2 Timothy 4:4
in 2 Timothy 4So they will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
and will turn away their ears from the truth, and turn aside unto fables.
KJV
And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
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This verse in 2 Timothy 4
Commentary
19 notes on this verseAnd they shall turn away their ears from the truth - The truth strips them of their vices, sacrifices their idols, darts its lightnings against their easily besetting sins, and absolutely requires a conformity to a crucified Christ; therefore they turn their ears away from it.
This site's exposition
with itching ears
on 2 Timothy 4:3-5
The urgency rests on a forecast, men will not tolerate sound doctrine, the healthy teaching of the Pastoral letters. Hearers with itching ears gather teachers to suit their own desires and turn aside to myths, muthoi. The appetite stays and changes its supplier.
This site's exposition
turn aside to myths
Theophylact notes that the turning is willing. Jamieson, Fausset and Brown call it a just result: those who turn from truth are turned to fables, as at Jeremiah 2:19. Adam Clarke explains the motive, that the truth strips away the sins they want to keep.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers5 voices
For there will be a time when they will not endure sound teaching; but according to their own desires they will accumulate for themselves teachers, having their ears tickled; and they will turn away their hearing from the truth and turn aside to myths. Therefore, …
And yet all these utterly senseless heretics, who wish to be styled Christians, attempt to color the audacities of their devices, which are perfectly abhorrent to every human feeling, with the chance presented to them of that gospel sentence uttered by the Lord, "I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now:" as if these were the very things which the apostles could not then bear, and as if the Holy Spirit had taught them what the unclean spirit, with all the length he can carry his audacity, blushes to teach and to preach in broad daylight. It is such whom the apostle foresaw through the Holy Spirit, when he said: "For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables."
You can understand the desire of the prodigal son to be sated with pods in this way. When rational nature exists in irrationality, it simply desires. If it does not get more convincing reasons, then it accepts any reason at all. Since the pods taste sweet and make the body fat, they do not bind the bowels. They are the specious words of lovers of matter and the body, who say that pleasure is a good, "itching at their ears and running after myths."
Not unmindful of this sin of wilfulness, the Apostle, writing to Timothy, after many injunctions to bear witness to the faith and to preach the word, adds, For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but having itching ears will heap up teachers to themselves after their own lusts, and will turn away their ears from the truth, and turn aside unto fables. For when their unhallowed zeal shall drive them beyond the endurance of sound doctrine, they will heap up teachers for their lusts, that is, construct schemes of doctrine to suit their own desires, not wishing to be taught, but getting together teachers who will tell them what they wish: that the crowd of teachers whom they have ferreted out and gathered together, may satisfy them with the doctrines of their own tumultuous desires.
I am to speak against persons who pride themselves on their eloquence; so, to begin with a text of Scripture, "Behold, I am against thee, O thou proud one," not only in thy system of teaching, but also in thy hearing, and in thy tone of mind. For there are certain persons who have not only their ears and their tongues, but even, as I now perceive, their hands too, itching for our words; who delight in profane babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called, and strifes about words, which tend to no profit; for so Paul, the Preacher and Establisher of the "Word cut short," the disciple and teacher of the Fishermen, calls all that is excessive or superfluous in discourse. But as to those to whom we refer, would that they, whose tongue is so voluble and clever in applying itself to noble and approved language, would likewise pay some attention to actions. For then perhaps in a little while they would become less sophistical, and less absurd and strange acrobats of words, if I may use a ridiculous expression about a ridiculous subject.
11 more voices on this verse
The Church Fathers1 voice
"For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine." Before they grow stiffnecked, preoccupy them all. For this reason he says, "in season, out of season"; do everything, so as to have willing disciples. "But after their own lusts," he says, "shall they heap to themselves teachers." Nothing can be more expressive than these words. For by saying "they shall heap to themselves," he shows the indiscriminate multitude of the teachers, as also by their being elected by their disciples. "They shall heap to themselves teachers," he says, "having itching ears." Seeking for such as speak to gratify and delight their hearers. "And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and be turned unto fables." This he foretells, not as willing to throw him into despair, but to prepare him to bear it firmly, when it shall happen. As Christ also did in saying, "They will deliver you up, and they will scourge you, and bring you before the synagogues, for My name's sake." (Matt. x. 17.) And this blessed man elsewhere says, "For I know this, that after my departures shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock." (Acts xx. 29.) But this he said that they might watch, and duly use the present opportunity.
