2 Timothy 3:9

2Ti 3:9. Οὐ προκόψουσιν ἐπὶ πλεῖον, they shall proceed no further) not so as to seduce others, although they themselves, and those like them, shall proceed (προκόψουσιν) to worse and worse, 2Ti 3:13. Often malice proceeds deeper down when it cannot extend itself.—ἄνοια, folly) though they may think themselves wise.—ἔκδηλος) brought from (ἐκ) concealment into open day.—ἡ ἐκείνων, theirs) Exo 7:12; Exo 8:18; Exo 9:11. A very severe punishment is denoted by the moderate expression, used by the apostle in reference to a well-known fact.

Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1860) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

2Ti_3:9. A ground of comfort.

ἀλλʼ οὐ προκόψουσιν ἐπὶ πλεῖον] This appears to stand in contradiction with 2Ti_3:13; 2Ti_2:16-17. Bengel remarks: non proficient amplius: non ita, ut alios seducant; quamquam ipsi et eorum similes proficient in pejus 2Ti_3:13. Saepe malitia, quum late non potest, profundius proficit. This, however, is not a satisfactory explanation, since νομὴν ἕξει, 2Ti_2:17, and πλανῶντες, 2Ti_3:13, point to the increasing extent of the heresy. Chrysostom, however, says rightly: κἂν πρότερον ἀνθήσῃ τὰ τῆς πλάνης, εἰς τέλος οὐ διαμένει. The contradiction exists only when the apostles words are wrongly pressed so as to contain a denial of every further extension of the heresy. For the present their influence is extending; but later it will come to an end; this does not contradict the apostles prophecy in 2Ti_3:1-5, since Paul does not say that the demoralization of men will be brought about by the heretics of whom he is thinking here. Hofmann sees no apparent contradiction, as he supposes that Paul in the passages mentioned is not speaking of the same people; but in this he is wrong, since both the context and the expression show that those mentioned in 2Ti_3:13 are the same as those in 2Ti_3:6-9.

The apostle confirms the thought expressed by adding the words: ἡ γὰρ ἄνοια αὐτῶν ἔκδηλος ἔσται πᾶσιν] The ἄνοια (= want of judgment, senselessness) of the heretics does not refer so much to their doctrines opposed to the truth, as to their conduct described in 2Ti_3:6.

ἔκδηλος (ἅπ. λεγ.) … ὡς καὶ ἡ ἐκείνων ἐγένετο] as they were put to shame before Moses, Exo_8:18 f., Exo_9:11 (de Wette).

Meyer — Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament — English translation by Peter Christie, edited by Frederick Crombie (T&T Clark, 1880) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

2Ti 3:9 . οὐ προκόψουσιν ἐπὶ πλεῖον : There is only a verbal inconsistency between this statement and those in 2Ti 2:16 and 2Ti 3:13 , where see notes. The meaning here is that there will be a limit to the success of the false teachers. They will be exposed, found out; those to whom that fact is apparent will not be imposed on any more. In 2Ti 2:16 , the increasing impiety of the teachers and the cancerous growth of their teaching is alleged as a reason why Timothy should avoid them. In 2Ti 3:13 , προκόψουσιν ἐπὶ τὸ χεῖρον does not indicate success in gaining adherents, but simply advance in degradation. “Saepe malitia, quum late non potest, profundius proficit” (Bengel).

ἄνοια : dementia (m 50 ) is nearer the mark than insipientia (Vulg.).

ὡς καὶ ἡ ἐκείνων ἐγένετο : “Aaron’s rod swallowed up their rods” (Exo 7:12 ); they failed to produce lice (Exo 8:18 ). “And the magicians could not stand before Moses because of the boils; for the boils were upon the magicians” (Exo 9:11 ). During the plague of darkness, “they lay helpless, made the sport of magic art, and a shameful rebuke of their vaunts of understanding” ( Wis 17:7 ).

The Expositor's Greek Testament, edited by W. Robertson Nicoll (1897–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

He addeth a comfort: The Lord will at length pluck off all their vizards.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

they shall proceed no further--Though for a time (Ti2 2:16) "they shall advance or proceed (English Version, 'increase') unto more ungodliness," yet there is a final limit beyond which they shall not be able to "proceed further" (Job 38:11; Rev 11:7, Rev 11:11). They themselves shall "wax worse and worse" (Ti2 3:13), but they shall at last be for ever prevented from seducing others. "Often malice proceeds deeper down, when it cannot extend itself" [BENGEL].

their folly--literally, "dementation": wise though they think themselves.

shall be manifest--Greek, "shall be brought forth from concealment into open day" [BENGEL], (Co1 4:5).

as theirs . . . was--as that of those magicians was, when not only could they no longer try to rival Moses in sending boils, but the boils fell upon themselves: so as to the lice (Exo 8:18; Exo 9:11).

