And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
What does 2 Timothy 4:4 mean?
People will turn away from the truth, they will grow weary of the plain gospel of Christ, they will be greedy of fables, and take pleasure in them.
Key themes
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Keep this verse inside 2 Timothy 4:1-5 and alongside a few nearby related passages.
Commentary on 2 Timothy 4:4
And they shall turn away their ears from the truth - That is, the people themselves will turn away from the truth. It does not mean that the teachers would turn them away by the influence of their instructions. And shall be turned unto fables; - See the notes at 1 Timothy 1:4 .
Key words
- truth
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And they shall turn away their ears from the truth,.
Context in 2 Timothy 4
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2 Timothy 4 belongs to the closing movement of the book, especially the section often described as farewell and personal notes. 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
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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.