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 Living Translation (NLT)In a wealthy home some utensils are made of gold and silver, and some are made of wood and clay. The expensive utensils are used for special occasions, and the cheap ones are for everyday use.

Context of 2 Timothy 2:20

18who have strayed concerning the truth, saying that the resurrection is already past; and they overthrow the faith of some. 19Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: “The Lord knows those who are His,” and, “Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity.” 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. 21Therefore 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. 22Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of 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 3:9For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, you are God’s building.
• Ephesians 2:22in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.
• 1 Timothy 3:15but if I am delayed, I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.
• Hebrews 3:2who was faithful to Him who appointed Him, as Moses also was faithful in all His house.
• 1 Peter 2:5you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
• Exodus 27:3Also you shall make its pans to receive its ashes, and its shovels and its basins and its forks and its firepans; you shall make all its utensils of bronze.
• Ezra 1:6And all those who were around them encouraged them with articles of silver and gold, with goods and livestock, and with precious things, besides all that was willingly offered.
• Ezra 6:5Also let the gold and silver articles of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took from the temple which is in Jerusalem and brought to Babylon, be restored and taken back to the temple which is in Jerusalem, each to its place; and deposit them in the house of God”—
• Lamentations 4:2The precious sons of Zion, Valuable as fine gold, How they are regarded as clay pots, The work of the hands of the potter!
• Daniel 5:2While he tasted the wine, Belshazzar gave the command to bring the gold and silver vessels which his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple which had been in Jerusalem, that the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines might drink from them.
• 2 Corinthians 4:7But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.
• Romans 9:21Does not the potter have power over the clay, from the same lump to make one vessel for honor and another for dishonor?

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