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 9. But they shall proceed no farther] Such teaching and teachers shall never be able ultimately to prevail against the truth; for the foundation of God standeth sure.

Their folly shall be manifest] As the Scriptures, which are the only rule of morals and doctrine, shall ever be preserved; so, sooner or later, all false doctrines shall be tried by them: and the folly of men, setting up their wisdom against the wisdom of God, must become manifest to all. False doctrine cannot prevail long where the sacred Scriptures are read and studied. Error prevails only where the book of God is withheld from the people. The religion that fears the Bible is not the religion of God. Is Popery or Protestantism this religion?

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

9 But they shall not proceed further He encourages Timothy for the contest, by the confident hope of victory; for, although false teachers give him annoyance, he promises that they shall be, within a short time, disgracefully ruined. Yet the event does not agree with this promise; and the Apostle appears to make a totally different declaration, a little afterwards, when he says that they will grow worse and worse. Nor is there any force in the explanation given by Chrysostom, that they will grow worse every day, but will do no injury to any person; for he expressly adds, “deceived and deceiving;” and, indeed, the truth of this is proved by experience. It is more correct to say, that he looked at them in various aspects; for the affirmation, that they will not make progress, is not universal; but he only means, that the Lord will discover their madness to many whom they had, at first, deceived by their enchantments.

For their folly shall be manifest to all When he says, to all, it is by a figure of speech, in which the whole is taken for a part. And, indeed, they who are most successful in deceiving do, at first, make great boasting, and obtain loud applause; and, in short, it appears as if nothing were beyond their power. But speedily their tricks vanish into air; for the Lord opens the eyes of many, so that they begin to see what was concealed from them for a time. Yet never is the “folly” of false prophets discovered to such an extent as to be known to all. Besides, no sooner is one error driven away than new errors continually spring up.

Both admonitions are therefore necessary. That godly teachers may not despair, as if it were in vain for them to make war against error, they must be instructed about the prosperous success which the Lord will give to his doctrine. But that they may not think, on the other hand, that they are discharged from future service, after one or two battles, they must be reminded that there will always be new occasion for fighting. But on this second point we shall speak afterwards; at present, let it suffice us, that he holds out to Timothy the sure hope of a successful issue, that he may be time more encouraged to fight, And he confirms this by the example which he had quoted; for, as the truth of God prevailed against the tricks of the magicians, so he promises that the doctrine of the gospel shall be victorious against every kind of errors that may be invented.

John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.

(9) But they shall proceed no further.—After that St. Paul, with no gentle hand, had torn aside the veil which was hiding apparently from Timothy the real state of his great charge at Ephesus, and had pointed out what fearful ravages among his flock had been committed by these ambitious and evil men, the Apostle proceeds to comfort his friend and disciple with the assurance that, great though the mischief already accomplished was, still it should proceed no further. To human eyes, such a state of things as here pictured by the Apostle would appear desperate. It would seem as though a deadly and incurable cancer was eating away the whole life of the community; but Timothy need not despair: the evil would only be allowed to advance to a certain point; and since St. Paul thus wrote, the same prophecy, not only in Ephesus but in a thousand churches, has been fulfilled to the very letter. Still, the same old foes under new faces make havoc of the Church. But they never seem to advance beyond a certain point, and after all these centuries the Church is still full of faith and life, bright, too, in spite of discouragements, in spite of the perpetual presence of these treacherous, deceitful men, with promise for the future.

For their folly shall be manifest.—Men and women would be led away for a season by the plausible words of such deceivers, but one school of error after another would fall into disrepute, then into neglect, then into the silent darkness of utter oblivion (the event in numberless instances has shown the truth of this prophecy); and Timothy might take comfort, by considering what Holy Scripture had placed on record respecting the Egyptian sorcerers, whose folly was manifest unto all men (Exo_8:18-19; Exo_9:11). Their folly was yet more manifest when men considered their latter end. (See Note above on Jannes and Jambres, 2Ti_3:8.)

