But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as theirs also was.
What does 2 Timothy 3:9 mean?
Even in gospel times there would be perilous times; on account of persecution from without, still more on account of corruptions within. Men love to gratify their own lusts, more than to please God and do their duty.
Key themes
Read with
Keep this verse inside 2 Timothy 3:6-10 and alongside a few nearby related passages.
Commentary on 2 Timothy 3:9
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. The apostle here may be understood as declaring a general truth in regard to error.
Key words
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But they shall proceed no further,.
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Context in 2 Timothy 3
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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.
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