They would also be (15) disposed toward betrayal, treacherous (prodotai), and (16) headstrong, reckless (propeteis). They would be (17) conceited (tetyphomenoi), puffed up with pride, wrapped in a mist of self-delusion, and (18) devoted to personal pleasure (philedonoi) rather than to God (philotheoi). [source][source][source]
This "vice list" is quite similar to the one in Romans 1:29-31. [1] Vice lists were commonly used in Greco-Roman rhetoric to caricature an opponent. They often employed the repetition of sound and other rhythmic devices to increase the impact. [2][source]
Paul wrote this list of18 characteristics in a somewhat chiastic arrangement. His list begins and ends with two groups of two words expressing a misdirection of love. Then come two groups with three terms each that focus on pride and hostility toward others. Then come two groups, five words followed by three words, all of which begin with a in the Greek text that negate some good quality that God"s common grace affords. These eight words-the first one is in a two-word phrase-depict people who are devoid of the most basic characteristics of human life. The center of the chiasm is the word diaboloi, meaning slanderers, devilish people (cf. 2 Timothy 2:26; 1 Timothy 3:11; Titus 2:3). [3][source]
Context Summary
2 Timothy 3:1-9 - A Dark Picture Of Evil Men
The last days of the present age are to be black and sorrowful. Sinful rejection of Christ will come to a head. We must not be misled by the wide-spread profession of the forms of religion; this may co-exist with the rankest apostasy. When women are conscious of sins against God, society, and themselves, they are very liable to the seduction of false teachers, who promise peace and condone impurity.
Tares and wheat grow together unto the harvest. The devil has always set himself to counterfeit God's handiwork: the Holy City by Babylon; the Son of man by the man of sin; blessedness by the worldling's giddy merriment. Thus the Egyptian conjurers repeated the miracles of Moses by resorting to sleight of hand. So there is a pure gospel and a specious mimicry of it. Wait for the inevitable unfoldings of God's purpose. Time will show what is true and what is false. In the meantime, examine yourselves whether ye be in the faith. [source]
Chapter Summary: 2 Timothy 3
1Paul advises Timothy of the difficult times to come; 6describes the enemies of the truth; 10explains unto him his own example; 16and commends the holy Scriptures;
Greek Commentary for 2 Timothy 3:4
Traitors [προδοται] Old word (from προδιδωμι prodidōmi), in N.T. only here, Luke 6:16; Acts 7:52. [source]
Headstrong [προπετεις] Old word (from προ pro and πιπτω piptō), falling forward, in N.T. only here and Acts 19:36. Puffed up (τετυπωμενοι tetuphōmenoi). Perfect passive participle of τυποω tuphoō See note on 1 Timothy 3:6. Lovers of pleasure Literary Koiné{[28928]}š word Old word (philostheos), only here in N.T. [source]
Puffed up [τετυπωμενοι] Perfect passive participle of τυποω tuphoō See note on 1 Timothy 3:6. [source]
Lovers of pleasure [πιληδονοι] Literary Koiné{[28928]}š word Old word (philostheos), only here in N.T. [source]
Lovers of God [πιλοσ τεος] Old word (philostheos), only here in N.T. [source]
Heady [προπετεῖς] Precipitate, reckless, headstrong in the pursuit of a bad end under the influence of passion. Only here and Acts 19:36. In lxx, slack, loose, hence foolish, Proverbs 10:14, and dividing or parting asunder, as the lips; of one who opens his lips and speaks hastily or thoughtlessly, Proverbs 13:3. Comp. 1Timothy href="/desk/?q=1ti+3:6&sr=1">1 Timothy 3:6, and comp. 1 Timothy 6:4. [source]
Lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God [φιλήδονοι μᾶλλον ἢφιλόθεοι] Pleasure-lovers rather than God-lovers. Both words N.T.oolxx. [source]
Acts 19:36Ye ought [κατεσταλμενους] It is necessary. Periphrastic present indicative instead of καταστελλω dei like 1 Peter 1:6; 1 Timothy 5:13. Be quiet (προπετες katestalmenous). Perfect passive participle of προ katastellō (see Acts 19:35). Rash Old adjective from pro and petō to fall forward, headlong, precipitate. In the N.T. only here and 2 Timothy 3:4, though common in the Koiné. Better look before you leap. [source]
Acts 19:36Rash [πετω] Old adjective from pro and petō to fall forward, headlong, precipitate. In the N.T. only here and 2 Timothy 3:4, though common in the Koiné. Better look before you leap. [source]
Acts 7:52Which shewed before [προκαταγγειλαντας] The very prophets who foretold the coming of the Messiah their fathers killed. The coming (της ελευσεως tēs eleuseōs). Not in ancient Greek or lxx and only here in the N.T. (in a few late writers). Betrayers Just like Judas Iscariot. He hurled this old biting word at them. In the N.T. only here and Luke 6:16; 2 Timothy 3:4. It cut like a knife. It is blunter than Peter in Acts 3:13. Murderers (πονεις phoneis). The climax with this sharp word used of Barabbas (Acts 3:14). [source]
Acts 7:52Betrayers [προδοται] Just like Judas Iscariot. He hurled this old biting word at them. In the N.T. only here and Luke 6:16; 2 Timothy 3:4. It cut like a knife. It is blunter than Peter in Acts 3:13. Murderers (πονεις phoneis). The climax with this sharp word used of Barabbas (Acts 3:14). [source]
1 Timothy 3:6Being lifted up with pride [τυφωθεὶς] Only in the Pastorals. See 1 Timothy 6:4; 2 Timothy 3:4. The verb means primarily to make a smoke: hence, metaphorically, to blind with pride or conceit. Neither A.V. nor Rev. puffed up, preserves the radical sense, which is the sense here intended - a beclouded and stupid state of mind as the result of pride. [source]
1 Timothy 3:6Lest [τυπωτεις] “That not.” Being puffed up (τυποω tuphōtheis). First aorist passive participle of τυπος tuphoō old word (from εμπεσηι εις tuphos smoke, pride), to raise a smoke or mist (a smoke-screen of pride). In N.T. only here; 1 Timothy 6:4; 2 Timothy 3:4. He fall into Second aorist active subjunctive with εμπιπτω hina mē negative purpose, of εν empiptō old verb, to fall into. Note both εις en and κριμα του διαβολου eis as in Matthew 12:11; Luke 10:36. The condemnation of the devil (κριμα krima tou diabolou). See note on Romans 3:8 for του διαβολου krima Best to take tou diabolou as objective genitive, though subjective in 1 Timothy 3:7, “the condemnation passed on or received by the devil” (not just “the slanderer,” any slanderer). [source]
1 Timothy 3:6Being puffed up [τυποω] First aorist passive participle of τυπος tuphoō old word (from εμπεσηι εις tuphos smoke, pride), to raise a smoke or mist (a smoke-screen of pride). In N.T. only here; 1 Timothy 6:4; 2 Timothy 3:4. [source]
What do the individual words in 2 Timothy 3:4 mean?