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

9. But they shall proceed no further] The same words as in 2Ti_2:16, where their advance is predicted. Here the future beyond that advance is seen. The adverbial phrase with the verb lends itself to this double meaning, being in the comparative and so capable of being rendered there ‘still farther’ and here ‘not very far.’ So in St Luke’s usage, Act_4:17, ‘that it spread no further’; but Act_20:9, ‘while Paul was very long discoursing’; Act_24:4, ‘that I may not weary thee at great length’; cf. 1Ti_3:14, ‘quite shortly’; 2Ti_1:18, ‘very well’; Act_17:22, ‘somewhat superstitious.’

manifest] Lit. ‘thoroughly manifest,’ a strong classical compound occurring only here in N. T.

their folly] The noun occurs only here and Luk_6:11, where R.V. renders ‘madness’; Ellicott, ‘wicked as well as insensate folly’; Trench, ‘the foolishness which is akin to, and derived from wickedness’ (N. T. Syn. § 75); for the adjective see note on Tit_3:3.

as theirs also was] R.V. literally, came to be; the conjunction emphasises pronoun and verb as in 2Ti_3:5.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

But thou hast fully known my doctrine,.... This, with what follows, is said in opposition to the characters, principles, and practices of the above wicked men, and for the imitation and encouragement of Timothy, and of others, whether ministers or private believers: the apostle calls the doctrine he delivered, "my doctrine": not because he was the author of it, or that it was a scheme of principles formed and contrived by him; but because it was the doctrine which he had received from God, which was given him to preach, and which he did preach purely and faithfully; otherwise it was the doctrine of Christ, and the same with that which was preached by the rest of the apostles; and which was the doctrine of the Scriptures, and was according to godliness; and as preached by him, was all of a piece, and without any adulteration, or mixture, and was open and manifest, and well known to Timothy, and others; for he used no hidden things of dishonesty, nor did he conceal his principles, or keep back anything that was profitable. And as well known was his

manner of life; both his civil life, how he spent his time, not in ease and idleness, but oftentimes in labour with his own hands; nor did he live in a sensual and voluptuous manner, but frequently was in hunger, and thirst, and nakedness; and likewise his religious life, and conversation, not only in the church, which was spent in the ministry of the word, and ordinances; but in the world, which, by the grace of God, was in simplicity and godly sincerity, in a very just, holy, and unblamable manner: his life was agreeable to his doctrine, and ornamental to his profession: and even the secrets of his mind, his views, his aims and ends in all he did, which are signified by his

purpose, were open and manifest; and which were not to obtain glory and applause from men, nor to gather wealth and riches for himself; but that God might be glorified in the salvation of men; that Christ might be magnified both in his life and death; that his Gospel might be spread, his kingdom be enlarged, and that many souls might be converted and brought to the knowledge of him; and hence he became all things to all, that he might gain some. And as the doctrine of

faith, embraced, professed, and preached by him, was well known, so no less conspicuous was the grace of faith in him, with respect to his interest in God's everlasting love, in salvation by Jesus Christ, and in eternal glory and happiness; of which be had a full assurance, and which remained constant and firm in him to the end. Unless rather his faithfulness in the discharge of his ministerial work should be here designed, for which he was very remarkable; as also for his

longsuffering both towards those that were without, the open enemies and persecutors of the Gospel, and towards them that were within, the brethren, whose infirmities he bore; and also for the success of the Gospel as the husbandman has long patience, and waits long for the former and latter rain to which is added

charity; which suffers long, and is kind; and may include his love to God, to Christ, and to the souls of men; which was very great, and particularly to his countrymen, the Jews, and also to the Gentiles; and especially to the churches he was more immediately concerned with, and even to all the saints: this is left out in the Alexandrian copy: it follows,

patience; in bearing all indignities, reproaches, afflictions, and persecutions, for the sake of Christ and his Gospel; by which he was not in the least moved, but persevered with, great courage and constancy to the end.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

9 But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as theirs also was.

Ver. 9. As theirs also was] Exo 8:19. When they were set, and could not with all their skill make a louse, but by further resistance manifested their folly unto all men. So did that magician of Antwerp, all whose enchantments were made void by Mr Tyndale the martyr, present at that supper, where and when he should, but could not, play his feats, and show his cunning.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

