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.”

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14 Remind others about these things, and warn them before God[a] not to argue over words. Arguing[b] does not do any good but only destroys those who are listening. 15 Do your best to present yourself to God as an approved worker who has nothing to be ashamed of, handling the word of truth with precision. 16 However, avoid pointless discussions. For people will become more and more ungodly, 17 and what they say will spread everywhere like gangrene. Hymenaeus and Philetus are like that. 18 They have abandoned the truth by claiming that the resurrection has already taken place, and so they destroy the faith of others.

19 However, God’s solid foundation still stands. It has this inscription on it: “The Lord[c] knows those who belong to him,”[d] and “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord[e] must turn away from evil.”[f]

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Timothy 2:14 Other mss. read of the Lord
  2. 2 Timothy 2:14 Lit. It
  3. 2 Timothy 2:19 MT source citation reads Lord
  4. 2 Timothy 2:19 Cf. Num 16:5
  5. 2 Timothy 2:19 MT source citation reads Lord
  6. 2 Timothy 2:19 Cf. Num 16:26