2 Timothy 2:16

2 Timothy 2:16 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.
• English Standard Version (ESV)But avoid irreverent babble, for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness,
• 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

14Keep reminding God’s people of these things. Warn them before God against quarreling about words; it is of no value, and only ruins those who listen. 15Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly. 17Their teaching will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, 18who have departed from the truth. They say that the resurrection has already taken place, and they destroy the faith of some.

2 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 2:14Keep reminding God’s people of these things. Warn them before God against quarreling about words; it is of no value, and only ruins those who listen.
• 1 Timothy 4:7Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales; rather, train yourself to be godly.
• 1 Timothy 6:20Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to your care. Turn away from godless chatter and the opposing ideas of what is falsely called knowledge,
• 2 Timothy 3:13while evildoers and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.
• Ezra 10:10Then Ezra the priest stood up and said to them, “You have been unfaithful; you have married foreign women, adding to Israel’s guilt.
• Hosea 12:1Ephraim feeds on the wind; he pursues the east wind all day and multiplies lies and violence. He makes a treaty with Assyria and sends olive oil to Egypt.
• 1 Corinthians 5:6Your boasting is not good. Don’t you know that a little yeast leavens the whole batch of dough?
• 1 Corinthians 15:33Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.”
• 2 Thessalonians 2:7For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way.
• Hebrews 12:15See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.
• 2 Peter 2:2Many will follow their depraved conduct and will bring the way of truth into disrepute.
• Revelation 13:3One of the heads of the beast seemed to have had a fatal wound, but the fatal wound had been healed. The whole world was filled with wonder and 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

• Doctrines
• Holiness
• Minister, Christian
• Preaching
• Vanity

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