2 Timothy 2
My child, be strengthened in grace and entrust what you heard from me to faithful men who can teach others. Suffer hardship as a good soldier: a soldier is not entangled in the affairs of life, a contender is crowned only if he contends lawfully, the labouring farmer partakes first. Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, of David’s seed — for that gospel I am bound like an evildoer, but the word of God is not bound. Faithful is the word: died together, live together; endure, reign together; deny, be denied; disbelieve — he remains faithful. Word-fights overthrow the hearers; be an unashamed worker cutting the word of truth straight. Empty talk spreads like gangrene — Hymenaeus and Philetus say the resurrection has already happened. But God’s firm foundation stands, sealed. In a great house the vessels differ; whoever cleans himself out becomes a vessel for honour. Flee youthful desires; pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace. The Lord’s slave does not fight but teaches mildly, instructing opponents in gentleness, that God may grant them repentance and they may sober up out of the slanderer’s snare.
Why this rendering
2Tim.2.7 Observation
Syntactic observation
Σὺ οὖν, τέκνον μου, ἐνδυναμοῦ ἐν τῇ χάριτι τῇ ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ, καὶ ἃ ἤκουσας παρ’ ἐμοῦ διὰ πολλῶν μαρτύρων, ταῦτα παράθου πιστοῖς ἀνθρώποις, οἵτινες ἱκανοὶ ἔσονται καὶ ἑτέρους διδάξαι. συγκακοπάθησον ὡς καλὸς στρατιώτης Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ. οὐδεὶς στρατευόμενος ἐμπλέκεται ταῖς τοῦ βίου πραγματείαις, ἵνα τῷ στρατολογήσαντι ἀρέσῃ· ἐὰν δὲ καὶ ἀθλῇ τις, οὐ στεφανοῦται ἐὰν μὴ νομίμως ἀθλήσῃ· τὸν κοπιῶντα γεωργὸν δεῖ πρῶτον τῶν καρπῶν μεταλαμβάνειν. νόει ὃ λέγω· δώσει γάρ σοι ὁ κύριος σύνεσιν ἐν πᾶσιν — You, then, my child, be strengthened in the grace that is in Christ Jesus, and the things you heard from me through many witnesses, these entrust to faithful men, who will be fit to teach others also. Suffer hardship together, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in the affairs of life, so that he may please the one who enlisted him; and if anyone also contends, he is not crowned unless he contends lawfully. The labouring farmer must be the first to partake of the fruits. Perceive what I say; for the Lord will give you understanding in all things. Σὺ οὖν, τέκνον μου ‘You, then, my child’ — σύ expressed · carrying on from 1:18 ‘you’ · ἐνδυναμοῦ ‘be strengthened’ — Rom 4:20 ‘be strengthened’ (passive) · the verb of 1 Tim 1:12 ‘who strengthened me’, now a passive command · ἃ ἤκουσας παρ’ ἐμοῦ ‘the things you heard from me’ — taking up 1:13 · διὰ πολλῶν μαρτύρων ‘through many witnesses’ — a different preposition from 1 Tim 6:12 ‘before many witnesses’ (ἐνώπιον → διά) · παράθου πιστοῖς ἀνθρώποις ‘entrust to faithful men’ — 1 Tim 1:18 ‘I entrust’ · the verb behind 1:12·14 ‘deposit’ · through four hands (me → you → faithful men → others) · ἱκανοὶ … διδάξαι ‘fit to teach’ — the site-rule of Luke 3:16 ‘fit’. ⸀συγκακοπάθησον ‘Suffer hardship together’ — the verb of 1:8 (these two in the New Testament) · the Received Text reads ‘You, then, suffer hardship’ without συν- · ὡς καλὸς στρατιώτης ⸂Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ⸃ ‘as a good soldier of Christ Jesus’ — 1 Tim 1:18 ‘the good soldiering’ · the Received Text has the other order of the names. Three pictures come without conjunctions — στρατευόμενος ‘serving as a soldier’ (Luke 3:14) · ἐμπλέκεται ‘gets entangled’ (here and 2 Peter 2 — two places in the New Testament) · ταῖς τοῦ βίου πραγματείαις ‘in the affairs of life’ — 1 Tim 2:2 ‘life’ (βίος) · πραγματεία once in the New Testament · στρατολογήσαντι ‘the one who enlisted him’ (once) · ἀρέσῃ ‘may please’ · ἀθλῇ … ἀθλήσῃ ‘contends … contends’ — the bare verb of Phil 1:27 συναθλέω ‘contend together’ (only this verse, twice) · στεφανοῦται ‘is crowned’ — the verb of 1 Cor 9:25 ‘crown’ (twice in Hebrews 2) · νομίμως ‘lawfully’ — the adverb of 1 Tim 1:8 (two places) · κοπιῶντα γεωργόν ‘the labouring farmer’ — 1 Tim 5:17 ‘labour’ · John 15:1 ‘farmer’ · δεῖ πρῶτον τῶν καρπῶν μεταλαμβάνειν ‘must be the first to partake of the fruits’ — the verb of 1 Tim 4:3 μετάλημψις ‘partaking’ · whether ‘first’ goes with the farmer or the fruits is left open. νόει ⸀ὃ λέγω ‘Perceive what I say’ — 1 Tim 1:7 ‘perceive’ · the Received Text has the plural ‘things’ · ⸀δώσει ‘will give’ — the Received Text an optative ‘may he give’ · σύνεσιν ‘understanding’ — Col 1:9 ‘understanding’ · ‘perceive … understanding’ do not show the shared root.
Rendering options · 4
Basis Rom 4:20 ‘be strengthened’ (passive) · 1 Tim 1:12 ‘strengthened’ (active) by site-rule — strength received ‘in’ grace, so not ‘be strong’.
Basis The familiar rendering.
Rejected Drops the passive ‘be given strength’ · ‘strong’ is the word of ἰσχυρός.
Basis Phil 1:27 ‘contend together’ minus συν- · the verb of 1 Cor 9:25 ‘crown’ · ‘compete’ would cut the root.
Basis Whether ‘first’ goes with the farmer (before others) or with the fruits (before the work) the text does not settle — the English leans to the farmer.
Lost in translation
νόει … σύνεσιν (v.7) — ‘perceive … understanding’ are cut.
πρῶτον (v.6) — with the farmer or the fruits. The English ‘the first to’ leans to the farmer.
παράθου (v.2) / 1:12·14 παραθήκη — ‘entrust / deposit’ are cut.
στρατιώτης · στρατευόμενος · στρατολογήσαντι (vv.3-4) — three on one root. ‘Soldier · serving as a soldier · enlisted’ lose the third.
ἀθλῇ … ἀθλήσῃ · στεφανοῦται (v.5) / Phil 1:27 · 1 Cor 9:25 — ‘contend’ · ‘crown’ keep both roots.
Σὺ οὖν (v.1) — σύ expressed. ‘You, then’ carries it.
Why this rendering
2Tim.2.13 Observation
Syntactic observation
Μνημόνευε Ἰησοῦν Χριστὸν ἐγηγερμένον ἐκ νεκρῶν, ἐκ σπέρματος Δαυίδ, κατὰ τὸ εὐαγγέλιόν μου· ἐν ᾧ κακοπαθῶ μέχρι δεσμῶν ὡς κακοῦργος. ἀλλὰ ὁ λόγος τοῦ θεοῦ οὐ δέδεται· διὰ τοῦτο πάντα ὑπομένω διὰ τοὺς ἐκλεκτούς, ἵνα καὶ αὐτοὶ σωτηρίας τύχωσιν τῆς ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ μετὰ δόξης αἰωνίου. πιστὸς ὁ λόγος· εἰ γὰρ συναπεθάνομεν, καὶ συζήσομεν· εἰ ὑπομένομεν, καὶ συμβασιλεύσομεν· εἰ ἀρνησόμεθα, κἀκεῖνος ἀρνήσεται ἡμᾶς· εἰ ἀπιστοῦμεν, ἐκεῖνος πιστὸς μένει· ἀρνήσασθαι ἑαυτὸν οὐ δύναται — Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, from the seed of David, according to my gospel, in which I suffer hardship even to bonds, as an evildoer; but the word of God is not bound. For this reason I endure all things because of the chosen, so that they