2 Timothy 3:15
in 2 Timothy 3From infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
and that from a babe thou hast known the sacred writings which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
KJV
And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
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This verse in 2 Timothy 3
Commentary
7 notes on this versePaul here lays out four reasons why Timothy ought to be steadfast, if he will recall them: first, because of the teacher from whom he learned; second, the time when he learned it; third, the source from which the teaching came; and finally, the sublime …
This site's exposition
from a child thou hast known
From a child, brephos, from infancy, Timothy has known the holy scriptures, hiera grammata, the sacred writings of the synagogue, the Old Testament taught him by a Jewish mother and grandmother whose faith 1:5 honors by name. Those scriptures are able to make thee wise unto salvation, but the wisdom runs through a door, through faith which is in Christ Jesus; the Old Testament saves by leading to the Messiah it promised. The verse is the letter's tribute to the Jewish nurture of the church's next generation.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
And that from a child thou hast known the holy Scriptures,.... And therefore must know that the doctrines he had learned were agreeable to them; and so is another reason why he should continue in them. The Jews very early learned their children the holy Scripture. Philo the Jew says (w), εκ πρωτης ηλικιας "from their very infancy"; a phrase pretty much the same with this here used. It is a maxim with the Jews (x), that when a child was five years of age, it was proper to teach him the Scriptures.
These only were extant when Timothy was an infant. Which are able to make thee wise unto salvation, through faith in the Messiah that was to come. How much more are the Old and New Testament together able, in God's hand, to make us more abundantly wise unto salvation!
on 2 Timothy 3:14-15
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.
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
And that from a child thou hast known the holy Scriptures - That is, the Old Testament; for the New Testament was not then written; see the notes at Joh 5:39. The mother of Timothy was a pious Hebrewess, and regarded it as one of the duties of her religion to train her son in the careful knowledge of the word of God. This was regarded by the Hebrews as an important duty of religion, and there is reason to believe that it was commonly faithfully performed. The Jewish writings abound with lessons on this subject.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Wise also in extending it to others. through faith--as the instrument of this wisdom. Each knows divine things only as far as his own experience in himself extends. He who has not faith, has not wisdom or salvation. which is in--that is, rests on Christ Jesus.
The words behind it
20 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 |
| ὅτι | hoti | for | G3754 → | 1292 times |
| ἀπὸ | apo | from | G575 → | 640 times |
| βρέφους | brephous | childhood | G1025 → | |
| τὰ | ta | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἱερὰ | hi'era | sacred | G2413 → | |
| γράμματα | grammata | writings | G1121 → | |
| οἶδας, | oidas | you know, | ||
| τὰ | ta | which | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| δυνάμενά | dunamena | are being able | G1410 → | 207 times |
| σε | se | you | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| σοφίσαι | sophisai | to make wise | G4679 → | |
| εἰς | eis | unto | G1519 → | 1755 times |
| σωτηρίαν | soterian | salvation | G4991 → | |
| διὰ | dia | through | G1223 → | 664 times |
| πίστεως | pisteos | faith | G4102 → | 242 times |
| τῆς | tes | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἐν | en | in | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| Χριστῷ | christo | Christ | G5547 → | 523 times |
| Ἰησοῦ.¶ | iesou | Jesus. | G2424 → | 908 times |
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ὅτιfor
hotiG3754 →1292 times
ἀπὸfrom
apoG575 →640 times
βρέφουςchildhood
brephousG1025 →
τὰthe
taG3588 →19766 times
ἱερὰsacred
hi'eraG2413 →
γράμματαwritings
grammataG1121 →
οἶδας,you know,
oidas
τὰwhich
taG3588 →19766 times
δυνάμενάare being able
dunamenaG1410 →207 times
σεyou
seG4771 →2973 times
σοφίσαιto make wise
sophisaiG4679 →
εἰςunto
eisG1519 →1755 times
σωτηρίανsalvation
soterianG4991 →
διὰthrough
diaG1223 →664 times
πίστεωςfaith
pisteosG4102 →242 times
τῆς<the>
tesG3588 →19766 times
ἐνin
enG1722 →2738 times
ΧριστῷChrist
christoG5547 →523 times
Ἰησοῦ.¶Jesus.
iesouG2424 →908 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
Proverbs 22:6Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.
it leads to
- Deuteronomy 6:7
And you shall teach them diligently to your children and speak of them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.
- Ephesians 6:4
Fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath; instead, bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.
- Genesis 18:19
For I have chosen him, so that he will command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing what is right and just, in order that…
- Deuteronomy 4:9
Only be on your guard and diligently watch yourselves, so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen, and so that they do not slip from your heart as long as…
- Psalms 78:3–6
that we have heard and known and our fathers have relayed to us.
- Deuteronomy 6:7
Through
Luke 24:45Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.
it leads to
- Acts 16:14
Among those listening was a woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from the city of Thyatira, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message.
- 1 John 5:20
And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true—in His Son…
- Psalms 119:18
Open my eyes that I may see wondrous things from Your law.
- Acts 16:14
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies4
On this verse
About 2 Timothy
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 Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Theodore of Mopsuestia, COMMENTARY ON 2 TIMOTHY.