2 Timothy 3:9
in 2 Timothy 3But they will not advance much further. For just like Jannes and Jambres, their folly will be plain to everyone.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be evident unto all men, as theirs also came to be.
KJV
But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as theirs also was.
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This verse in 2 Timothy 3
Commentary
13 notes on this verseHow then does the apostle say in another place: "they will increase unto more ungodliness" (2 Tim. 2:16)? There he affirms that heretics, having begun to introduce novelties and errors, do not stop, but constantly invent newer ones. Here, however, he affirms that they will …
This site's exposition
as Jannes and Jambres
on 2 Timothy 3:8-9
The names are not in Exodus: Jannes and Jambres are the magicians of Pharaoh's court as Jewish tradition named them, in the Targum of Jonathan on Exodus 7:11 and in the Damascus Document among others, and Paul uses the received names as common knowledge, one of Scripture's own touches of the tradition literature. As they withstood Moses by counterfeiting his signs, so the Ephesian deceivers resist the truth by imitation rather than denial, men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith. The comfort is verse 9, they shall proceed no further, for the counterfeiters' folly was manifest when the sign failed, as theirs also was.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers5 voices
A commentator
Theodoret of CyrusINTERPRETATION OF THE SECOND LETTER TO TIMOTHY · Written before 458.
proposed
The only progress which heretics will make is in impiety, for they cannot simulate genuine piety for very long.
"Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth." Who are these? The magicians in the time of Moses. But how is it their names are nowhere else introduced? Either they were handed down by tradition, or it is probable that Paul knew them by inspiration. "Men of corrupt minds," he says, "reprobate concerning the faith. But they shall proceed no further; for their folly shall be manifested unto all men, as theirs also was." "They shall proceed no further"; how then does he say elsewhere, "They will increase unto more ungodliness"? (2 Tim. ii. 16.) He there means, that beginning to innovate and to deceive, they will not pause in their error, but will always invent new deceits and corrupt doctrines, for error is never stationary. But here he says, that they shall not be able to deceive, nor carry men away with them, for however at first they may seem to impose upon them, they will soon and easily be detected. For that he is speaking to this effect appears from what follows. "For their folly shall be manifest unto all." Whence? Every way-"as theirs also was." For if errors flourish at first, they do not continue to the end, for so it is with things that are not fair by nature, but fair in appearance; they flourish for a time, and then are detected, and come to nought. But not such are our doctrines, and of these thou art a witness, for in our doctrines there is no deceit, for who would choose to die for a deceit?
The growth that the heretics enjoy will only be in numbers, not in depth or substance.
Just as Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses, so do these also resist the truth, men corrupted in mind, reprobate concerning the faith, but they will progress no further. For their folly will be evident to all, as was that of those men. Jannes and Jambres. …
A commentator
Augustine of HippoREPLY TO FAUSTUS THE MANICHAEAN 13.12 · Written in the 5th century.
proposed
So the heretics discuss not to find the truth, but with a dogged determination to gain the victory one way or another, that they may gather, as the prophet says, what they have not brought forth. For those whom they lead astray are Christians already born of the gospel, whom the Christian profession of the heretics misleads. Thus they make riches not with judgment, but with inconsiderate haste. For they do not consider that the followers whom they gather as their riches are taken from the genuine original Christian society, and deprived of its benefits; and as the apostle describes these heretics in the words: "As Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so they also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith. But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest to all men, as theirs also was." So the prophet goes on to say of the partridge, which gathers what it has not brought forth: "In the midst of his days they shall leave him, and in the end he shall be a fool;" that is, he who at first misled people by a promising display of superior wisdom, shall be a fool, that is, shall be seen to be a fool. He will be seen when his folly is manifest to all men, and to those to whom he was at first a wise man he will then be a fool.
6 more voices on this verse
The Medieval Church1 voice
Then when he says, but they shall proceed no farther, he shows how they are restrained: first, he shows that they must be hindered; second, how to hinder them, at for their folly. In regard to the first it should be noted that the desire …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
15 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. 16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17 That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — scripture-overlap:98%@v15-17
But they shall proceed no further,....
