2 Timothy 2:18 kjv
Who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of some.
2 Timothy 2:18 nkjv
who have strayed concerning the truth, saying that the resurrection is already past; and they overthrow the faith of some.
2 Timothy 2:18 niv
who have departed from the truth. They say that the resurrection has already taken place, and they destroy the faith of some.
2 Timothy 2:18 esv
who have swerved from the truth, saying that the resurrection has already happened. They are upsetting the faith of some.
2 Timothy 2:18 nlt
They have left the path of truth, claiming that the resurrection of the dead has already occurred; in this way, they have turned some people away from the faith.
2 Timothy 2 18 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Truth & Error | ||
| Ps 119:160 | The entirety of Your word is truth... | God's word is the standard of truth. |
| Jn 8:32 | And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. | Understanding truth leads to liberation. |
| Jn 17:17 | Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. | God's Word is the sanctifying truth. |
| 1 Tim 4:1 | Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons. | Warning against doctrinal departure. |
| 2 Tim 3:7 | always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. | Those resisting truth remain ignorant. |
| Resurrection Doctrine | ||
| 1 Cor 15:1-4 | I declare to you the gospel... that Christ died for our sins... and that He was buried, and that He rose again... | Resurrection is foundational to the gospel. |
| 1 Cor 15:13-14 | But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen. And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty. | Faith is futile without resurrection. |
| 1 Cor 15:20-23 | But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep... For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. | Christ's resurrection guarantees ours. |
| Jn 5:28-29 | Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth—those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation. | A future, physical resurrection for all. |
| Phil 3:20-21 | For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body... | Hope in future bodily transformation. |
| Rom 8:11 | But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you. | Spirit's power assures bodily resurrection. |
| 1 Thess 4:16 | For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven... and the dead in Christ will rise first. | Future rising of the dead in Christ. |
| Consequences of False Teaching | ||
| Acts 20:30 | Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves. | False teachers lead disciples astray. |
| Rom 16:17 | Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them. | Avoid those who cause divisions with false doctrine. |
| Eph 4:14 | that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men... | Protection from being swayed by false doctrines. |
| 1 Tim 1:3 | as I urged you when I went into Macedonia—remain in Ephesus that you may charge some not to teach any other doctrine. | Command to confront those teaching other doctrine. |
| 1 Tim 6:20-21 | O Timothy! Guard what was committed to your trust, avoiding profane and idle babblings and contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge—by professing it, some have strayed concerning the faith. | False knowledge causes faith to stray. |
| 2 Pet 2:1-2 | But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies... And many will follow their destructive ways... | False teachers bring in destructive heresies. |
| Gal 1:8-9 | But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. | Severe condemnation for preaching another gospel. |
| Steadfastness in Faith | ||
| Col 2:7 | rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught... | Remain firm in sound teaching. |
| 1 Cor 16:13 | Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong. | Call to stand firm in faith. |
2 Timothy 2 verses
2 Timothy 2 18 Meaning
In 2 Timothy 2:18, the Apostle Paul identifies false teachers, specifically Hymenaeus and Philetus mentioned in the preceding verse, who have deviated from the truth concerning the doctrine of resurrection. They taught that the resurrection had already occurred, a teaching that severely undermined the Christian hope of a future physical resurrection. This erroneous belief caused certain individuals to abandon their faith, indicating the destructive power of doctrinal error on the spiritual lives of believers.
2 Timothy 2 18 Context
The second chapter of 2 Timothy focuses on Paul's charge to Timothy to be a faithful servant of God, a good soldier of Christ, and a diligent workman handling the word of truth accurately. Paul contrasts sound teaching with destructive falsehoods. Verse 18 builds upon verse 17, which specifically names Hymenaeus and Philetus as individuals whose empty talk spreads like gangrene, further elaborating on the specific nature and consequence of their ungodly chatter. Historically, this type of teaching often arose from early Gnostic-like beliefs, which tended to spiritualize physical realities and view matter as evil. For these false teachers, the resurrection might have been interpreted as merely a spiritual rebirth at conversion, thereby denying any future bodily raising. This negated the very hope for Christians who awaited a resurrected physical body like Christ's.