treacherousrecklesspuffed uplovers of pleasureratherthanlovers of God
Greek Commentary for 2 Timothy 3:4
Old word (from προδιδωμι prodidōmi), in N.T. only here, Luke 6:16; Acts 7:52. [source]
Old word (from προ pro and πιπτω piptō), falling forward, in N.T. only here and Acts 19:36. Puffed up (τετυπωμενοι tetuphōmenoi). Perfect passive participle of τυποω tuphoō See note on 1 Timothy 3:6. Lovers of pleasure Literary Koiné{[28928]}š word Old word (philostheos), only here in N.T. [source]
Perfect passive participle of τυποω tuphoō See note on 1 Timothy 3:6. [source]
Literary Koiné{[28928]}š word Old word (philostheos), only here in N.T. [source]
Old word (philostheos), only here in N.T. [source]
Or betrayers. Only here, Luke 6:16; Acts 7:52. [source]
Precipitate, reckless, headstrong in the pursuit of a bad end under the influence of passion. Only here and Acts 19:36. In lxx, slack, loose, hence foolish, Proverbs 10:14, and dividing or parting asunder, as the lips; of one who opens his lips and speaks hastily or thoughtlessly, Proverbs 13:3. Comp. 1Timothy href="/desk/?q=1ti+3:6&sr=1">1 Timothy 3:6, and comp. 1 Timothy 6:4. [source]
Pleasure-lovers rather than God-lovers. Both words N.T.oolxx. [source]
Reverse Greek Commentary Search for 2 Timothy 3:4
See on Matthew 4:12, and compare προδότης , betrayer, Luke 6:16; Acts 7:52; 2 Timothy 3:4. [source]
It is necessary. Periphrastic present indicative instead of καταστελλω dei like 1 Peter 1:6; 1 Timothy 5:13. Be quiet (προπετες katestalmenous). Perfect passive participle of προ katastellō (see Acts 19:35). Rash Old adjective from pro and petō to fall forward, headlong, precipitate. In the N.T. only here and 2 Timothy 3:4, though common in the Koiné. Better look before you leap. [source]
Old adjective from pro and petō to fall forward, headlong, precipitate. In the N.T. only here and 2 Timothy 3:4, though common in the Koiné. Better look before you leap. [source]
The very prophets who foretold the coming of the Messiah their fathers killed. The coming (της ελευσεως tēs eleuseōs). Not in ancient Greek or lxx and only here in the N.T. (in a few late writers). Betrayers Just like Judas Iscariot. He hurled this old biting word at them. In the N.T. only here and Luke 6:16; 2 Timothy 3:4. It cut like a knife. It is blunter than Peter in Acts 3:13. Murderers (πονεις phoneis). The climax with this sharp word used of Barabbas (Acts 3:14). [source]
Just like Judas Iscariot. He hurled this old biting word at them. In the N.T. only here and Luke 6:16; 2 Timothy 3:4. It cut like a knife. It is blunter than Peter in Acts 3:13. Murderers (πονεις phoneis). The climax with this sharp word used of Barabbas (Acts 3:14). [source]
Only in the Pastorals. See 1 Timothy 6:4; 2 Timothy 3:4. The verb means primarily to make a smoke: hence, metaphorically, to blind with pride or conceit. Neither A.V. nor Rev. puffed up, preserves the radical sense, which is the sense here intended - a beclouded and stupid state of mind as the result of pride. [source]
“That not.” Being puffed up (τυποω tuphōtheis). First aorist passive participle of τυπος tuphoō old word (from εμπεσηι εις tuphos smoke, pride), to raise a smoke or mist (a smoke-screen of pride). In N.T. only here; 1 Timothy 6:4; 2 Timothy 3:4. He fall into Second aorist active subjunctive with εμπιπτω hina mē negative purpose, of εν empiptō old verb, to fall into. Note both εις en and κριμα του διαβολου eis as in Matthew 12:11; Luke 10:36. The condemnation of the devil (κριμα krima tou diabolou). See note on Romans 3:8 for του διαβολου krima Best to take tou diabolou as objective genitive, though subjective in 1 Timothy 3:7, “the condemnation passed on or received by the devil” (not just “the slanderer,” any slanderer). [source]
First aorist passive participle of τυπος tuphoō old word (from εμπεσηι εις tuphos smoke, pride), to raise a smoke or mist (a smoke-screen of pride). In N.T. only here; 1 Timothy 6:4; 2 Timothy 3:4. [source]