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. It often is so plausible at first, that it seems to be true. It wins the hearts of many persons, and leads them astray. It flatters them personally, or it flatters them with the hope of a better state of things in the church and the world. But the time will always come when men will see the folly of it. Error will advance only to a certain point, when it will be “seen” to be falsehood and folly, and when the world will arise and cast it off. In some cases, this point may be slower in being reached than in others; but there “is” a point, beyond which error will not go. At the reformation under Luther, that point had been reached, when the teachings of the great apostasy were seen to be “folly,” and when the awakened intellect of the world would allow it to “proceed no farther,” and aroused itself and threw it off. In the workings of society, as well as by the direct appointment of God, there is a point beyond which error cannot prevail; and hence, there is a certainty that truth will finally triumph.

For their folly shall be manifest unto all men - The world will see and understand what they are, and what they teach. By smooth sophistry, and cunning arts, they will not be able always to deceive mankind.

As their’s also was - That of Jannes and Jambres. That is, it became manifest to all that they could not compete with Moses and Aaron; that their claims to the power of working miracles were the mere arts of magicians, and that they had set up pretensions which they could not sustain; compare Exo 8:18-19. In regard to the time to which the apostle referred in this description, it has already been observed (see the notes at 2Ti 3:1), that it was probably to that great apostasy of the “latter days,” which he has described in 2 Thes. 2: and 1 Tim. 4: But there seems to be no reason to doubt that he had his eye immediately on some persons who had appeared then, and who had evinced some of the traits which would characterize the great apostasy, and whose conduct showed that the great “falling away” had already commenced. In 2Th 2:7, he says that the “mystery of iniquity” was already at work, or was even then manifesting itself; and there can be no doubt that the apostle saw that there had then commenced what he knew would yet grow up into the great defection from the truth. In some persons, at that time, who had the form of godliness, but who denied its power; who made use of insinuating arts to proselyte the weak and the credulous; who endeavor to imitate the true apostles, perhaps by attempting to work miracles, as Jannes and Jambres did, he saw the “germ” of what was yet to grow up into so gigantic a system of iniquity as to overshadow the world. Yet he consoled Timothy with the assurance that there was a point beyond which the system of error would not be allowed to go, but where its folly must be seen, and where it would be arrested.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

But they shall proceed no farther. How doth this agree with ver. 13. where it is said, that seducers shall grow worse and worse? or with what he said in the last chapter, (ver. 17.) that their talk spreadeth like a cancer? We may answer, that the heretics became worse, and seduced very many in all ages, but the providence of God always put a stop to their progress, so that they could never prevail against the Church, as they hoped and proposed to do. (Witham) --- St. Paul shews what will be the fate of all heresies; and the annals of the Church prove good his words, that they will appear to flourish for a time, and then will die away and be forgotten.

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

But they shall proceed no further; God will preserve those in his church that are sincere; though they may captivate a few poor, ignorant women, they shall have no great success.

For their folly shall be made manifest unto all men; for God will in his providence so order it, that their folly or madness shall appear to all, and their party shall decline. The Divine Providence, that governs all things by the invincible light of truth, discovers and confounds the most specious and subtle seducers in his own time. And this prediction of the apostle was exactly fulfilled with respect to those primitive seducers. As theirs also was; as God by his providence laid open Jannes and Jambres.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

9. Proceed—In success and ascendency no further than Jannes and Jambres did, who came to total overthrow. The similar words in 2Ti_2:16, described their increase or advance, not in success, but in ungodliness. Strange that Alford should find “an apparent inconsistency between the two assertions.”

For—Showing how their overthrow would be accomplished, not by destruction (as at the advent) but by exposure.

Theirs—Jannes and Jambres. Exo_8:18; Exo_9:11.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Evident for manifest, A.V; came to be for was, A.V Shall proceed (prokoyousin); as 2Ti_2:16 (where see note) and ver. 13. The apostle"s meaning here is, as explained by the example of the magicians, that heresies shall not prevail against the truth. Epi pleion means beyond the point indicated in his description of their future progressive evil. They would "proceed further in ungodliness," as he said in 2Ti_2:16, but not up to the point of destroying the gospel, as history has shown. The various forms of Gnosticism have perished. The gospel remains. As theirs also came to be. (Exo_8:18, Exo_8:19) Surely the A.V "was" is better.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

They shall proceed no further--In gaining proselytes.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

