That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
What does 2 Timothy 3:17 mean?
Those who would learn the things of God, and be assured of them, must know the Holy Scriptures, for they are the Divine revelation.
Key themes
Read with
Keep this verse inside 2 Timothy 3:16-17 and alongside a few nearby related passages.
Commentary on 2 Timothy 3:17
That the man of God may be perfect - The object is not merely to convince and to convert him; it is to furnish all the instruction needful for his entire perfection. The idea here is, not that any one is absolutely perfect, but that the Scriptures have laid down the way which leads to perfection, and that, if any one were perfect, he would find in the Scriptures all the instruction which he needed in those circumstances.
Key words
- perfect
-
That the man of God may be perfect,.
Context in 2 Timothy 3
Show chapter context
2 Timothy 3 belongs to the late movement of the book, especially the section often described as dangerous times and Scripture. Second Timothy is a final appeal to courage, endurance, sound teaching, and fidelity to Scripture under suffering. Read this chapter with the wider themes of endurance, scripture, and courage in view so the individual verses keep their proper weight.
Related topics
Explore by topic
Bible verses about suffering and trials
Key passages on grief, endurance, lament, divine mystery, and the Christian claim that suffering is neither final nor meaningless.
Passages on the nature of truth, honesty, deception, the word of God as truth, and Jesus' claim to be the truth.