2 Timothy 2:23
New International Version
Don’t have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels.

New Living Translation
Again I say, don’t get involved in foolish, ignorant arguments that only start fights.

English Standard Version
Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels.

Berean Standard Bible
But reject foolish and ignorant speculation, for you know that it breeds quarreling.

Berean Literal Bible
And refuse foolish and ignorant speculations, knowing that they breed quarrels.

King James Bible
But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes.

New King James Version
But avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife.

New American Standard Bible
But refuse foolish and ignorant speculations, knowing that they produce quarrels.

NASB 1995
But refuse foolish and ignorant speculations, knowing that they produce quarrels.

NASB 1977
But refuse foolish and ignorant speculations, knowing that they produce quarrels.

Legacy Standard Bible
But refuse foolish and ignorant speculations, knowing that they produce quarrels.

Amplified Bible
But have nothing to do with foolish and ignorant speculations [useless disputes over unedifying, stupid controversies], since you know that they produce strife and give birth to quarrels.

Christian Standard Bible
But reject foolish and ignorant disputes, because you know that they breed quarrels.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
But reject foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they breed quarrels.

American Standard Version
But foolish and ignorant questionings refuse, knowing that they gender strifes.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
Abstain from the disputes of fools who are without instruction, for you know that they generate conflict.

Contemporary English Version
Stay away from stupid and senseless arguments. These only lead to trouble,

Douay-Rheims Bible
And avoid foolish and unlearned questions, knowing that they beget strifes.

English Revised Version
But foolish and ignorant questionings refuse, knowing that they gender strifes.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Don't have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments. You know they cause quarrels.

Good News Translation
But keep away from foolish and ignorant arguments; you know that they end up in quarrels.

International Standard Version
Do not have anything to do with foolish and stupid discussions, because you know they breed arguments.

Literal Standard Version
and be avoiding the foolish and uninstructed questions, having known that they beget strife,

Majority Standard Bible
But reject foolish and ignorant speculation, for you know that it breeds quarreling.

New American Bible
Avoid foolish and ignorant debates, for you know that they breed quarrels.

NET Bible
But reject foolish and ignorant controversies, because you know they breed infighting.

New Revised Standard Version
Have nothing to do with stupid and senseless controversies; you know that they breed quarrels.

New Heart English Bible
But refuse foolish and ignorant questionings, knowing that they generate strife.

Webster's Bible Translation
But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they gender contentions.

Weymouth New Testament
But avoid foolish discussions with ignorant men, knowing--as you do--that these lead to quarrels;

World English Bible
But refuse foolish and ignorant questionings, knowing that they generate strife.

Young's Literal Translation
and the foolish and uninstructed questions be avoiding, having known that they beget strife,

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Lord's Approved Workman
22Flee from youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, together with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. 23But reject foolish and ignorant speculation, for you know that it breeds quarreling. 24And a servant of the Lord must not be quarrelsome, but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, and forbearing.…

Cross References
1 Timothy 1:4
or devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies, which promote speculation rather than the stewardship of God's work, which is by faith.

1 Timothy 6:4
he is conceited and understands nothing. Instead, he has an unhealthy interest in controversies and semantics, out of which come envy, strife, abusive talk, evil suspicions,

2 Timothy 2:14
Remind the believers of these things, charging them before God to avoid quarreling over words, which succeeds only in leading the listeners to ruin.

Titus 3:9
But avoid foolish controversies, genealogies, arguments, and quarrels about the law, because these things are pointless and worthless.

James 4:1
What causes conflicts and quarrels among you? Don't they come from the passions at war within you?


Treasury of Scripture

But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do engender strifes.

See on ver.

