2 Timothy 2:14
King James Version
14 Of these things put them in remembrance,
charging them before the Lord
that they strive not about words to no profit,
but to the subverting of the hearers.
This is part of the series on what is expected of the SOLDIER of CHRIST.
What does "strive not about words to no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers" mean?
These Bible versions explain here:
2 Timothy 2:14
Amplified Bible
An Unashamed Workman
14 Remind the people of these facts, and solemnly charge them in the presence of God to avoid petty controversy over words, which does no good, and [upsets and undermines and] ruins [the faith of] those who listen.
2 Timothy 2:14
Amplified Bible, Classic Edition
14 Remind [the people] of these facts and [solemnly] charge them in the presence of the Lord to avoid petty controversy over words, which does no good but upsets and undermines the faith of the hearers.
2 Timothy 2:14
Christian Standard Bible
An Approved Worker
14 Remind them of these things, and charge them before God[a] not to fight about words. This is useless and leads to the ruin of those who listen.
2 Timothy 2:14
Common English Bible
Speak, instruct, and act correctly
14 Remind them of these things and warn them in the sight of God not to engage in battles over words that aren’t helpful and only destroy those who hear them.
2 Timothy 2:14
Complete Jewish Bible
14 Keep reminding people of this, and charge them solemnly before the Lord not to engage in word-battles. They accomplish nothing useful and are a catastrophe for the hearers!
2 Timothy 2:14
Easy-to-Read Version
A Worker Who Pleases God
14 Keep on telling everyone these truths. And warn them before God not to argue about words. Such arguments don’t help anyone, and they ruin those who listen to them.
2 Timothy 2:14
Evangelical Heritage Version
Correctly Handle the Word of Truth
14 Remind people of these things, as you solemnly charge them in the presence of God[a] not to fight about words, which does no good and only ruins those who listen.
2 Timothy 2:14
Expanded Bible
A Worker Pleasing to God
14 ·Continue teaching [L Remind them of] these things, ·warning people [L solemnly testifying/declaring] in God’s presence not to ·argue [quarrel] about words. It ·does not help anyone [is good for nothing], and it ruins those who listen.
2 Timothy 2:14
GOD’S WORD Translation
14 Remind believers about these things, and warn them in the sight of God not to quarrel over words. Quarreling doesn’t do any good but only destroys those who are listening.
2 Timothy 2:14
J.B. Phillips New Testament
Hold fast to the true: avoid dangerous error
14 Remind your people of things like this, and tell them as before God not to fight wordy battles, which help no one and may undermine the faith of some who hear them.
2 Timothy 2:14
Lexham English Bible
A Worker Approved to God and Not Ashamed
14 Remind people of these things, solemnly urging them before the Lord[a] not to dispute about words. This is in no way beneficial and leads to the ruin of the hearers.
2 Timothy 2:14
Living Bible
14 Remind your people of these great facts, and command them in the name of the Lord not to argue over unimportant things. Such arguments are confusing and useless and even harmful.
2 Timothy 2:14
The Message
14 Repeat these basic essentials over and over to God’s people. Warn them before God against pious nitpicking, which chips away at the faith. It just wears everyone out.
2 Timothy 2:14
Modern English Version
An Approved Workman
14 Remind them of these things, commanding them before the Lord that they not argue about words, which leads to nothing of value and to the destruction of those who hear them.
2 Timothy 2:14
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
III. Instructions Concerning False Teaching
Warning Against Useless Disputes. 14 [a]Remind people of these things and charge them before God[b] to stop disputing about words. This serves no useful purpose since it harms those who listen.
2 Timothy 2:14
New American Standard Bible
An Unashamed Worker
14 Remind them of these things, and solemnly exhort them in the presence of God not to dispute about words, which is useless and leads to the ruin of the listeners.
2 Timothy 2:14
New American Standard Bible 1995
An Unashamed Workman
14 Remind them of these things, and solemnly charge them in the presence of God not to wrangle about words, which is useless and leads to the ruin of the hearers.
