2 Timothy 3:14
in 2 Timothy 3But as for you, continue in the things you have learned and firmly believed, since you know from whom you have learned them.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
But abide thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;
KJV
But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;
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This verse in 2 Timothy 3
Commentary
13 notes on this verseRead the divine Scriptures constantly. Never, indeed, let the sacred volume be out of your hand. Learn what you have to teach.… Do not let your deeds belie your words, lest when you speak in church someone may mentally reply, "Why do you not practice what you preach?" He is a fine and dainty master who, with his stomach full, reads us a homily on fasting. Let the robber accuse others of covetousness if he will. The mind and mouth of a priest of Christ should be at one.
This site's exposition
go from bad to worse
on 2 Timothy 3:13-14
Evil men and imposters go from bad to worse, imposters rendering goetes, the enchanter's word. Timothy is to continue in the things you have learned and firmly believed, since you know from whom you have learned them. The oldest manuscripts make whom plural, reaching past Paul to Lois and Eunice.
This site's exposition
from whom you have learned them
Continue answers the drift of the impostors in verse 13. Albert Barnes notes that Timothy learned these truths as a child and was confirmed in them by Paul. Adam Clarke warns that no one, however well taught, is beyond the reach of falling away.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
But you remain in the things you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. But …
It may happen that even with the assistance of holy men, or even if the holy angels themselves take part, no one rightly learns those things which pertain to life with God unless he is made by God docile to God.… Medicines for the body which are administered to men by men do not help unless health is conferred by God, who can cure them without medicines. Yet they are nevertheless applied even though they are useless without his aid. And if they are applied courteously, they are considered to be among works of mercy or kindness. In the same way, the benefits of teaching profit the mind when they are applied by men where assistance is granted by God, who could have given the gospel to man even though it came not from men nor through a man.
"But continue thou in the things that thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; And that from a child thou hast known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through the faith which in Christ Jesus." What is this? As the prophet David exhorted, saying, "Be not thou envious against the workers of iniquity" (Ps. xxxvii. 1), so Paul exhorts, "Continue thou in the things which thou hast learned," and not simply learned, but "hast been assured of," that is, hast believed. And what have I believed? That this is the Life. And if thou seest things happening contrary to thy belief, be not troubled. The same happened to Abraham, yet he was not affected at it. He had heard, "In Isaac shall thy seed be called" (Gen. xxi. 12); and he was commanded to sacrifice Isaac, yet he was not troubled nor dismayed. Let no one be offended because of the wicked. This the Scripture taught from the beginning. "Knowing that from a child thou hast known the sacred writings." The holy Scriptures he calls "sacred writings." In these thou wast nurtured, so that through them thy faith ought to be firm and unshaken. For the root was laid deep, and nourished by length of time, nor will anything subvert it. And speaking of the holy Scriptures, he has added, "Which are able to make thee wise," that is, they will not suffer thee to have any foolish feeling, such as most men have. For he who knows the Scriptures as he ought, is not offended at anything that happens; he endures all things manfully, referring them partly to faith, and to the incomprehensible nature of the divine dispensation, and partly knowing reasons for them, and finding examples in the Scriptures. Since it is a great sign of knowledge not to be curious about everything, nor to wish to know all things. […]
The Medieval Church2 voices
Be, he says, unchanging and "do not fret because of evildoers, nor be envious of the workers of iniquity" (Ps. 37:1). You have not simply learned, but have also been assured, that is, you received the teaching with conviction. Therefore, even if you should see …
Then when he says, but continue in those things which you have learned, he urges him to remain true to his training; and he exhorts him on three sides: first, on the side of his teacher; second, on the side of Timothy himself; third, on …
5 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Then are we Christ's disciples indeed, John viii. We should not be any more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive, Eph. iv. Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines; for it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace, Heb. xiii.
But continue thou in the things,....
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
But . . . thou--Whatever they may do. Resuming the thread begun at 2Ti 3:10. learned--from me and thy mother and grandmother (2Ti 1:5; 2:2). assured of--from Scripture (2Ti 3:15). of whom--plural, not singular, in the oldest manuscripts, "from what teachers." Not only from me, but from Lois and Eunice.