2 Timothy 2:14,16
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…

1 Timothy 1:4
Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: so do.

1 Timothy 4:7
But refuse profane and old wives' fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness.

Jump to Previous
Arguments Avoid Avoiding Beget Breed Cause Contentions Controversies Discussions Foolish Gender Ignorant Lead Produce Quarrels Questionings Questions Refuse Senseless Speculations Strife Strifes Stupid Uncontrolled Unlearned
Jump to Next
Arguments Avoid Avoiding Beget Breed Cause Contentions Controversies Discussions Foolish Gender Ignorant Lead Produce Quarrels Questionings Questions Refuse Senseless Speculations Strife Strifes Stupid Uncontrolled Unlearned
2 Timothy 2
1. Timothy is exhorted again to constancy and perseverance.
17. Of Hymenaeus and Philetus.
19. The foundation of the Lord is sure.
22. He is taught whereof to beware, and what to follow after.














(23) But foolish and unlearned questions avoid.--The Greek word translated "unlearned" is better rendered ignorant. These "questions" which, as we have seen above, the false teachers, with whom Timothy was so much thrown, loved to put forward for discussion, could hardly be termed "unlearned"--much useless learning being often thrown away in these disputing of the schools--but were rather "pointless," "stupid," as well as foolish. The nature of these questions of controversy has been discussed above.

Knowing that they do gender strifes.--Knowing--as thou dost--from sad and frequent experience, what conflicts, heart-burnings, estrangements, these abstract questions between rival teachers and rival sects engendered.

Verse 23. - Ignorant questionings for unlearned questions, A.V.; refuse for avoid, A.V.; gender for do gender, A.V. Ignorant (ἀπαιδεύτους); only here in the New Testament, but not uncommon in the LXX., applied to persons, and in classical Greek. Unlearned is quite as good a rendering as ignorant. It is a term applied properly to ill-educated, ill-disciplined people, and thence, by an easy metonymy, to the questions such persons delight in. Questionings (ζητήσεις); see 1 Timothy 1:4, note, and Titus 3:9. Refuse (παραίτου); "have nothing to do with" (see 1 Timothy 4:7; Titus 3:10). Gender (γεννῶσι). This is the only place in the New Testament where γεννάω is used in this metaphorical sense, unless Galatians 4:24 is included. (For the sentiment, see 1 Timothy 6:4, "Whereof cometh envy, strife," etc.) Strifes (μάχας); compare μάχας νομικάς, "fightings about the Law" (Titus 3:9); and "wars and fightings" (James 4:1, 2). Compare, too, the verb λογομαχεῖν, in ver. 14. Nothing can be more emphatic than St. Paul's warnings against foolish and angry controversies about words, and yet nothing has been more neglected in the Church, in all ages.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
But
δὲ (de)
Conjunction
Strong's 1161: A primary particle; but, and, etc.

reject
παραιτοῦ (paraitou)
Verb - Present Imperative Middle or Passive - 2nd Person Singular
Strong's 3868: From para and the middle voice of aiteo; to beg off, i.e. Deprecate, decline, shun.

foolish
μωρὰς (mōras)
Adjective - Accusative Feminine Plural
Strong's 3474: Probably from the base of musterion; dull or stupid, i.e. Heedless, blockhead, absurd.

and
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

ignorant
ἀπαιδεύτους (apaideutous)
Adjective - Accusative Feminine Plural
Strong's 521: Untrained, uneducated, showing a want of training or education, ignorant. Uninstructed, i.e. stupid.

speculation,
ζητήσεις (zētēseis)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Plural
Strong's 2214: A question, debate, controversy; a seeking, search. From zeteo; a searching, i.e. A dispute or its theme.

for you know
εἰδὼς (eidōs)
Verb - Perfect Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 1492: To know, remember, appreciate.

that
ὅτι (hoti)
Conjunction
Strong's 3754: Neuter of hostis as conjunction; demonstrative, that; causative, because.

it breeds
γεννῶσιν (gennōsin)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 1080: From a variation of genos; to procreate; figuratively, to regenerate.

quarreling.
μάχας (machas)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Plural
Strong's 3163: From machomai; a battle, i.e. controversy.


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NT Letters: 2 Timothy 2:23 But refuse foolish and ignorant questionings knowing (2 Tim. 2Ti iiTi ii Tim)
2 Timothy 2:22
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