2 Timothy 2:14
New International Version
Dealing With False Teachers
14 Keep reminding God’s people of these things. Warn them before God against quarreling about words; it is of no value, and only ruins those who listen.
2 Timothy 2:14
New Life Version
Foolish Talk
14 Tell your people about these things again. In the name of the Lord, tell them not to argue over words that are not important. It helps no one and it hurts the faith of those who are listening.
2 Timothy 2:14
New Living Translation
14 Remind everyone about these things, and command them in God’s presence to stop fighting over words. Such arguments are useless, and they can ruin those who hear them.
2 Timothy 2:14
New Matthew Bible
14 Of these things put them in remembrance. And warn them before the Lord not to strive about words, which accomplishes nothing but to pervert the hearers.
2 Timothy 2:14
New Testament for Everyone
Foolish Words and the Word of Truth
14 Remind them about these things; and warn them, in God’s presence, not to quarrel about words. This doesn’t do any good; instead, it threatens to ruin people who listen to it.
Timotiyos II 2:14
Orthodox Jewish Bible
14 Remind them of these things, solemnly warning them in the presence of Hashem not to be engaged in disputes over devarim, which is not beneficial, but only ruins the hearers.
2 Timothy 2:14
Tree of Life Version
A Workman with the Word
14 Remind them of these things and solemnly charge them before God not to quarrel about words, which is useless—to the ruin of those who are listening.
2 Timothy 2:14
The Voice
14 Remind others about these things that I’m telling you. Warn them before God to stop their useless bickering over words. After all, splitting hairs does no good; it only ruins those forced to listen to their meritless arguments.
2 Timothy 2:14
Worldwide English (New Testament)
14 Tell people these things again. Tell them before the Lord not to quarrel in their teaching. There is no good in doing that. It upsets the minds of those who listen to them.
In SUMMARY, "strive not about words to no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers" means:
avoid petty controversy over words, which does no good, and [upsets and undermines and] ruins [the faith of] those who listen
avoid petty controversy over words, which does no good but upsets and undermines the faith of the hearers
not to fight about words. This is useless and leads to the ruin of those who listen.
not to engage in battles over words that aren’t helpful and only destroy those who hear them
not to engage in word-battles. They accomplish nothing useful and are a catastrophe for the hearers!
not to argue about words. Such arguments don’t help anyone, and they ruin those who listen to them.
not to fight about words, which does no good and only ruins those who listen
not to ·argue [quarrel] about words. It ·does not help anyone [is good for nothing], and it ruins those who listen.
not to quarrel over words. Quarreling doesn’t do any good but only destroys those who are listening.
not to fight wordy battles, which help no one and may undermine the faith of some who hear them
not to dispute about words. This is in no way beneficial and leads to the ruin of the hearers.
not to argue over unimportant things. Such arguments are confusing and useless and even harmful.
against pious nitpicking, which chips away at the faith. It just wears everyone out.
not argue about words, which leads to nothing of value and to the destruction of those who hear them
stop disputing about words. This serves no useful purpose since it harms those who listen
not to dispute about words, which is useless and leads to the ruin of the listeners
not to wrangle about words, which is useless and leads to the ruin of the hearers
against quarreling about words; it is of no value, and only ruins those who listen
not to argue over words that are not important. It helps no one and it hurts the faith of those who are listening.
stop fighting over words. Such arguments are useless, and they can ruin those who hear them.
not to strive about words, which accomplishes nothing but to pervert the hearers
not to quarrel about words. This doesn’t do any good; instead, it threatens to ruin people who listen to it.
not to be engaged in disputes over devarim, which is not beneficial, but only ruins the hearers
not to quarrel about words, which is useless—to the ruin of those who are listening
stop their useless bickering over words. After all, splitting hairs does no good; it only ruins those forced to listen to their meritless arguments.
not to quarrel in their teaching. There is no good in doing that. It upsets the minds of those who listen to them.
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