also may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. Faithful is the word: for if we died together, we shall also live together; if we endure, we shall also reign together; if we shall deny, he also will deny us; if we do not believe, he remains faithful; he cannot deny himself. Μνημόνευε Ἰησοῦν Χριστόν ‘Remember Jesus Christ’ — 1 Thess 1:3 ‘remember’ · the first place in this letter with ‘Jesus Christ’ rather than ‘Christ Jesus’ · ἐγηγερμένον ἐκ νεκρῶν ‘raised from the dead’ — perfect passive participle · Rom 6:9 ‘raised’ · ἐκ σπέρματος Δαυίδ ‘from the seed of David’ — the phrase of Rom 1:3 ‘came from the seed of David’ · the two phrases reverse the order of Rom 1:3-4 (there seed → resurrection) · κατὰ τὸ εὐαγγέλιόν μου ‘according to my gospel’ — the phrase of Rom 2:16. ἐν ᾧ κακοπαθῶ ‘in which I suffer hardship’ — the bare verb of 1:8 · 2:3 ‘suffer hardship together’ (4:5 · James 5) · μέχρι δεσμῶν ‘even to bonds’ — Phil 1:7 ‘bonds’ · ὡς κακοῦργος ‘as an evildoer’ — the word of Luke 23:32·33·39 beside the cross · ἀλλὰ ὁ λόγος τοῦ θεοῦ οὐ δέδεται ‘but the word of God is not bound’ — perfect passive · the verb of Col 4:3 ‘I am bound’, negated · δεσμῶν / δέδεται one root · διὰ τοῦτο πάντα ὑπομένω ‘For this reason I endure all things’ — 1 Cor 13:7 ‘endure’ · one verb with v.12 ‘if we endure’ · διὰ τοὺς ἐκλεκτούς ‘because of the chosen’ — Rom 8:33 ‘chosen’ · σωτηρίας τύχωσιν ‘may obtain the salvation’ — Acts 26:22 ‘obtain’ · μετὰ δόξης αἰωνίου ‘with eternal glory’. πιστὸς ὁ λόγος ‘Faithful is the word’ — the fourth of the Pastoral formula’s five (1 Tim 1:15 · 3:1 · 4:9 · Titus 3:8) · whether it closes what precedes or opens the four lines is left open · four lines in parallel with εἰ — συναπεθάνομεν ‘we died together’ (aorist · Mark 14:31 ‘die together’) · συζήσομεν ‘we shall live together’ (the pair of Rom 6:8 — ‘if we died together, we shall also live together’ is Rom 6:8 itself) · ὑπομένομεν ‘we endure’ (present) · συμβασιλεύσομεν ‘we shall reign together’ (1 Cor 4:8) · ⸀ἀρνησόμεθα ‘we shall deny’ (future — the Received Text present) · κἀκεῖνος ἀρνήσεται ἡμᾶς ‘he also will deny us’ — the grain of Matt 10:33 ‘I also will deny him’ · ἀπιστοῦμεν ‘we do not believe’ (Mark 16:11 ‘not believe’) · ἐκεῖνος πιστὸς μένει ‘he remains faithful’ — only the fourth line breaks the pairing · ‘not believe’ and ‘faithful’ share one root · ⸀ἀρνήσασθαι ἑαυτὸν οὐ δύναται ‘he cannot deny himself’ — the base text without a conjunction (the Received Text adds ‘for’) · the ‘deny’ of v.12 returns a third time.
Rendering options · 4
Basis As at 1 Tim 1:15 · 3:1 · 4:9 — whether the formula closes what precedes or opens what follows the text does not settle.
Basis The same two verbs as Rom 6:8 · ‘die together / live together’ as fixed.
Basis The base text’s future (the Received Text present) — keeps the tense contrast with line two ‘if we endure’ (present).
Basis Levelled to the present.
Rejected Erases the base text’s tense shift.
Lost in translation
δεσμῶν / δέδεται (v.9) — bonds · not bound. ‘Bonds / bound’ keep the root.
ἀπιστοῦμεν / πιστός (v.13) — ‘do not believe / faithful’ are cut.
συν- four times (vv.11-12 συναπεθάνομεν · συζήσομεν · συμβασιλεύσομεν · v.3 συγκακοπάθησον) — ‘together’ four times keeps it.
