 2 John 1:10-11; see the notes at 2 Corinthians 6:17.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 5such as these: These people rejected good teaching. They denied the power that could make them live as God desires (3:2–4; see 1 Timothy 1:5–11; Colossians 2:16–23).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 55. form--outward semblance. godliness--piety. denying--rather as Greek, "having denied," that is, renounced. the power--the living, regenerating, sanctifying influence of it. turn away--implying that some of such characters, forerunners of the last days, were already in the Church.Read the comment

Topics related to 2 Timothy 3:5

• Apostasy
• Character
• Commandments
• Company
• Fellowship
• Formalism
• Hypocrisy
• Minister, Christian
• Wicked (People)
• Worldliness

In the dictionaries

• Correction
• Creep
• Doctrine
• Godly
• Inspiration
• Reprobate
• Unholy
• Wise
• Worse
• Form

Commentaries on 2 Timothy 3

• 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