The Medieval Church2 voices
Do you see? They are not led astray out of ignorance, but willingly. "They will turn away," he says, "their hearing and will turn to fables." Therefore their evil is voluntary. The Apostle says this not in order to cast his disciple into despondency, but …
Then he says, "and will indeed turn away their hearing from the truth," he explains his advice. First he explains what he had said, namely, that they will not endure sound doctrine, when he says, "they will turn away their hearing from the truth." For …
The Puritans and the Awakening4 voices
The reason of his concern in this case, Why must Timothy now be instant in season, &c., in a particular manner? Because the church was likely to be deprived of the apostle's labours, for his departure was at hand,
They will turn away their ears from the truth; they will grow weary of the old plain gospel of Christ, and then they will be greedy of fables, and take pleasure in them, and God will give them up to those strong delusions, because they received not the truth in the love of it, 2 Thess. ii.
And they shall turn away their ears from the truth,....
This is ministers' business; a dispensation is committed to them. It is not their own notions and fancies that they are to preach, but the pure plain word of God; and they must not corrupt it, but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God, they speak in Christ, 2 Cor. ii.
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
The ear brooks not what is opposed to the man's lusts. turned--Greek, "turned aside" (1Ti 1:6). It is a righteous retribution, that when men turn away from the truth, they should be turned to fables (Jer 2:19). fables-- (1Ti 1:4).
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
And they shall turn away their ears from the truth - That is, the people themselves will turn away from the truth. It does not mean that the teachers would turn them away by the influence of their instructions. And shall be turned unto fables; - See the notes at 1Ti 1:4.
Modern Voices2 voices
Why on earth do the newspapers, in describing a dynamite outrage or any other political assassination, call it a "dastardly outrage" or a cowardly outrage? It is perfectly evident that it is not dastardly in the least. It is perfectly evident that it is about …
At last, in an hour of desperation, they formed themselves into a club or conspiracy with the object of inventing some story which even the king could not swallow. They called it The League of the Long Bow; thus attaching themselves by a double bond …
The words behind it
13 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ἀπὸ | apo | from | G575 → | 640 times |
| μὲν | men | indeed | G3303 → | 176 times |
| τῆς | tes | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἀληθείας | aletheias | truth | G225 → | 109 times |
| τὴν | ten | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἀκοὴν | akoen | hearing | G189 → | |
| ἀποστρέψουσιν, | apostrepsousin | they will turn away, | G654 → | |
| ἐπὶ | epi | unto | G1909 → | 883 times |
| δὲ | de | however | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| τοὺς | tous | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| μύθους | muthous | myths | G3454 → | |
| ἐκτραπήσονται.¶ | ektrapesontai | they will be turned aside. | G1624 → |
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἀπὸfrom
apoG575 →640 times
μὲνindeed
menG3303 →176 times
τῆςthe
tesG3588 →19766 times
ἀληθείαςtruth
aletheiasG225 →109 times
τὴν<the>
tenG3588 →19766 times
ἀκοὴνhearing
akoenG189 →
ἀποστρέψουσιν,they will turn away,
apostrepsousinG654 →
ἐπὶunto
epiG1909 →883 times
δὲhowever
deG1161 →2765 times
τοὺς<the>
tousG3588 →19766 times
μύθουςmyths
muthousG3454 →
ἐκτραπήσονται.¶they will be turned aside.
ektrapesontaiG1624 →
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
1 Timothy 1:4or devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies, which promote speculation rather than the stewardship of God’s work, which is by faith.
it leads to
- Titus 3:9
But avoid foolish controversies, genealogies, arguments, and quarrels about the law, because these things are pointless and worthless.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Titus 1:14
and will pay no attention to Jewish myths or to the commands of men who have rejected the truth.
- 1 Timothy 4:7
But reject irreverent, silly myths. Instead, train yourself for godliness.
- Titus 3:9
Through
1 Timothy 4:7But reject irreverent, silly myths. Instead, train yourself for godliness.
it leads to
- 1 Timothy 1:4
or devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies, which promote speculation rather than the stewardship of God’s work, which is by faith.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 2 Timothy 2:16
But avoid irreverent, empty chatter, which will only lead to more ungodliness,
- Titus 2:12
It instructs us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live sensible, upright, and godly lives in the present age,
- 1 Timothy 1:4
Through
2 Peter 1:16For we did not follow cleverly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of His majesty.
it leads to
- 1 John 4:14
And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent His Son to be the Savior of the world.
- John 1:14
The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
- 1 John 4:14
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies16
About 2 Timothy
This page draws on 17 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); Augustine of Hippo, TRACTATES ON JOHN 97.3-4; GK Chesterton, All Things Considered, The Boy (1908); GK Chesterton, Alarms and Discursions, The Long Bow (1910); Gregory of Nazianzus, ORATIONS 27.1; Hilary of Poitiers, ON THE TRINITY 10.2; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homily on 2 Timothy 9; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Oecumenius, COMMENTARY ON 2 TIMOTHY; Origen of Alexandria, FRAGMENT ON LUKE 216; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on 2 Timothy and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on 2 Timothy.