ὑπομένω (v.10) / ὑπομένομεν (v.12) — ‘endure’ twice shows the same verb.
πιστὸς ὁ λόγος (v.11) — attaching backward or forward. The colon leaves it open.
ἀρνησόμεθα (v.12 future) / ὑπομένομεν (present) — ‘if we shall deny / if we endure’ carry the tenses.
Why this rendering
2Tim.2.19 Observation
Syntactic observation
Ταῦτα ὑπομίμνῃσκε, διαμαρτυρόμενος ἐνώπιον τοῦ κυρίου, μὴ λογομαχεῖν, ἐπ’ οὐδὲν χρήσιμον, ἐπὶ καταστροφῇ τῶν ἀκουόντων. σπούδασον σεαυτὸν δόκιμον παραστῆσαι τῷ θεῷ, ἐργάτην ἀνεπαίσχυντον, ὀρθοτομοῦντα τὸν λόγον τῆς ἀληθείας. τὰς δὲ βεβήλους κενοφωνίας περιΐστασο· ἐπὶ πλεῖον γὰρ προκόψουσιν ἀσεβείας, καὶ ὁ λόγος αὐτῶν ὡς γάγγραινα νομὴν ἕξει· ὧν ἐστιν Ὑμέναιος καὶ Φίλητος, οἵτινες περὶ τὴν ἀλήθειαν ἠστόχησαν, λέγοντες ἀνάστασιν ἤδη γεγονέναι, καὶ ἀνατρέπουσιν τήν τινων πίστιν. ὁ μέντοι στερεὸς θεμέλιος τοῦ θεοῦ ἕστηκεν, ἔχων τὴν σφραγῖδα ταύτην· Ἔγνω κύριος τοὺς ὄντας αὐτοῦ, καί· Ἀποστήτω ἀπὸ ἀδικίας πᾶς ὁ ὀνομάζων τὸ ὄνομα κυρίου — Remind them of these things, solemnly testifying before the Lord not to word-fight, which comes to nothing of use, to the overthrow of the hearers. Be diligent to present yourself to God approved, a worker with nothing to be ashamed of, cutting the word of truth straight. But avoid the profane empty-voicings; for they will advance to more impiety, and their word will spread like gangrene; among whom are Hymenaeus and Philetus, who have missed the mark concerning the truth, saying that the resurrection has already happened, and they overturn the faith of some. Nevertheless the firm foundation of God stands, having this seal: “The Lord knew those who are his,” and, “Let everyone who names the name of the Lord withdraw from unrighteousness.” Ταῦτα ὑπομίμνῃσκε ‘Remind them of these things’ — the verb of 1:5 ‘reminder’ · διαμαρτυρόμενος ἐνώπιον τοῦ ⸀κυρίου ‘solemnly testifying before the Lord’ — 1 Tim 5:21 ‘I solemnly testify before God and …’ · the Received Text ‘God’ · μὴ λογομαχεῖν ‘not to word-fight’ — the verb of 1 Tim 6:4 ‘word-fights’ (once in the New Testament) · ⸀ἐπ’ οὐδὲν χρήσιμον ‘which comes to nothing of use’ — χρήσιμον once · the Received Text another preposition · ἐπὶ καταστροφῇ τῶν ἀκουόντων ‘to the overthrow of the hearers’ — here and 2 Peter 2 (of Sodom) · shares ‘overturn’ with v.18 ἀνατρέπω · two ἐπί in parallel (to nothing … to overthrow). σπούδασον ‘Be diligent’ — Gal 2:10 ‘be diligent’ · σεαυτὸν δόκιμον παραστῆσαι τῷ θεῷ ‘to present yourself to God approved’ — Rom 14:18 ‘approved’ · Rom 12:1 ‘present’ · ἐργάτην ἀνεπαίσχυντον ‘a worker with nothing to be ashamed of’ — ἀνεπαίσχυντος once · the negated adjective of 1:8·12·16 ‘ashamed’ · ὀρθοτομοῦντα τὸν λόγον τῆς ἀληθείας ‘cutting the word of truth straight’ — ὀρθοτομέω once · a road cut straight or meat cut straight, the text does not say · ‘cutting