2 Timothy 2:23

But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes.

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Word by word — the Greek

Word	Greek	Strong’s	Meaning
But	δὲ de	G1161	but · conjunction
foolish	μωρὰς mōras	G3474	dull or stupid (as if shut up) · adjective — accusative plural feminine
and	καὶ kai	G2532	and · conjunction
unlearned	ἀπαιδεύτους apaideutous	G521	uninstructed · adjective — accusative plural feminine
questions	ζητήσεις zētēseis	G2214	a searching (properly · noun — accusative plural feminine
avoid	παραιτοῦ paraitou	G3868	to beg off · verb — present middle or passive deponent imperative, 2nd person singular
knowing	εἴδω eídō	G1492	used only in certain past tenses
that	ὅτι hoti	G3754	demonstrative · conjunction
gender	γεννῶσιν gennōsin	G1080	to procreate (properly · verb — present active indicative, 3rd person plural
strifes	μάχας· machas	G3163	a battle · noun — accusative plural feminine

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (James Strong, 1890/1894), public domain; digitized by Open Scriptures (CC BY-SA). KJV word tagging: eBible.org (public domain). Original-language text, parsing and brief lexicon: STEPBible.org data from Tyndale House, Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).

Cross-references

2 Timothy 2:14 Of these things put them in remembrance, charging them before the Lord that they strive not about words to no profit, but to the subverting…
Titus 3:9 But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain.
1 Timothy 4:7 But refuse profane and old wives’ fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness.
1 Timothy 6:4-5 He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings,
1 Timothy 1:4 Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: so do.
2 Timothy 2:16 But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.

Cross-references from OpenBible.info (CC BY), in the lineage of the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (public domain).

Commentary

Matthew Henry on 2 Timothy 2:22–end

I. Paul here exhorts Timothy to beware of youthful lusts, Ti2 2:22. Though he was a holy good man, very much mortified to the world, yet Paul thought it necessary to caution him against youthful lusts: "Flee them, take all possible care and pains to keep thyself pure from them." The lusts of the flesh are youthful lusts, which young people must carefully watch against, and the best must not be secure. He prescribes an excellent remedy against youthful lusts: Follow righteousness, faith, charity peace, etc. Observe, 1. Youthful lusts are very dangerous, for which reason even hopeful young people should be warned of them, for they war against the soul, Pe1 2:11. 2. The exciting of our graces w…

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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 2 Timothy 2:23

(Tit 3:9.) unlearned--Greek, "undisciplined"; not tending to promote the discipline of faith and morals (Pro 5:23). "Uninstructive"; in contrast with "instructing" (Ti2 2:25), and "wise unto salvation" (Ti2 3:15). avoid--"decline."

Adam Clarke on 2 Timothy 2:23

Foolish and unlearned questions - See the notes on Ti1 1:4; Ti1 4:7 (note), and Tit 3:9 (note).

John Gill on 2 Timothy 2:23

But foolish and unlearned questions avoid,.... Such as have no solid wisdom in them, and are foreign from the Gospel, the wisdom of God in a mystery, and are not useful and unedifying; such ought to be avoided, publicly and privately; they should not be started in the public ministry, nor attended to in private conversation; as being unworthy of the notice of a minister of the Gospel wise and learned, and useless to the church, and to his hearers. Knowing that they do gender strife; about words, and contentions, which break the peace of churches, and hinder the profit of souls, and the progress of the Gospel.

John Calvin on 2 Timothy 2:22–end

22. Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart. 22. Juvenilis cupiditates fuge; sequere autem justitiam, fidem, dilecgionem, pacem cum omnibus invocantibus Dominum ex puro corde. 23. But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes. 23. Stultas vero et ineruditas quaestiones vita, sciens quod generant pungas. 24. And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, 24. Atqui servum Domini non oportet pugnare; sed placidum esse erga omnes, propensum ad docendum, tolerantem malorum, 25. In meekness instructing those that oppose thems…

The Church Fathers

Also to Timothy: "But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they generate strifes. But the servant of God ought not to strive, but to be gentle towards all men."
— Cyprian, Treatise XII Three Books of Testimonies Against the Jews

The Stoics also, whom he mentions too, say not well that the Deity, being a body, pervades the vilest matter. He calls the jugglery of logic "the tradition of men." Wherefore also he adds, "Avoid juvenile questions. For such contentions are puerile." "But virtue is no lover of boys," says the philosopher Plato. And our struggle, according to Gorgias Leontinus, requires two virtues-boldness and wisdom-boldness to undergo danger, and wisdom to understand the enigma. For the Word, like the Olympian proclamation, calls him who is willing, and crowns him who is able to continue unmoved as far as the truth is concerned.
— Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata Book 1

A hermit said, 'Ask God to give you inner grief of heart and humility. Always look at your own sins, and do not judge another's. Be the servant of all. Do not make friends with a woman, or a boy or a heretic. Do not be self-confident. Control your tongue and appetite, and do not drink wine. If anyone speaks to you on a controversial matter, do not argue with him. If he speaks well, say, "Yes." If he speaks ill, say, "I don't know anything about that." Don't argue with what he has said, and then your mind will be at peace.'
— Desert Fathers, The Desert Fathers, Sayings of the Early Christian Monks

The Church Fathers: public-domain translations (Ante-Nicene and Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers), verse-indexed by SermonIndex (CC BY 4.0).

Dictionary and topics

Strife · General scriptures concerning — General scriptures concerning
Young Men · General scriptures concerning — General scriptures concerning

Dictionary: Easton's (1897) and Smith's (1863), public domain. Topics: Nave's Topical Bible (1896) and Torrey's Topical Textbook (1897), public domain. Both as parsed by NEUU (CC BY 4.0).

Word by word — the Greek

Cross-references

Commentary

Matthew Henry on 2 Timothy 2:22–end

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 2 Timothy 2:23

Adam Clarke on 2 Timothy 2:23

John Gill on 2 Timothy 2:23

John Calvin on 2 Timothy 2:22–end

The Church Fathers

Dictionary and topics

Word by word — the Greek

Cross-references

Commentary

Matthew Henry on 2 Timothy 2:22–end

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 2 Timothy 2:23

Adam Clarke on 2 Timothy 2:23

John Gill on 2 Timothy 2:23

John Calvin on 2 Timothy 2:22–end

The Church Fathers

Dictionary and topics

Tyndale Open Study Notes on 2 Timothy 2:22