2 Timothy 2:21-26

2:21 So if someone cleanses himself of such behavior, ¹  he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart, useful for the Master, prepared for every good work. 2:22 But keep away from youthful passions, and pursue righteousness, faithfulness, love, and peace, in company with others ²  who call on the Lord from a pure heart. ³  2:23 But reject foolish and ignorant ⁴  controversies, because you know they breed infighting. ⁵  2:24 And the Lord’s slave ⁶  must not engage in heated disputes ⁷  but be kind toward all, an apt teacher, patient, 2:25 correcting ⁸  opponents with gentleness. Perhaps God will grant them repentance and then knowledge of the truth ⁹  2:26 and they will come to their senses and escape the devil’s trap where they are held captive ¹⁰  to do his will. ¹¹ 

¹ tn Grk “from these,” alluding to the errors and deeds of the false teachers described in vv. 14-19.

² tn Grk “and peace, with those.”

³ sn In company with others who call on the Lord from a pure heart alludes to the value of the community of believers for the development of Christian virtues.

⁴ tn Or “uninstructed,” “silly.”

⁵ tn Or “fights,” although this could suggest weapons and blows, whereas in the present context this is not the primary focus. Although “quarrel” is frequently used here (NAB, NIV, NRSV) it may be understood to refer to a relatively minor disagreement.

⁶ tn Traditionally, “servant” or “bondservant.” Though δοῦλος (doulos) is normally translated “servant,” the word does not bear the connotation of a free individual serving another. BDAG notes that “‘servant’ for ‘slave’ is largely confined to Biblical transl. and early American times…in normal usage at the present time the two words are carefully distinguished” (BDAG 260 s.v.). The most accurate translation is “bondservant” (sometimes found in the ASV for δοῦλος), in that it often indicates one who sells himself into slavery to another. But as this is archaic, few today understand its force.

⁷ tn Grk “must not fight” or “must not quarrel.” The Greek verb is related to the noun translated “infighting” in v. 23.

⁸ sn Correcting is the word for “child-training” or “discipline.” It is often positive (training, educating) but here denotes the negative side (correcting, disciplining).

⁹ tn Grk “repentance unto knowledge of the truth.”

¹⁰ tn Grk “having been captured by him.”

¹¹ tn Grk “for that one’s will,” referring to the devil, but with a different pronoun than in the previous phrase “by him.” Some have construed “for his will” with the earlier verb and referred the pronoun to God: “come to their senses and escape the devil’s trap (though they have been captured by him) in order to do His will.” In Classical Greek the shift in pronouns would suggest this, but in Koine Greek this change is not significant. The more natural sense is a reference to the devil’s will.