2 Timothy 3:10-17

All Scripture Is Breathed Out by God

10 ¹You, however, have followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness,

11 my persecutions and sufferings that happened to me ²at Antioch, ³at Iconium, and ⁴at Lystra—which persecutions I endured; yet ⁵from them all ⁶the Lord rescued me.

12 Indeed, all who desire to ⁷live a godly life in Christ Jesus ⁸will be persecuted,

13 while ⁹evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and ¹⁰being deceived.

14 But as for you, ¹¹continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom^[a] you learned it

15 and how ¹²from childhood you have been acquainted with ¹³the sacred writings, ¹⁴which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.

16 ¹⁵All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,

17 that ¹⁶the man of God^[b] may be complete, ¹⁷equipped ¹⁸for every good work.

2 Timothy 3:10-17 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO 2 TIMOTHY 3

In this chapter the apostle delivers out a prophecy of the last days, showing how perilous the times will be, describing the persons that will live in them, and what will be their end; and in opposition to these men, proposes himself an example in doctrine and sufferings; and encourages Timothy to persevere, and highly commends the sacred writings. The prophecy begins 2Ti 3:1 the description it gives of hypocrites, formal professors, and false teachers, that should rise up in the last days, and perilous times spoken of, is in 2Ti 3:2-7. And these are compared to the magicians of Egypt for the corruption of their minds, the badness of their principles, and their opposition to truth, and for their exit, and the issue of things; they will be stopped in their progress, and their folly exposed, 2Ti 3:8,9 and as the reverse of these men, the apostle gives an account of his own doctrine, conversation, and sufferings; which he proposes to Timothy for imitation, as being well known to him, and as also the common state of all godly persons in this life, being a suffering one, 2Ti 3:10-12 nor can it be expected that it should be otherwise, since false teachers, who are wicked and deceitful men, grow worse and worse, 2Ti 3:13. And then the apostle exhorts Timothy to abide by, and continue in the doctrines of the Gospel, from the assurance he had of the truth of them, from the consideration of his having learned them of the apostle, and especially from their agreement with the holy Scriptures, which he had knowledge of from a child, 2Ti 3:14,15 which Scriptures are commended, partly from the useful effect of them, making men wise unto salvation; and chiefly from the author of them, being by the inspiration of God; and also from the profitableness of them, both for doctrine and manners, and especially to furnish a Gospel minister for the work he is called unto, 2Ti 3:15-17.

Cross References

• 1. 3:10 [Phil. 2:22]
• 2. 3:11 Acts 13:14, 45, 50
• 3. 3:11 Acts 14:1, 2, 5
• 4. 3:11 Acts 14:6, 19
• 5. 3:11 Ps. 34:19
• 6. 3:11 ch. 4:17; [2 Cor. 1:10]
• 7. 3:12 Titus 2:12
• 8. 3:12 See Acts 14:22
• 9. 3:13 [Rev. 22:11]
• 10. 3:13 Titus 3:3
• 11. 3:14 [1 Tim. 4:6]
• 12. 3:15 [Eph. 6:4]; See ch. 1:5
• 13. 3:15 [John 5:39]
• 14. 3:15 Ps. 119:99
• 15. 3:16 Rom. 15:4; 2 Pet. 1:20, 21
• 16. 3:17 See 1 Tim. 6:11
• 17. 3:17 [Luke 6:40]
• 18. 3:17 See ch. 2:21

Footnotes

• [a] 3:14 The Greek for 'whom' is plural
• [b] 3:17 That is, a messenger of God (the phrase echoes a common Old Testament expression)