2 Timothy 2:26

26 and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.

2 Timothy 2:26 in Other Translations

King James Version (KJV)
26 And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.
English Standard Version (ESV)
26 and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.
New Living Translation (NLT)
26 Then they will come to their senses and escape from the devil’s trap. For they have been held captive by him to do whatever he wants.
The Message Bible (MSG)
26 enabling them to escape the Devil's trap, where they are caught and held captive, forced to run his errands.
American Standard Version (ASV)
26 and they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him unto his will.
GOD'S WORD Translation (GW)
26 Then they might come back to their senses and God will free them from the devil's snare so that they can do his will.
Holman Christian Standard Bible (CSB)
26 Then they may come to their senses and escape the Devil's trap, having been captured by him to do his will.
New International Reader's Version (NIRV)
26 Maybe they will come to their senses. Maybe they will escape the devil's trap. He has taken them prisoner to do what he wanted.

2 Timothy 2:26 Meaning and Commentary

2 Timothy 2:26

And that they may recover themselves
Or "awake", and come to themselves, and appear to be sober, and in their right mind: the metaphor is taken from drunken men, who are overcharged, and are not in their senses, and being stupified fall asleep; and like these are persons intoxicated with errors and heresies, who when their minds are enlightened, and they are convinced of their evil tenets, repent of them, come to themselves, and acknowledge the truth, and so escape

out of the snare of the devil;
for as carnal lusts and pleasures are the snares and nets, in which Satan, who may be compared to a fowler, catches some; so errors and heresies are those with which he ensnares others: "who are taken captive", or "alive",

by him at his will;
such are taken in his nets and snares, as creatures are taken alive, by fowlers, and huntsmen; and they are held fast, and become his captives, and his slaves, and do his will, being led by him to whatsoever he pleases; he works powerfully in them, and they readily comply with him, and obey his lusts. Though some understand this, not of the will of the devil, but of the will of God; and that the sense is, that such persons are held captive by Satan, as long as it is the pleasure of God, and no longer; when the prey is taken from the mighty, and the lawful captive is delivered; and so it is an encouragement to the ministers of the word to go on in instructing, hoping this may be the case. Others connect this phrase, "to his will" or "according to his will", as they differently render it, with the word, "recover": and then the meaning is, that such, repenting of their errors, might escape out of the snare of Satan, in which they were taken alive; that so they might do the will of God, by professing and holding fast his truths; or that their repentance, recovery, and escape out of Satan's snare and captivity, are according to the will of God, and his sovereign good pleasure.

2 Timothy 2:26 In-Context

24 And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful.
25 Opponents must be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth,
26 and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.

Cross References 1

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