2 Timothy 3:10-17

Continue in What You Have Learned

3:10 You, however, have followed my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, my faith, my patience, my love, my endurance, 3:11 as well as the persecutions and sufferings that happened to me in Antioch, in Iconium, and in Lystra. I endured these persecutions and the Lord delivered me from them all. 3:12 Now in fact all who want to live godly lives in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. 3:13 But evil people and charlatans will go from bad to worse, deceiving others and being deceived themselves. 3:14 You, however, must continue in the things you have learned and are confident about. You know who taught you 10  3:15 and how from infancy you have known the holy writings, which are able to give you wisdom for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 3:16 Every scripture 11  is inspired by God 12  and useful for teaching, for reproof, 13  for correction, and for training in righteousness, 3:17 that the person dedicated to God 14  may be capable 15  and equipped for every good work.


sn There is a strong emphasis on the pronoun you in contrast to the people described in vv. 2-9.

tn The possessive “my” occurs only at the beginning of the list but is positioned in Greek to apply to each of the words in the series.

tn Grk “persecutions, sufferings,” as a continuation of the series from v. 10.

map For location see JP1-E2; JP2-E2; JP3-E2; JP4-E2.

sn In Antioch, in Iconium, and in Lystra. See Acts 13-14 for the account of these persecutions.

map For location see JP1-E2; JP2-E2; JP3-E2

tn Grk “will advance to the worse.”

tn Grk “deceiving and being deceived.”

tn Grk “but you, continue,” a command.

tn Grk “knowing,” giving the reasons for continuing as v. 14 calls for.

10 tn Grk “those from whom you learned.”

11 tn Or “All scripture.”

sn There is very little difference in sense between every scripture (emphasizing the individual portions) and “all scripture” (emphasizing the composite whole). The former option is preferred, because it fits the normal use of the word “all/every” in Greek (πᾶς, pas) as well as Paul’s normal sense for the word “scripture” in the singular without the article, as here. So every scripture means “every individual portion of scripture.”

12 sn Inspired by God. Some have connected this adjective in a different way and translated it as “every inspired scripture is also useful.” But this violates the parallelism of the two adjectives in the sentence, and the arrangement of words makes clear that both should be taken as predicate adjectives: “every scripture is inspired…and useful.”

13 tn Or “rebuke,” “censure.” The Greek word implies exposing someone’s sin in order to bring correction.

14 tn Grk “the man of God,” but ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpos) is most likely used here in a generic sense, referring to both men and women.

15 tn This word is positioned for special emphasis; it carries the sense of “complete, competent, able to meet all demands.”