2 Timothy 2 17

2 Timothy 2:17 kjv

And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus;

2 Timothy 2:17 nkjv

And their message will spread like cancer. Hymenaeus and Philetus are of this sort,

2 Timothy 2:17 niv

Their teaching will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus,

2 Timothy 2:17 esv

and their talk will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus,

2 Timothy 2:17 nlt

This kind of talk spreads like cancer, as in the case of Hymenaeus and Philetus.

2 Timothy 2 verses

2 Timothy 2 17 Meaning

2 Timothy 2:17 serves as a severe warning against the insidious nature of false teachings. Paul likens these corrupt doctrines to gangrene or cancer, a rapidly spreading, destructive disease that consumes healthy tissue, leading to decay and spiritual death. He identifies Hymenaeus and Philetus as concrete examples of individuals whose harmful teachings were actively undermining the faith of believers, emphasizing the tangible threat such error posed within the early church. This vivid medical metaphor underscores the urgency and necessity of decisively confronting doctrinal falsehoods to preserve spiritual life and health.

2 Timothy 2 17 Context

2 Timothy 2:17 stands within Paul's instruction to Timothy on being a faithful and approved servant of God amidst pervasive error. The preceding verse, 2 Timothy 2:16, warns against "profane and vain babblings," explaining that they lead to further ungodliness. Verse 17 then explains how they lead to this outcome: they spread like a spiritual gangrene. The subsequent verse, 2 Timothy 2:18, reveals the specific false teaching of Hymenaeus and Philetus—that the resurrection had already occurred—which "overthrow[s] the faith of some." The broader chapter emphasizes diligent handling of truth (v.15), perseverance in suffering for the Gospel (v.3-13), purity of life (v.20-22), and patient instruction of opponents (v.24-26). Historically, the church faced internal challenges from teachers, some of whom propagated ideas akin to early Gnosticism, which often denied a future bodily resurrection, replacing it with a spiritual or symbolic one. Paul's direct naming of individuals indicates the specificity and urgency of the threat to the early Christian community.

2 Timothy 2 17 Word analysis

• their word (ὁ λόγος αὐτῶν, ho logos autōn): This refers not merely to casual talk but to their systematic teaching, doctrine, or discourse. "Logos" signifies a message or the very substance of their belief system. It highlights that the danger comes from an established set of false teachings.
• will eat (νομή, nomē): This Greek word describes the destructive spread or "pasture" of something that consumes, like a disease. It's distinct from common words for eating, emphasizing the invasive and devouring progress of a malady that spreads unchecked.
• like canker (ὡς γάγγραινα, hōs gangraina): A potent medical metaphor from which we derive "gangrene." It signifies a condition of localized death and decomposition of body tissue, spreading infectiously. This comparison vividly portrays false doctrine as a spiritual contagion that rots and destroys faith from within, leading to spiritual death if not stopped. It doesn't heal; it relentlessly spreads and corrupts.
• of whom is (ὧν ἐστιν, hōn estin): This phrase identifies specific individuals responsible for propagating the destructive doctrine, moving from the general concept of false teaching to concrete examples.
• Hymenaeus (Ὑμέναιος, Hymenaios): A known figure mentioned previously in 1 Timothy 1:20. There, Paul states he was "delivered unto Satan" so that he might learn not to blaspheme, indicating a history of grave theological error and ecclesiastical discipline. His continued activity highlights persistence in harmful teaching.
• and Philetus (καὶ Φίλητος, kai Philētos): Mentioned only here in the New Testament. His inclusion alongside Hymenaeus implies that he shared or collaborated in promoting similar dangerous doctrines, solidifying the warning by providing a second identifiable source of corruption.

Words-group by words-group analysis

• "their word will eat like canker": This powerful simile encapsulates the core danger. The "word" (their teaching) is presented not as a benign alternative view but as an aggressive, life-threatening "canker" (gangrene) that will "eat" (spread destructively). This communicates that spiritual error is not a minor intellectual disagreement but a spiritual disease that actively consumes and destroys faith and spiritual vitality. The phrase stresses the vital necessity of discernment and decisive action against such pervasive error.
• "of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus": By explicitly naming these two individuals, Paul provides tangible examples of the spiritual threat. This makes the warning personal and concrete for Timothy and the churches, allowing them to identify specific purveyors of false teaching. It also implies accountability for those who propagate such destructive doctrines, underscoring that false teaching is spread by real people, not abstract forces.

2 Timothy 2 17 Bonus section

• The metaphor of "canker" (gangrene) vividly portrays not only the destructiveness of false teaching but also its progressive and infectious nature, spreading from individual believers to entire communities if not decisively dealt with. It signifies decay, corruption, and spiritual death.
• The naming of specific individuals by Paul underscores the personal responsibility of those who teach and reminds church leaders that they must not shy away from confronting error directly and, if necessary, identifying its purveyors to protect the flock.
• This warning implicitly highlights the absolute necessity of "sound words" or sound doctrine (as emphasized elsewhere in the Pastoral Epistles, e.g., 2 Tim 1:13; Tit 1:9), which acts as a spiritual antidote and a preventative measure against such spiritual decay.
• The particular error of Hymenaeus and Philetus, the belief that the resurrection was already past (as detailed in v.18), reveals an early attack on a foundational tenet of Christian eschatology—the future bodily resurrection of believers, crucial for Christian hope. This highlights that early heresies often targeted core doctrines of faith.

2 Timothy 2 17 Commentary

2 Timothy 2:17 profoundly illustrates the perilous nature of false teaching by using the alarming analogy of gangrene. Just as physical gangrene is an insidious infection that, left unchecked, rapidly consumes healthy tissue and can lead to death, spiritual error similarly spreads covertly within the community of believers, rotting away faith and spiritual soundness. It emphasizes that unsound doctrine is not merely an intellectual mistake or harmless deviation; it is a spiritual pathogen with devastating consequences. The specific naming of Hymenaeus and Philetus grounds this abstract warning in real-world examples, signifying that the threat was immediate and identifiable. This verse serves as a crucial reminder for believers to maintain doctrinal vigilance and for leaders to actively identify, confront, and remove such spiritual corruption to protect the health and integrity of the church, safeguarding its members from profound spiritual harm.