2 Timothy 2 18 Word analysis
- who (οἵτινες, hoitines): A plural relative pronoun referring back to Hymenaeus and Philetus from verse 17. It explicitly identifies the individuals propagating this destructive teaching, underscoring that false doctrines are often tied to specific persons.
- concerning (περὶ, peri): A preposition indicating the subject about which their error revolved. It directs focus to the core issue of their deviation.
- the truth (τὴν ἀλήθειαν, tēn alētheian): Refers to divine reality and revelation, the accurate understanding of God's Word and plan. Their error was a direct assault on the fundamental doctrines of Christian faith, not minor points.
- have erred (ἠστόχησαν, ēstochēsan): From ἀστοχέω (astocheō), meaning "to miss the mark" or "to deviate from a straight course." It implies an intentional or negligent departure from the truth, like an archer missing the target. This highlights that their teaching was a direct misrepresentation of clear biblical doctrine.
- saying (λέγοντες, legontes): A present participle, indicating their ongoing assertion or claim. It describes the specific content of their false teaching.
- that the resurrection (ἀνάστασιν, anastasin): Refers to the physical raising of the dead, a core Christian doctrine based on Christ's own bodily resurrection and the promise of a future one for believers. This was the specific truth they twisted.
- is past already (ἤδη γεγονέναι, ēdē gegonenai): Ēdē means "already," indicating immediate past completion. Gegonenai (perfect infinitive of γίνομαι, ginomai) denotes "to have come into being" or "to have occurred." This phrase encapsulates their heresy: the belief that the resurrection was not a future event but had already been fulfilled, typically spiritualized as a believer's spiritual regeneration at conversion.
- and (καὶ, kai): Connects the erroneous teaching with its devastating outcome.
- overthrow (ἀνατρέπουσιν, anatrepousin): From ἀνατρέπω (anatrepō), meaning "to turn upside down," "subvert," "ruin," or "destroy." It signifies a complete demolition, not merely a slight destabilization. This verb conveys the grave impact their doctrine had.
- the faith of some (τήν τινων πίστιν, tēn tinōn pistin): Refers to the trust, confidence, and belief held by specific individuals in Christ and His gospel. Their destructive teaching caused certain believers to lose their foundational convictions, possibly leading to despair, doubt, or turning away from the gospel's hope.
2 Timothy 2 18 Bonus section
The denial of a future bodily resurrection was dangerous not only for hope but potentially for Christian morality. If there is no future resurrection or judgment, then the physical body's actions might be deemed irrelevant, potentially leading to libertinism ("let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die" - 1 Cor 15:32). Paul's immediate emphasis on diligence, purity, and accountability (2 Tim 2:19-22) contrasts sharply with the logical implications of a teaching that dismisses future bodily glorification and the ultimate reckoning. The "firm foundation of God" in the next verse (2 Tim 2:19) implicitly includes the truth of the resurrection that these false teachers were attacking, reiterating the security and unchangeableness of God's revealed truth.
2 Timothy 2 18 Commentary
2 Timothy 2:18 serves as a stark warning about the peril of false teaching. The particular heresy, that "the resurrection is past already," strikes at the heart of Christian eschatology and hope. For many early proto-Gnostic groups, salvation was purely spiritual, achieved through special knowledge, often denigrating the physical body and denying its future redemption. If the resurrection was a past, spiritual event, it robbed believers of the future hope of bodily glorification, diminished the significance of Christ's physical return, and potentially encouraged moral laxity by removing accountability associated with a future judgment and physical existence. Paul highlights that such theological inaccuracies are not harmless academic debates; they are profoundly damaging, literally "overthrowing the faith" of individuals. This implies that certain believers were so confused or disheartened by this distortion that their entire structure of belief collapsed, leading them to abandon their spiritual foundation. Paul's firm stance emphasizes the critical importance of preserving sound doctrine, particularly regarding future realities, as these truths profoundly impact present Christian living, hope, and perseverance. It serves as a timeless reminder that deviation from essential biblical truths has devastating real-world consequences for believers.