But continue thou - No man, however well instructed in the things of God, or grounded in Divine grace, is out of the reach of temptation, apostasy, and final ruin; hence the necessity of watching unto prayer, depending upon God, continuing in the faith, and persevering unto the end.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of - To wit, the truths of religion. Timothy had been taught those truths when a child, and he had been confirmed in them by the instructions of Paul. Amidst the errors and seductions of false teachers, Paul now exhorts him to hold fast those doctrines, whoever might oppose them, or whatever might be the consequence; compare the notes at 2Ti 1:13. Knowing of whom thou hast learned them - To wit, of his mother 2Ti 1:5, and of Paul; 2Ti 1:13. The reference seems to be particularly to the fact that he had learned these truths first from the lips of a mother (see 2Ti 3:15); and the doctrine taught here is, “that the fact that we have received the views of truth from a parent’s lips, is a strong motive for adhering to them.” It is not to be supposed, indeed, that this is the highest motive, or that we are always to adhere to the doctrines which have been taught us, if, on maturer examination, we are convinced they are erroneous; but that this is a strong reason for adhering to what we have been taught in early life. It is so, because: (1) A parent has no motive for deceiving a child, and it cannot be supposed that he would teach him what he knew to be false; (2) A parent usually has had much more experience, and much better opportunities of examining what is true, than his child has; (3) There is a degree of respect which nature teaches us to be due to the sentiments of a parent. A child should depart very slowly from the opinions held by a father or mother; and, when it is done, it should be only as the result of prolonged examination and prayer. These considerations should have the greater weight, if a parent has been eminent for piety, and especially if that parent has been removed to heaven. […]
The words behind it
12 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| σὺ | su | You yourself | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| δὲ | de | however | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| μένε | mene | do abide | G3306 → | 118 times |
| ἐν | en | in | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| οἷς | hois | [the] things | G3739 → | 1405 times |
| ἔμαθες | emathes | you have learned | G3129 → | 25 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ἐπιστώθης | epistothes | you were assured of | G4104 → | |
| εἰδὼς | eidos | knowing | ||
| παρὰ | para | from | G3844 → | 192 times |
| τίνων | tinon | which [people] | G5101 → | |
| ἔμαθες, | emathes | you learned [them], | G3129 → | 25 times |
σὺYou yourself
suG4771 →2973 times
δὲhowever
deG1161 →2765 times
μένεdo abide
meneG3306 →118 times
ἐνin
enG1722 →2738 times
οἷς[the] things
hoisG3739 →1405 times
ἔμαθεςyou have learned
emathesG3129 →25 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἐπιστώθηςyou were assured of
epistothesG4104 →
εἰδὼςknowing
eidos
παρὰfrom
paraG3844 →192 times
τίνωνwhich [people]
tinonG5101 →
ἔμαθες,you learned [them],
emathesG3129 →25 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Hebrews 10:22let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.
it leads to
- Ezekiel 36:25
I will also sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean. I will cleanse you from all your impurities and all your idols.
- John 3:5
Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit.
- Ephesians 5:26
to sanctify her, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word,
- Ezekiel 36:25
Through
1 Thessalonians 2:13And we continually thank God because, when you received the word of God that you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as the true word of God—the…
it leads to
- Hebrews 4:12
For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it pierces even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It judges the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
- Romans 10:17
Consequently, faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.
- Hebrews 4:12
Through
2 Timothy 2:2And the things that you have heard me say among many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be qualified to teach others as well.
it leads to
- 2 Timothy 1:13–14
Hold on to the pattern of sound teaching you have heard from me, with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.
- 1 Timothy 4:6
By pointing out these things to the brothers, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, nourished by the words of faith and sound instruction that you have followed.
- 2 Timothy 1:13–14
Through
2 Timothy 1:13Hold on to the pattern of sound teaching you have heard from me, with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.
it leads to
- Titus 1:9
He must hold firmly to the faithful word as it was taught, so that he can encourage others by sound teaching and refute those who contradict it.
- Titus 1:9
Where this verse is studied
About 2 Timothy
This page draws on 13 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Augustine of Hippo, ON CHRISTIAN DOCTRINE 4.16.33; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, LETTERS 52.7; John Chrysostom, Homily on 2 Timothy 8; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Oecumenius, COMMENTARY ON 2 TIMOTHY; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on 2 Timothy and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on 2 Timothy.