2 Timothy 3 — Greek text and reception
Each card preserves the Greek reading and its textual and reception notes. This source provides a Greek study edition; Hebrew counterparts and Hebrew–Greek classifications are not supplied.
Chapter 3
Difficult times and deceivers
Verse 3:1
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
But know this: in the last days difficult seasons will come.
Textual & Reception Notes
Text: Difficult seasons uses plural kairoi; in the last days frames the warning without supplying a calendar or a calculable end date. Reception: Chrysostom attributes the peril of the times to human conduct, not to days themselves (Homily 7, on 3:1–2). [CHR7]
Verse 3:2
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
For human beings will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, blasphemous, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy,
Textual & Reception Notes
Text: The list begins with self-love and love of money, then preserves boastfulness, arrogance, blasphemy, disobedience to parents, ingratitude and unholiness as distinct descriptions. Reception: Chrysostom traces interconnected vices from selfishness and greed (Homily 7, on 3:2). [CHR7]
Verse 3:3
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
without natural affection, irreconcilable, slanderers, without self-control, savage, not loving the good,
Textual & Reception Notes
Text: Without natural affection and irreconcilable are separate terms; diaboloi here means human slanderers. Lack of self-control, savagery and hostility to good complete this part of the list. Reception: Chrysostom interprets slander, uncontrolled appetite and fierceness as social and moral injuries (Homily 8, on 3:3). [CHR8]
Verse 3:4
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
traitors, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,
Textual & Reception Notes
Text: Traitors, reckless and conceited remain separate. Lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God states a disordered preference, not merely the existence of enjoyment. Reception: Chrysostom describes betrayal of friendship, instability and arrogance in these terms (Homily 8, on 3:4). [CHR8]
Verse 3:5
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
having a form of godliness but denying its power. Turn away from these also.
Textual & Reception Notes
Text: A form of godliness contrasts with denial of its power; the command turn away addresses Timothy in the present despite the warning's future frame. Reception: Chrysostom calls this a lifeless appearance of faith lacking corresponding works (Homily 8, on 3:5). [CHR8]
Verse 3:6
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
For among these are those who slip into houses and take captive weak women, laden with sins, led by various desires,
Textual & Reception Notes
Text: Weak women renders the pejorative diminutive gynaikaria in a specific account of household exploitation; the sentence does not assert that all women are weak. Sins and varied desires are separately mentioned. Reception: Chrysostom explicitly limits the criticism to women of the described kind (Homily 8, on 3:6–7). [CHR8]
Verse 3:7
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of truth.
Textual & Reception Notes
Text: Always learning continues the description of the captive women in 3:6; never reaching knowledge of truth is the stated failure, not a rejection of learning itself. Reception: In the joint exposition of 3:6–7, Chrysostom connects unsuccessful learning with disordered desires (Homily 8). [CHR8]
Verse 3:8
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
And just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these too oppose the truth, people corrupted in mind, unapproved concerning the faith.
Textual & Reception Notes
Text: Jannes and Jambres are names supplied here and are not inserted into Exodus. Corrupted mind and failure of approval concerning faith describe the opponents' resistance. Reception: Chrysostom identifies the pair with Moses' opponents and offers tradition or inspiration as possible sources of their names (Homily 8, on 3:8). [CHR8]
Verse 3:9
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
But they will not advance further, for their folly will be evident to all, as that of those men also became.
Textual & Reception Notes
Text: The promised limit to their advance is explained by public exposure of folly. Read alongside 2:16 and 3:13, exposure and increasing wickedness need not be identical kinds of progress. Reception: Chrysostom distinguishes multiplying error from its eventual inability to deceive unnoticed (Homily 8, on 3:9). [CHR8]
Continue in what you learned
Verse 3:10
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
But you followed my teaching, conduct, purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance,
Textual & Reception Notes
Text: You contrasts Timothy with the opponents. Followed covers teaching and a list of lived qualities; patience and endurance are retained as distinct Greek nouns. Reception: Chrysostom emphasizes close acquaintance with Paul's conduct as well as his instruction (Homily 8, on 3:10). [CHR8]
Verse 3:11
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
persecutions, sufferings, such as happened to me in Antioch, in Iconium, in Lystra, what persecutions I endured; and out of all of them the Lord rescued me.
Textual & Reception Notes
Text: Antioch, Iconium and Lystra remain separately named; persecutions endured and rescue by the Lord are both affirmed. Rescue does not erase the reality of suffering. Reception: Chrysostom treats endurance and divine deliverance as two sources of encouragement (Homily 8, on 3:11). [CHR8]
Verse 3:12
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
And all who want to live godly lives in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.
Textual & Reception Notes
Text: All who desire godly living in Christ Jesus is the scope; persecution is future. The text does not promise immunity to committed believers. Reception: Chrysostom applies persecution broadly to the afflictions encountered in virtuous living (Homily 8, on 3:12). [CHR8]
Verse 3:13
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
But evil people and impostors will advance toward the worse, deceiving and being deceived.
Textual & Reception Notes
Text: Deceiving and being deceived retain active and passive aspects of the same process. Advancement is explicitly toward the worse, not a promise of prosperity. Reception: Chrysostom warns against confusing the opponents' apparent success with moral improvement (Homily 8, on 3:13). [CHR8]
Verse 3:14
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
But you, remain in the things you learned and were assured of, knowing from whom you learned,
Textual & Reception Notes
Text: Remain counters their advance; learned and became assured are separate verbs. Greek tinōn is plural: from whom does not display the plurality in ordinary English. Reception: Chrysostom urges continuity in learned conviction despite disturbing circumstances (Homily 8, on 3:14–15). [CHR8]
Verse 3:15
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
and that from infancy you have known the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.
Textual & Reception Notes
Text: From infancy describes Timothy's knowledge of the sacred writings; their saving wisdom is through faith in Christ Jesus. The verse supplies no complete list of those writings. Reception: Chrysostom sees longstanding scriptural formation as a resource for steadfastness (Homily 8, on 3:14–15). [CHR8]
Verse 3:16
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
All Scripture is inspired by God and beneficial for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness,
Textual & Reception Notes
Text: Theopneustos means breathed or inspired by God. This rendering takes inspired and beneficial as predicates; every Scripture inspired by God is also beneficial is another possible construction. Four uses follow. Reception: Chrysostom links the statement to the writings known from infancy and their instructive, corrective uses (Homily 9, on 3:16). [CHR9]
Verse 3:17
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
so that the human being of God may be capable, fully equipped for every good work.
Textual & Reception Notes
Text: Human being of God renders anthrōpos while Timothy remains the direct addressee. Capable and fully equipped express the purpose of scriptural formation for every good work. Reception: Chrysostom stresses thorough preparation through Scripture (Homily 9, on 3:17). [CHR9]