2 Timothy 3:16
in 2 Timothy 3All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for instruction, for conviction, for correction, and for training in righteousness,
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Every scripture inspired of God is also profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for instruction which is in righteousness:
KJV
All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
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This verse in 2 Timothy 3
Commentary
4 notes on this verseBut since Enoch in the same Scripture has preached likewise concerning the Lord, nothing at all must be rejected by us which pertains to us; and we read that "every Scripture suitable for edification is divinely inspired. By the Jews it may now seem to have been rejected for that (very) reason, just like all the other (portions) nearly which tell of Christ.
This site's exposition
given by inspiration of God
on 2 Timothy 3:16-17
The word is theopneustos, God-breathed: all scripture is breathed out by God, the strongest statement of inspiration in the Bible, and the rendering question is old and honest, all scripture is God-breathed and profitable against every God-breathed scripture is also profitable, with the first reading carrying most translators and the doctrine standing on either. What Scripture is breathed for follows in four offices, doctrine, reproof, correction, instruction in righteousness, teaching what is true, exposing what is false, restoring what is broken, training what is young. The end is a workman equipped, that the man of God may be perfect, artios, complete, throughly furnished unto all good works, and 2 Peter 3:16 already ranks Paul's own letters with the other scriptures this verse describes.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Hence it is so profitable for doctrine, for instruction of the ignorant, for the reproof or conviction of them that are in error or sin, for the correction or amendment of whatever is amiss, and for instructing or training up the children of God in all righteousness.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
All Scripture is given by inspiration of God - This sentence is not well translated; the original πασα γραφη θεοκνευστος ωφιλιμος προς διδασκαλιαν, κ. τ. λ. should be rendered: Every writing Divinely inspired is profitable for doctrine, etc. The particle και, and, is omitted by almost all the versions and many of the fathers, and certainly does not agree well with the text.
The words behind it
16 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Πᾶσα | pasa | Every | G3956 → | 1235 times |
| γραφὴ | graphe | Scripture [is] | G1124 → | |
| θεόπνευστος | theopneustos | God-breathed | G2315 → | |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ὠφέλιμος | ophelimos | profitable | G5624 → | |
| πρὸς | pros | for | G4314 → | 700 times |
| διδασκαλίαν, | didaskalian | instruction, | G1319 → | 21 times |
| πρὸς | pros | for | G4314 → | 700 times |
| ἐλεγμόν, | elegmon | conviction, | ||
| πρὸς | pros | for | G4314 → | 700 times |
| ἐπανόρθωσιν, | epanorthosin | correction, | G1882 → | |
| πρὸς | pros | [and] for | G4314 → | 700 times |
| παιδείαν | paideian | training | G3809 → | |
| τὴν | ten | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἐν | en | in | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| δικαιοσύνῃ, | dikaiosune | righteousness, | G1343 → | 92 times |
ΠᾶσαEvery
pasaG3956 →1235 times
γραφὴScripture [is]
grapheG1124 →
θεόπνευστοςGod-breathed
theopneustosG2315 →
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ὠφέλιμοςprofitable
ophelimosG5624 →
πρὸςfor
prosG4314 →700 times
διδασκαλίαν,instruction,
didaskalianG1319 →21 times
πρὸςfor
prosG4314 →700 times
ἐλεγμόν,conviction,
elegmon
πρὸςfor
prosG4314 →700 times
ἐπανόρθωσιν,correction,
epanorthosinG1882 →
πρὸς[and] for
prosG4314 →700 times
παιδείανtraining
paideianG3809 →
τὴν<the>
tenG3588 →19766 times
ἐνin
enG1722 →2738 times
δικαιοσύνῃ,righteousness,
dikaiosuneG1343 →92 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 4:12For 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.
it leads to
- Jeremiah 23:29
“Is not My word like fire,” declares the LORD, “and like a hammer that smashes a rock?”
- Isaiah 55:11
so My word that proceeds from My mouth will not return to Me empty, but it will accomplish what I please, and it will prosper where I send it.
- Ephesians 6:17
And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
- Psalms 119:130
The unfolding of Your words gives light; it informs the simple.
- 1 Peter 1:23
For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.
- Jeremiah 23:29
Through
Romans 15:4For everything that was written in the past was written for our instruction, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures, we might have hope.
it leads to
- 1 Corinthians 10:11
Now these things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come.
- 2 Timothy 3:16–17
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for instruction, for conviction, for correction, and for training in righteousness,
- Romans 4:23–24
Now the words “it was credited to him” were written not only for Abraham,
- 1 Corinthians 10:11
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies4
On this verse
On this chapter
About 2 Timothy
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament; John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Tertullian, On the Apparel of Women Book I.