straight’ keeps both pieces · Eph 1:13 ‘the word of truth’. τὰς δὲ βεβήλους κενοφωνίας περιΐστασο ‘But avoid the profane empty-voicings’ — the phrase of 1 Tim 6:20 · περιΐστημι middle ‘avoid’ (again in Titus 3) · John 11:42 ‘standing around’ is the active · ἐπὶ πλεῖον γὰρ προκόψουσιν ἀσεβείας ‘for they will advance to more impiety’ — Gal 1:14 ‘advance’ · Rom 1:18 ‘impiety’ · again at 3:9·13 · ὡς γάγγραινα νομὴν ἕξει ‘will spread like gangrene’ — γάγγραινα once · νομή is the word of John 10:9 ‘pasture’ (two places in the New Testament) — pasture for sheep, ground to feed on for a disease · Ὑμέναιος καὶ Φίλητος ‘Hymenaeus and Philetus’ — the Hymenaeus of 1 Tim 1:20 · Philetus once · περὶ τὴν ἀλήθειαν ἠστόχησαν ‘have missed the mark concerning the truth’ — the verb of 1 Tim 1:6 · 6:21 ‘concerning the faith’ · ⸀λέγοντες ἀνάστασιν ἤδη γεγονέναι ‘saying that the resurrection has already happened’ — perfect infinitive · the Received Text adds the article · ἀνατρέπουσιν ‘overturn’ (with Titus 1, two places). ὁ μέντοι στερεὸς θεμέλιος τοῦ θεοῦ ἕστηκεν ‘Nevertheless the firm foundation of God stands’ — μέντοι ‘nevertheless’ (John 4:27) · στερεός (also Hebrews 5 · 1 Peter 5) · 1 Tim 6:19 ‘foundation’ · perfect ‘stands’ · ἔχων τὴν σφραγῖδα ταύτην ‘having this seal’ — Rom 4:11 ‘seal’ · two inscriptions — Ἔγνω κύριος τοὺς ὄντας αὐτοῦ ‘The Lord knew those who are his’ (the grain of Numbers 16:5 · aorist) · Ἀποστήτω ἀπὸ ἀδικίας ‘withdraw from unrighteousness’ — the verb of 1 Tim 4:1 ‘withdraw from the faith’ · Luke 13:27 ‘unrighteousness’ · πᾶς ὁ ὀνομάζων τὸ ὄνομα κυρίου ‘everyone who names the name of the Lord’ — the active of Eph 1:21 ‘be named’ · a different verb from v.22 ‘those who call upon the Lord’ (ἐπικαλέω).
Rendering options · 4
Basis The two pieces ‘straight’ and ‘cut’ — whether of a road or of meat the text does not say, so neither ‘rightly handle’ nor ‘rightly divide’ fills it in.
Basis The familiar rendering.
Rejected ‘Divide’ blurs into διακρίνω and ‘cut’ disappears.
Basis Site-rule against John 10:9 ‘pasture’ (of sheep) — gangrene cannot ‘find pasture’ in either language · the one-word link is a recorded loss.
Basis v.14 overthrow of the hearers · v.18 overturn the faith — two words, both on the ‘turn over’ side, so they share ‘over-’ · kept apart from ὄλεθρος ‘ruin’.
Lost in translation
ὀρθοτομοῦντα (v.15) — road or meat. ‘Cutting straight’ leaves it open.
νομήν (v.17) / John 10:9 — one word. ‘Spread / pasture’ split it.
ἀνεπαίσχυντον (v.15) / 1:8·12·16 ἐπαισχύνομαι — ‘nothing to be ashamed of / ashamed’ keep the root.
λογομαχεῖν (v.14) / 1 Tim 6:4 λογομαχία — ‘word-fight / word-fights’ keep it.
ὀνομάζων (v.19) / ἐπικαλουμένων (v.22) — names · call upon. ‘Names / call upon’ keep two verbs.
Ἔγνω (v.19) — aorist. ‘Knew’ carries it · not flattened to ‘knows’.