Ver. 9. But (such is the conclusion of the matter) they shall not make progress (οὐ προκόψουσιν ἐπὶ πλεῖον, lit. shall not advance to more, or rise to a stronger position); for their folly shall become manifest to all, as THEIRS also came to be. The triumph of truth over error, of reality over presumption, should now, as of old, become apparent. An opposition has been thought to exist between this passage and 2Ti 2:16, where it is said of the teachers of profane and vain babblings, that they would advance to more of ungodliness. But the cases are really very different, for the persons spoken of here were not of the same class as the others; and having become already thoroughly corrupt and reprobate, an advance in this direction was impossible. The advance, however, which is denied respecting them has reference not to their personal state, but to the godless cause they were seeking to promote: in this they should not make progress; the course of events would expose their folly, and leave them, like the old wonder-workers of Egypt, exposed to obloquy and shame.

Patrick Fairbairn — An Exposition of Ezekiel (1851), Jonah (1849), and The Pastoral Epistles (1874) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Here our apostle encourages Timothy, and in him all the succeeding ministers of the gospel, to the end of the world, against all the discouragements which either he or they might meet with from the impostors and seducers of the times, by assuring them of the issue and event of these trials;

first, That God will put a bar in their way, that they proceed no farther in their hypocritical and juggling practices.

Learn thence, That heretics and seducers are limited and bounded by God: They cannot do all the mischief they would, and they shall not do all they can.

Secondly, That God would make their folly and madness manifest to their own confusion: Their folly shall be discovered, and then abhorred, as was the folly and madness of Jannes and Jambres.

Learn, That God will, in his own time, by the preaching of the word, discover false teachers and their delusions to the world.

William Burkitt's Expository Notes on the New Testament (1700–1703) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

9. They shall proceed no further. They shall be exposed, and their folly revealed to prevent them from further success. As Jannes and Jambres could not stand before Moses, these men shall fail before the truth.

B. W. Johnson's The People's New Testament with Notes (1889–1891) — public domain. Electronic text from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) ThML edition.

9. ἀλλʼ οὐ προκόψουσιν ἐπὶ πλεῖον. Notwithstanding they shall not make further progress, because the hollowness of their pretensions is speedily disclosed. See 2Ti 2:16 above.

ἡ γὰρ ἄνοια αὐτῶν κ.τ.λ., for their senseless folly, &c. ἄνοια only occurs in N.T. here and at Luk 6:11.

ἔκδηλος ἔσται πᾶσιν, shall be openly manifest to all. Truth must prevail in the end, and imposture cannot permanently deceive. ἔκδηλος only occurs again (N.T. and LXX.) in 3Ma 3:19; 3Ma 6:5.

ὡς καὶ ἡ ἐκείνων ἐγένετο, even as the folly of the Egyptian magicians became manifest at last; cp. Exo 8:18; Exo 9:11.

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

9.] Notwithstanding (Ellic. well remarks that ἀλλά here after an affirmative sentence should have its full adversative force) they shall not advance further (in ch. 2:16, it is said, ἐπὶ πλεῖον προκόψουσιν ἀσεβείας: and it is in vain to deny that there is an apparent and literal inconsistency between the two assertions. But on looking further into them, it is manifest, that while there the Apostle is speaking of an immediate spread of error, here he is looking to its ultimate defeat and extinction: as Chrys., κἂν πρότερον ἀνθήσῃ τὰ τῆς πλάνης, εἰς τέλος οὐ διαμενεῖ): for their folly (unintelligent and senseless method of proselytizing and upholding their opinions (see ref. Luke),—and indeed folly of those opinions themselves) shall be thoroughly manifested (ref. πάντʼ ἐποίησεν ἔκδηλα, Demosth. 24. 10) to all, as also that of those men was (Exo 8:18; Exo 9:11: but most probably the allusion is to their traditional end).

Henry Alford, The Greek Testament (1849–1861) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

9. ἐπὶ πλεῖον] “farther”: or, perhaps (not pressing the comparative, cf. 1:18 note), “very far.”

International Critical Commentary — older volumes (1896–1929), various authors — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Shall proceed [προκοψουσιν] . See on chapter 2Ti 2:16.

Folly [ανοια] . Only here and Luk 6:11 (note). The senselessness of their teaching, with an implication of is immoral character.

Manifest [εκδηλος] . N. T. o. LXX, 3 Macc. 3 19; 6 5.

Marvin R. Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament (1887–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.