2 Timothy 4:4

4 And truly they shall turn away the hearing from truth, but to fables they shall turn. [And truly they shall turn away their hearing from truth, but to fables they shall be turned together.]

2 Timothy 4:4 Meaning and Commentary

2 Timothy 4:4

And they shall turn away their ears from the truth
The solid truths of the Gospel, not being able to bear the hearing of them:

and shall be turned unto fables;
things idle, trifling, useless, and, unprofitable; and which are no better than old wives' fables; some respect may be had either to Jewish fables, or to the miraculous mythologies of the Gentiles, or of the Gnostics, and others: but in general, it includes everything that is vain, empty, and senseless; and this is to be considered as a just judgment upon them; that since they like not to retain the knowledge of the truth, but turn away their ears from it, God gives them up to a reprobate mind, a mind void of sense and judgment, to attend to things idle and fabulous.

2 Timothy 4:4 In-Context

2 preach the word, be thou busy suitably without rest, reprove thou, beseech thou, blame thou in all patience and doctrine. [preach the word, be thou busy to opportune and inopportune, reprove, beseech, blame in all patience and doctrine.]

3 For time shall be, when men shall not suffer wholesome teaching, but at their desires they shall gather together to themselves masters itching to the ears. [Forsooth time shall be, when men shall not sustain whole doctrine, but at their desires, they shall gather together to themselves masters itching, or pleasing, to the ears.]

4 And truly they shall turn away the hearing from truth, but to fables they shall turn. [And truly they shall turn away their hearing from truth, but to fables they shall be turned together.]

5 But wake thou, in all things travail thou, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill thy service [fulfill thy service, or office], be thou sober.

6 For I am sacrificed now, and the time of my departing is nigh.