2 Timothy 4:15
in 2 Timothy 4You too should beware of him, for he has vigorously opposed our message.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
of whom do thou also beware; for he greatly withstood our words.
KJV
Of whom be thou ware also; for he hath greatly withstood our words.
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This verse in 2 Timothy 4
Commentary
11 notes on this verseHence he adds, "whom do you also avoid" as a heretic: "a man that is a heretic, after the first and second admonition, avoid" (Titus 3:10). The reason behind this advice is that "he has greatly withstood our words": "you always resist the Holy Spirit" …
This site's exposition
the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas
on 2 Timothy 4:13-15
The list is a prisoner's: the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas against the cold, and my scrolls, especially the parchments. Most readers since antiquity take the parchments, membranai, for copies of Scripture.
This site's exposition
beware of him
Albert Barnes infers that Alexander was still teaching in public, and teaching with skill. Theophylact notes that Paul leaves punishment to God. Believers share one cause, as Jamieson, Fausset and Brown read the word our.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
Alexander the coppersmith did me much harm; the Lord will repay him according to his deeds. Beware of him yourself, for he strongly opposed our words. Paul also showed Timothy to endure bravely the troubles from common people. For it is painful to be wronged, …
"Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil; the Lord reward him according to his works." Here he again makes mention of his trial, not wishing merely to censure and accuse the man, but to prepare his disciple for the conflicts, that he might bear them firmly. Though they be mean and contemptible persons, and without honor, who cause these trials, they ought all, he says, to be borne with fortitude. For he who suffers wrong from any great personage, receives no little distinction from the superiority of him who does the wrong. But he who is injured by a vile and abject person, suffers the greater annoyance. "He did me much evil," he says, that is, he persecuted me in various ways. But these things will not go unpunished! For the Lord will reward him according to his works. As he said above: "What persecutions I endured, but out of them all the Lord delivered me." (2 Tim iii. 11.) So also here he consoles his disciples by a double consideration, that he himself had suffered wrong, and that the other would be rewarded for his evil deeds. Not that the Saints rejoice in the punishment of their persecutors, but that the cause of the Gospel required it, and the weaker would derive consolation from it. "Of whom be thou ware also; for he hath greatly withstood our words." That is, he is hostile to us, and opposes us. He has not said, Revenge, punish, expel him, although by the grace given him he might have so done, but he does no such thing; nor does he arm Timothy against him, but only commands him to avoid him, leaving vengeance to God, and for the consolation of the weaker he has said that He will reward him, which is a prophecy rather than an imprecation.
The Medieval Church1 voice
He did not say: afflict him, punish him—though by the grace of the Holy Spirit he could have done so—but commands them to guard themselves, that is, to avoid him, to withdraw from him, leaving the punishment to God. That is, he wages war and …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
This is he who is spoken of Acts xix. It should seem, he had been a professor of the Christian religion, a forward professor, for he was there particularly maligned by the worshippers of Diana, and yet he did Paul much evil.
Of whom be thou ware also,....
3 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Of whom be thou ware also - It would seem from this that Alexander was still a public teacher, and that his discourses were plausible and artful. The best and the wisest of men need to be on their guard against the efforts of the advocates of error. For he hath greatly withstood our words - Margin, “preachings.” The Greek is, “words;” but the reference is doubtless to the public teachings of Paul.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
our words--the arguments of us Christians for our common faith. Believers have a common cause.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
Of whom be thou ware also - It seems that this rabbin traveled about from place to place for the purpose of opposing the Gospel, the Jews putting him forward, as it is said, Act 19:33. He hath greatly withstood our words - Has been a constant opposer of the Christian doctrines.
The words behind it
10 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ὃν | hon | whom | G3739 → | 1405 times |
| καὶ | kai | also | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| σὺ | su | you yourself | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| φυλάσσου· | phulassou | do yourself beware of; | G5442 → | 31 times |
| λίαν | lian | exceedingly | G3029 → | |
| γὰρ | gar | for | G1063 → | 1039 times |
| ἀντέστη | anteste | has opposed | G436 → | 14 times |
| τοῖς | tois | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἡμετέροις | hemeterois | our own | G1473 → | 839 times |
| λόγοις.¶ | logois | message. | G3056 → | 329 times |
ὃνwhom
honG3739 →1405 times
καὶalso
kaiG2532 →9120 times
σὺyou yourself
suG4771 →2973 times
φυλάσσου·do yourself beware of;
phulassouG5442 →31 times
λίανexceedingly
lianG3029 →
γὰρfor
garG1063 →1039 times
ἀντέστηhas opposed
antesteG436 →14 times
τοῖς<the>
toisG3588 →19766 times
ἡμετέροιςour own
hemeteroisG1473 →839 times
λόγοις.¶message.
logoisG3056 →329 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
Philippians 3:2Watch out for those dogs, those workers of evil, those mutilators of the flesh!
it leads to
- 2 Corinthians 11:13
For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ.
- Titus 1:16
They profess to know God, but by their actions they deny Him. They are detestable, disobedient, and unfit for any good deed.
- Revelation 22:15
But outside are the dogs, the sorcerers, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.
- Isaiah 56:10–11
Israel’s watchmen are blind, they are all oblivious; they are all mute dogs, they cannot bark; they are dreamers lying around, loving to slumber.
- 2 Timothy 3:1–6
But understand this: In the last days terrible times will come.
- 2 Corinthians 11:13
Through
2 Timothy 3:8Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so also these men oppose the truth. They are depraved in mind and disqualified from the faith.
it leads to
- Acts 13:8–11
But Elymas the sorcerer (for that is what his name means) opposed them and tried to turn the proconsul from the faith.
- Exodus 7:11
But Pharaoh called the wise men and sorcerers and magicians of Egypt, and they also did the same things by their magic arts.
- Revelation 2:20
But I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess. By her teaching she misleads My servants to be sexually immoral and to eat food sacrificed to idols.
- Acts 13:8–11
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies16
About 2 Timothy
This page draws on 10 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes on the New Testament; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homily on 2 Timothy 10; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); 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.