to learn (in any way) · verb — present active participle, accusative plural neuter
and
καὶkai
G2532
and · conjunction
never
μηδέποτεmēdepote
G3368
not even ever · adverb — negative
able
δυνάμενα.¶dunamena
G1410
to be able or possible · verb — present middle or passive deponent participle, accusative plural neuter
come
ἐλθεῖνelthein
G2064
to come or go (in a great variety of applications · verb — second aorist active infinitive
to
εἰςeis
G1519
to or into (indicating the point reached or entered) · preposition
knowledge
ἐπίγνωσινepignōsin
G1922
recognition · noun — accusative singular feminine
truth
ἀληθείαςalētheias
G225
truth · noun — genitive singular 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 4:3-4 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having it…
Ephesians 4:14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning…
1 Timothy 2:4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.
Proverbs 14:6 A scorner seeketh wisdom, and findeth it not: but knowledge is easy unto him that understandeth.
John 5:44 How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only?
2 Timothy 2:25 In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;
Hebrews 5:11 Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing.
Isaiah 30:10-11 Which say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits:
Cross-references from OpenBible.info (CC BY), in the lineage of the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (public domain).
Commentary
Matthew Henry on 2 Timothy 3:1-9
Timothy must not think it strange if there were in the church bad men; for the net of the gospel was to enclose both good fish and bad, Mat 13:47, Mat 13:48. Jesus Christ had foretold (Mt. 24) that there would come seducers, and therefore we must not be offended at it, nor think the worse of religion or the church for it. Even in gold ore there will be dross, and a great deal of chaff among the wheat when it lies on the floor.
I. Timothy must know that in the last days (Ti2 3:1), in gospel times, there would come perilous times. Though gospel times were times of reformation in many respects, let him know that even in gospel times there would be perilous times; not so much on account of perse…
Ever learning--some new point, for mere curiosity, to the disparagement of what they seemed to know before.
the knowledge--Greek, "the perfect knowledge"; the only safeguard against further novelties. Gnosticism laid hold especially of the female sex [ESTIUS, 1.13.3]: so Roman Jesuitism.
Adam Clarke on 2 Timothy 3:7
Ever learning - From their false teachers, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth, because that teaching never leads to the truth; for, although there was a form of godliness, which gave them a sort of authority to teach, yet, as they denied the power of godliness, they never could bring their votaries to the knowledge of the saving power of Christianity.
There are many professors of Christianity still who answer the above description. They hear, repeatedly hear, it may be, good sermons; but, as they seldom meditate on what they hear, they derive little profit from the ordinances of God. They have no more grace now than they had several years ago, though hearing all the while,…
Ever learning,.... Some new notion and practice or another: and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth; partly because of the teachers, which they heap up to themselves, who are unapt to teach, are blind and ignorant guides, and know not the truth, but are enemies to it, and resist it; and partly because of themselves, the sins they are laden, and the lusts they are led away with, which hinder them from coming to the knowledge of the truth.
The Church Fathers
It is a good thing … to defer to one's betters, to obey those set over one, to learn not only from the Scriptures but from the example of others how one ought to order one's life, and not to follow that worst of teachers, one's own self-confidence. Of women who are thus presumptuous the apostle says that they "are carried about with every wind of doctrine," "ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth."
Those, therefore, who desert the preaching of the Church, call in question the knowledge of the holy presbyters, not taking into consideration of how much greater consequence is a religious man, even in a private station, than a blasphemous and impudent sophist. Now, such are all the heretics, and those who imagine that they have hit upon something more beyond the truth, so that by following those things already mentioned, proceeding on their way variously, in harmoniously, and foolishly, not keeping always to the same opinions with regard to the same things, as blind men are led by the blind, they shall deservedly fall into the ditch of ignorance lying in their path, ever seeking and never finding out the truth. It behoves us, therefore, to avoid their doctrines, and to take careful heed lest we suffer any injury from them; but to flee to the Church, and be brought up in her bosom, and be nourished with the Lord's Scriptures.
Let us give our mind's best attention, and, with the Lord's help, seek after God. The language of the divine hymn is: "Seek God and your soul shall live." Let us search for that which needs to be discovered, and into that which has been discovered. He whom we need to discover is concealed, in order to be sought after; and when found, is infinite, in order still to be the object of our search. Hence it is elsewhere said, "Seek His face evermore." For He satisfies the seeker to the utmost of his capacity; and makes the finder still more capable, that he may seek to be filled anew, according to the growth of his ability to receive. Therefore it was not said, "Seek His face evermore," in the same sense as of certain others, who are "always learning, and never coming to a knowledge of the truth;" but rather as the preacher saith, "When a man hath finished, then he beginneth;" till we reach that life where we shall be so filled, that our natures shall attain their utmost capacity, because we shall have arrived at perfection, and no longer be aiming at more.
Dictionary and topics
Truth — Used in various senses in Scripture. In Prov. 12:17, 19, it denotes that which is opposed to falsehood. In Isa. 59:14, 15, Jer. 7:28, it means fidelity or truthfulness. The doctrine of Christ is…
Apostasy · 4:1,2; — 4:1,2;
Doctrines · FALSE — FALSE
Worldliness · 12:2; — 12:2;
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).
John Calvin on 2 Timothy 3:1-7
1. This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come:
1. Illhud autem scito, quod in exremis diebus instabunt tempora periculosa (vel. gravia)
2. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
2. Erunt enim homines sui amantes, avari, fastuosi, superbi, maledici, parentibus immorigeri, ingrati, impii,
3. Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
3. Carentes affectu, nescii faederis, calumniatores, intermperantes, inmites, negligentes bonorum,
4. Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
4.…
The effect of the false teachers on households and women is a consistent concern of the letters to Timothy and Titus (Titus 1:11; see 1 Tim 2:11-15; 3:4-5; 5:14-15). Whether or not the false teachers targeted women, they apparently were successful with some of them.