Why this rendering
2Tim.2.26 Observation
Syntactic observation
Ἐν μεγάλῃ δὲ οἰκίᾳ οὐκ ἔστιν μόνον σκεύη χρυσᾶ καὶ ἀργυρᾶ ἀλλὰ καὶ ξύλινα καὶ ὀστράκινα, καὶ ἃ μὲν εἰς τιμὴν ἃ δὲ εἰς ἀτιμίαν· ἐὰν οὖν τις ἐκκαθάρῃ ἑαυτὸν ἀπὸ τούτων, ἔσται σκεῦος εἰς τιμήν, ἡγιασμένον, εὔχρηστον τῷ δεσπότῃ, εἰς πᾶν ἔργον ἀγαθὸν ἡτοιμασμένον. τὰς δὲ νεωτερικὰς ἐπιθυμίας φεῦγε, δίωκε δὲ δικαιοσύνην, πίστιν, ἀγάπην, εἰρήνην μετὰ τῶν ἐπικαλουμένων τὸν κύριον ἐκ καθαρᾶς καρδίας. τὰς δὲ μωρὰς καὶ ἀπαιδεύτους ζητήσεις παραιτοῦ, εἰδὼς ὅτι γεννῶσι μάχας· δοῦλον δὲ κυρίου οὐ δεῖ μάχεσθαι, ἀλλὰ ἤπιον εἶναι πρὸς πάντας, διδακτικόν, ἀνεξίκακον, ἐν πραΰτητι παιδεύοντα τοὺς ἀντιδιατιθεμένους, μήποτε δώῃ αὐτοῖς ὁ θεὸς μετάνοιαν εἰς ἐπίγνωσιν ἀληθείας, καὶ ἀνανήψωσιν ἐκ τῆς τοῦ διαβόλου παγίδος, ἐζωγρημένοι ὑπ’ αὐτοῦ εἰς τὸ ἐκείνου θέλημα — Now in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver but also of wood and earthen, and some for honour and some for dishonour. If, then, anyone cleans himself out from these, he will be a vessel for honour, sanctified, useful to the master, made ready for every good work. But flee the youthful desires, and pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace, with those who call upon the Lord from a clean heart. But refuse the foolish and uninstructed inquiries, knowing that they beget fights; and a slave of the Lord must not fight, but be mild toward all, able to teach, forbearing of evil, in gentleness instructing those who set themselves against — if perhaps God may give them repentance unto knowledge of the truth, and they may become sober again out of the snare of the slanderer, having been taken alive by him for that one’s will. Ἐν μεγάλῃ δὲ οἰκίᾳ ‘Now in a great house’ — σκεύη χρυσᾶ καὶ ἀργυρᾶ … ξύλινα καὶ ὀστράκινα ‘vessels of gold and of silver … of wood and earthen’ — 2 Cor 4:7 ‘earthen vessels’ · the pair of Rom 9:21 ‘one vessel for honour and another for dishonour’ · here four materials · ἐκκαθάρῃ ἑαυτὸν ἀπὸ τούτων ‘cleans himself out from these’ — the verb of 1 Cor 5:7 ‘clean out the old leaven’ (two places in the New Testament) · whether ‘these’ are vessels or people the text does not say · four labels for the vessel without conjunctions — εἰς τιμήν ‘for honour’ · ἡγιασμένον ‘sanctified’ (perfect passive) · ⸀εὔχρηστον τῷ δεσπότῃ ‘useful to the master’ — 4:11 · Philemon 11 (three places in the New Testament) · a different word from v.14 χρήσιμον ‘of use’ · δεσπότης is the word of 1 Tim 6:1 ‘masters’ · the master of the house · εἰς πᾶν ἔργον ἀγαθὸν ἡτοιμασμένον ‘made ready for every good work’ — again at 3:17 ‘for every good work’. τὰς δὲ νεωτερικὰς ἐπιθυμίας φεῦγε, δίωκε δὲ ‘But flee the youthful desires, and pursue’ — the pair of 1 Tim 6:11 ‘flee … pursue’ · νεωτερικός once in the New Testament (the adjective of 1 Tim 4:12 ‘youth’) · δικαιοσύνην, πίστιν, ἀγάπην, εἰρήνην ‘righteousness, faith, love, peace’ — the six of 1 Tim 6:11 are four here · μετὰ τῶν ἐπικαλουμένων τὸν κύριον ‘with those