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.
• 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.
• 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

19Nevertheless, God’s solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: “The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness.” 20In 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. 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. 22Flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. 23Don’t have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels.

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 stay on the path of purity? By living according to your word.
• Isaiah 1:25I will turn my hand against you; I will thoroughly purge away your dross and remove all your impurities.
• Isaiah 52:11Depart, depart, go out from there! Touch no unclean thing! Come out from it and be pure, you who carry the articles of the Lord’s house.
• Jeremiah 15:19Therefore this is what the Lord says: “If you repent, I will restore you that you may serve me; if you utter worthy, not worthless, words, you will be my spokesman. Let this people turn to you, but you must not turn to them.
• Malachi 3:3He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; he will purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver. Then the Lord will have men who will bring offerings in righteousness,
• 1 Corinthians 5:7Get rid of the old yeast, so that you may be a new unleavened batch—as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.
• 2 Corinthians 7:1Therefore, since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.
• 1 Peter 1:22Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart.
• 1 John 3:3All who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure.
• 2 Timothy 2:20In 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.
• 1 Peter 1:7These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.
• Acts 9:15But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel.
• 2 Timothy 3:17so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
• Ephesians 2:10For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

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