II Timothy 3:5
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having a form of godliness but denying its power. Turn away from such as these!
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
form--outward semblance. godliness--piety. denying--rather as Greek, "having denied," that is, renounced. the power--the living, regenerating, sanctifying influence of it. turn away--implying that some of such characters, forerunners of the last days, were already in the Church.
Open source ↗3:5 People like that (3:2-4) had rejected sound teaching and cut themselves off from the power that could make them godly (see 1 Tim 1:5-11; Col 2:16-23).
Open source ↗Original language
The Hebrew and Greek words behind this passage, with Strong's numbers — from openscriptures (CC BY-SA).
Cross-references
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Therefore the Lord said: “These people draw near to Me with their mouths and honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me. Their worship of Me is but rules taught by men.
They profess to know God, but by their actions they deny Him. They are detestable, disobedient, and unfit for any good deed.
If anyone does not provide for his own, and especially his own household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
Beware of false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.
Reject a divisive man after a first and second admonition,
But avoid irreverent, empty chatter, which will only lead to more ungodliness,
But reject foolish and ignorant speculation, for you know that it breeds quarreling.
Then we will no longer be infants, tossed about by the waves and carried around by every wind of teaching and by the clever cunning of men in their deceitful scheming.
and constant friction between men of depraved mind who are devoid of the truth. These men regard godliness as a means of gain.
Now we command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to keep away from any brother who leads an undisciplined life that is not in keeping with the tradition you received from us.