Dealing With False Teachers

¹⁴ Keep reminding God’s people of these things. Warn them before God against quarreling about words;^(A) it is of no value, and only ruins those who listen. ¹⁵ Do 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.^{(B) 16} Avoid godless chatter,^(C) because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly. ¹⁷ Their teaching will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus^(D) and Philetus, ¹⁸ who have departed from the truth. They say that the resurrection has already taken place,^(E) and they destroy the faith of some.^{(F) 19} Nevertheless, God’s solid foundation stands firm,^(G) sealed with this inscription: “The Lord knows those who are his,”^(H) and, “Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord^(I) must turn away from wickedness.”

²⁰ 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.^{(J) 21} 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.^(K)

²² Flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love^(L) and peace, along with those who call on the Lord^(M) out of a pure heart.^{(N) 23} Don’t have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels.^{(O) 24} And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful.^{(P) 25} Opponents must be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth,^{(Q) 26} and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil,^(R) who has taken them captive to do his will.

Divorce^(A)

19 When Jesus had finished saying these things,^(B) he left Galilee and went into the region of Judea to the other side of the Jordan. ² Large crowds followed him, and he healed them^(C) there.

³ Some Pharisees came to him to test him. They asked, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife^(D) for any and every reason?”

⁴ “Haven’t you read,” he replied, “that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,’^{[a](E) 5} and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’^[b]?^{(F) 6} So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.”

⁷ “Why then,” they asked, “did Moses command that a man give his wife a certificate of divorce and send her away?”^(G)

⁸ Jesus replied, “Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning. ⁹ I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery.”^(H)

¹⁰ The disciples said to him, “If this is the situation between a husband and wife, it is better not to marry.”

¹¹ Jesus replied, “Not everyone can accept this word, but only those to whom it has been given.^{(I) 12} For there are eunuchs who were born that way, and there are eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by others—and there are those who choose to live like eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. The one who can accept this should accept it.”

² For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.^(A)