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
But they shall proceed no further - There is a certain point beyond which they will not be allowed to go. Their folly will become manifest, and the world will understand it. The apostle does not say how far these false teachers would be allowed to go, but that they would not be suffered always to prosper and prevail. They might be plausible at first, and lead many astray; they might, by art and cunning, cover up the real character of their system; but there would be a fair development of it, and it would be seen to be folly.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
they shall proceed no further--Though for a time (2Ti 2:16) "they shall advance or proceed (English Version, 'increase') unto more ungodliness," yet there is a final limit beyond which they shall not be able to "proceed further" (Job 38:11;
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase+unbalanced-parens
But they shall proceed no farther - Such teaching and teachers shall never be able ultimately to prevail against the truth; for the foundation of God standeth sure. Their folly shall be manifest - As the Scriptures, which are the only rule of morals and doctrine, shall ever be preserved; so, sooner or later, all false doctrines shall be tried by them: and the folly of men, setting up their wisdom against the wisdom of God, must become manifest to all. False doctrine cannot prevail long where the sacred Scriptures are read and studied. Error prevails only where the book of God is withheld from the people. The religion that fears the Bible is not the religion of God. Is Popery or Protestantism this religion?
The words behind it
17 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ἀλλ᾽ | all᾽ | But | G235 → | 635 times |
| οὐ | ou | not | G3756 → | 1664 times |
| προκόψουσιν | prokopsousin | they will advance | G4298 → | 6 times |
| ἐπὶ | epi | further | G1909 → | 883 times |
| πλεῖον· | pleion | much; | G4119 → | |
| ἡ | he | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| γὰρ | gar | for | G1063 → | 1039 times |
| ἄνοια | anoia | the folly | G454 → | |
| αὐτῶν | auton | of them | G846 → | 5565 times |
| ἔκδηλος | ekdelos | plain | G1552 → | |
| ἔσται | estai | will be | G1510 → | 2333 times |
| πᾶσιν, | pasin | to all, | G3956 → | 1235 times |
| ὡς | hos | as | G5613 → | 500 times |
| καὶ | kai | also | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ἡ | he | that | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἐκείνων | ekeinon | of those [two] | G1565 → | 260 times |
| ἐγένετο.¶ | egeneto | became. | G1096 → | 667 times |
ἀλλ᾽But
all᾽G235 →635 times
οὐnot
ouG3756 →1664 times
προκόψουσινthey will advance
prokopsousinG4298 →6 times
ἐπὶfurther
epiG1909 →883 times
πλεῖον·much;
pleionG4119 →
ἡ<the>
heG3588 →19766 times
γὰρfor
garG1063 →1039 times
ἄνοιαthe folly
anoiaG454 →
αὐτῶνof them
autonG846 →5565 times
ἔκδηλοςplain
ekdelosG1552 →
ἔσταιwill be
estaiG1510 →2333 times
πᾶσιν,to all,
pasinG3956 →1235 times
ὡςas
hosG5613 →500 times
καὶalso
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἡthat
heG3588 →19766 times
ἐκείνωνof those [two]
ekeinonG1565 →260 times
ἐγένετο.¶became.
egenetoG1096 →667 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
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.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 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.
- 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.
- 1 Timothy 6:5
and constant friction between men of depraved mind who are devoid of the truth. These men regard godliness as a means of gain.
- 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.
- Acts 13:8–11
Through
Exodus 7:12Each one threw down his staff, and it became a serpent. But Aaron’s staff swallowed up the other staffs.
it leads to
- 1 John 4:4
You, little children, are from God and have overcome them, because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.
- Exodus 8:18–19
The magicians tried to produce gnats using their magic arts, but they could not. And the gnats remained on man and beast.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 1 John 4:4
Through
Exodus 9:11The magicians could not stand before Moses, because the boils had broken out on them and on all the Egyptians.
it leads to
- Isaiah 47:12–14
So take your stand with your spells and with your many sorceries, with which you have wearied yourself from your youth. Perhaps you will succeed; perhaps you will inspire terror!
- Isaiah 47:12–14
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies4
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, REPLY TO FAUSTUS THE MANICHAEAN 13.12; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homily on 2 Timothy 8; 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; Theodore of Mopsuestia, COMMENTARY ON 2 TIMOTHY; Theodoret of Cyrus, INTERPRETATION OF THE SECOND LETTER TO TIMOTHY; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on 2 Timothy and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on 2 Timothy.