who call upon the Lord’ — Acts 2:21 ‘calls upon the name of the Lord’ · a different verb from v.19 ὀνομάζω · ἐκ καθαρᾶς καρδίας ‘from a clean heart’ — the phrase of 1 Tim 1:5. τὰς δὲ μωρὰς καὶ ἀπαιδεύτους ζητήσεις παραιτοῦ ‘But refuse the foolish and uninstructed inquiries’ — 1 Tim 4:7 ‘refuse the myths’ · 1 Tim 6:4 ‘inquiries’ · ἀπαίδευτος once — the negation of v.25 παιδεύω ‘instruct’ · γεννῶσι μάχας ‘they beget fights’ — 2 Cor 7:5 ‘fights’ · δοῦλον δὲ κυρίου οὐ δεῖ μάχεσθαι ‘a slave of the Lord must not fight’ — Acts 7:26 ‘fight’ · fights/fight one root · four labels without conjunctions — ἤπιον ‘mild’ (1 Thess 2:7 ‘mild’ — two places) · διδακτικόν ‘able to teach’ (1 Tim 3:2) · ἀνεξίκακον ‘forbearing of evil’ (once — ἀνέχομαι ‘bear with’ + κακός) · ἐν πραΰτητι παιδεύοντα ‘in gentleness instructing’ — Col 3:12 ‘gentleness’ · Rom 2:20 παιδευτής ‘instructor’ · the verb of Eph 6:4 παιδεία ‘discipline’ · ‘discipline’ returns at 3:16 · τοὺς ἀντιδιατιθεμένους ‘those who set themselves against’ (once — the verb of 1 Tim 6:20 ἀντίθεσις ‘antithesis’ · kept apart from Gal 2:11 ἀνθίστημι ‘withstand’) · μήποτε ⸀δώῃ ‘if perhaps … may give’ — subjunctive (the Received Text another form) · μετάνοιαν εἰς ἐπίγνωσιν ἀληθείας ‘repentance unto knowledge of the truth’ — the phrase of 1 Tim 2:4 ‘come to knowledge of the truth’ · ἀνανήψωσιν ‘may become sober again’ — ἀνανήφω occurs once in the New Testament — 1 Thess 5:6 νήφω ‘be sober’ with ἀνα- · ἐκ τῆς τοῦ διαβόλου παγίδος ‘out of the snare of the slanderer’ — the phrase of 1 Tim 3:7 · ἐζωγρημένοι ὑπ’ αὐτοῦ εἰς τὸ ἐκείνου θέλημα ‘having been taken alive by him for that one’s will’ — Luke 5:10 ‘take alive’ (two places) · two pronouns (αὐτοῦ · ἐκείνου) — both the slanderer, or the captor the slanderer and the will God’s (or the Lord’s slave’s), the text does not settle · ‘him / that one’ keeps them two.
Rendering options · 4
Basis αὐτοῦ and ἐκείνου are different words — one person or two the text does not settle, so ‘him / that one’ keeps only that they are two.
Basis The familiar rendering — both the slanderer.
Rejected Erases the text’s change of pronoun.
Basis The family of Eph 6:4 παιδεία ‘discipline’ · Rom 2:20 παιδευτής ‘instructor’ — v.23’s negated adjective and v.25’s participle share the root · Acts 7:22 ‘educated’ · Luke 23:16 ‘flog’ · 1 Tim 1:20 ‘be chastened’ are other sites.
Basis v.14 χρήσιμον (once) and v.21 εὔχρηστον (three places) are different words — ‘of use / useful’.
Lost in translation
αὐτοῦ / ἐκείνου (v.26) — two pronouns. ‘Him / that one’ keeps them two · who they are stays open.
ἀπαιδεύτους (v.23) / παιδεύοντα (v.25) — ‘uninstructed / instructing’ keep the root.
μάχας / μάχεσθαι (vv.23-24) — ‘fights / fight’ keep the root.
ἀνανήψωσιν (v.26) / 1 Thess 5:6 νήφωμεν — ‘become sober again / be sober’ keep the root.
ἀπὸ τούτων (v.21) — vessels or people. ‘From these’ leaves it open.
εἰς τιμήν … εἰς ἀτιμίαν (vv.20-21) / Rom 9:21 — ‘for honour … for dishonour’ as that pair.