2 Timothy 2:17
New International Version
Their teaching will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus,

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

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

Berean Standard Bible
and the talk of such men will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus,

Berean Literal Bible
and their talk will have pasture to grow like gangrene, among whom are Hymenaeus and Philetus,

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

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

New American Standard Bible
and their talk will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus,

NASB 1995
and their talk will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus,

NASB 1977
and their talk will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus,

Legacy Standard Bible
and their word will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus,

Amplified Bible
and their teaching will spread like gangrene. So it is with Hymenaeus and Philetus,

Christian Standard Bible
and their teaching will spread like gangrene. Hymenaeus and Philetus are among them.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
And their word will spread like gangrene; Hymenaeus and Philetus are among them.

American Standard Version
and their word will eat as doth a gangrene: of whom is Hymenæus and Philetus;

Contemporary English Version
That sort of talk is like a sore that won't heal. And Hymenaeus and Philetus have been talking this way

English Revised Version
and their word will eat as doth a gangrene: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus;

GOD'S WORD® Translation
and what they say will spread like cancer. Hymenaeus and Philetus are like that.

Good News Translation
Such teaching is like an open sore that eats away the flesh. Two men who have taught such things are Hymenaeus and Philetus.

International Standard Version
and what they say will spread everywhere like gangrene. Hymenaeus and Philetus are like that.

Majority Standard Bible
and the talk of such men will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus,

NET Bible
and their message will spread its infection like gangrene. Hymenaeus and Philetus are in this group.

New Heart English Bible
and their word will consume like gangrene, of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus;

Webster's Bible Translation
And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymeneus and Philetus;

Weymouth New Testament
and their teaching will spread like a running sore. Hymenaeus and Philetus are men of that stamp.

World English Bible
and those words will consume like gangrene, of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus:
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and their word will have pasture as a gangrene, of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus,

Berean Literal Bible
and their talk will have pasture to grow like gangrene, among whom are Hymenaeus and Philetus,

Young's Literal Translation
and their word as a gangrene will have pasture, of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus,

Smith's Literal Translation
And this word as a gangrene, will have an eating ulcer: of whom is Hymeneus and Philetus;
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And their speech spreadeth like a canker: of whom are Hymeneus and Philetus:

Catholic Public Domain Version
And their word spreads like a cancer: among these are Hymenaeus and Philetus,

New American Bible
and their teaching will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus,

New Revised Standard Version
and their talk will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus,
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And their word will be like a canker eating in many: such are Hy-me-næ’us, and Phile’tus,

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And their speech will seize many like a consuming cancer, and one of them is Humenayus, and another, Philetus,
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
and their word will eat as a gangrene: of whom are Hymenaeus and Philetus,

Godbey New Testament
and their word like gangrene will have eating. Of whom are Hymenaeus and Phyletus;

Haweis New Testament
And their discourse will eat like as a gangrene; of whom are Hymeneus and Philetus;

Mace New Testament
and their doctrine will spread like the gangrene. Hymeneus and Philetus are such:

Weymouth New Testament
and their teaching will spread like a running sore. Hymenaeus and Philetus are men of that stamp.

Worrell New Testament
and their word will spread, as a gangrene; of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus;

Worsley New Testament
and their discourse will eat like a gangrene. Of whom is Hymeneus and Philetus; who have erred from the truth,

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Lord's Approved Workman
16But avoid irreverent, empty chatter, which will only lead to more ungodliness, 17and the talk of such men will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, 18who have deviated from the truth. They say that the resurrection has already occurred, and they undermine the faith of some.…

Cross References
1 Timothy 1:19-20
holding on to faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and thereby shipwrecked their faith. / Among them are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan to be taught not to blaspheme.

Galatians 5:9
A little leaven works through the whole batch of dough.

1 Corinthians 5:6
Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven works through the whole batch of dough?

2 Peter 2:1-2
Now there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves. / Many will follow in their depravity, and because of them the way of truth will be defamed.

1 Timothy 6:20-21
O Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to you. Avoid irreverent, empty chatter and the opposing arguments of so-called “knowledge,” / which some have professed and thus swerved away from the faith. Grace be with you all.

Titus 1:10-11
For many are rebellious and full of empty talk and deception, especially those of the circumcision, / who must be silenced. For the sake of dishonorable gain, they undermine entire households and teach things they should not.

Matthew 16:6
“Watch out!” Jesus told them. “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”

1 Corinthians 15:33
Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good character.”

Romans 16:17-18
Now I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who create divisions and obstacles that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Turn away from them. / For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive.

2 Peter 3:16-17
He writes this way in all his letters, speaking in them about such matters. Some parts of his letters are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction. / Therefore, beloved, since you already know these things, be on your guard so that you will not be carried away by the error of the lawless and fall from your secure standing.

Jude 1:4
For certain men have crept in among you unnoticed—ungodly ones who were designated long ago for condemnation. They turn the grace of our God into a license for immorality, and they deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.

Acts 20:29-30
I know that after my departure, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. / Even from your own number, men will rise up and distort the truth to draw away disciples after them.

Matthew 7:15
Beware of false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.

Jeremiah 23:16
This is what the LORD of Hosts says: “Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you. They are filling you with false hopes. They speak visions from their own minds, not from the mouth of the LORD.

Ezekiel 13:3
This is what the Lord GOD says: Woe to the foolish prophets who follow their own spirit yet have seen nothing.


Treasury of Scripture

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

their word.

Nahum 3:15
There shall the fire devour thee; the sword shall cut thee off, it shall eat thee up like the cankerworm: make thyself many as the cankerworm, make thyself many as the locusts.

James 5:3
Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days.

canker.

1 Timothy 1:20
Of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander; whom I have delivered unto Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme.

Jump to Previous
Canker Consume Eat Flesh Hymenaeus Hymenae'us Hymeneus Pasture Poisoned Running Sore Spread Stamp Talk Teaching Way Word Words Wounds
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Canker Consume Eat Flesh Hymenaeus Hymenae'us Hymeneus Pasture Poisoned Running Sore Spread Stamp Talk Teaching Way Word Words Wounds
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.














and the talk of such men
The phrase "and the talk of such men" refers to the false teachings and idle chatter that Paul warns against. In the Greek, the word for "talk" is "λόγος" (logos), which can mean word, speech, or discourse. This highlights the power of words and their potential to influence and corrupt. In a historical context, the early church faced numerous heresies and false teachings that threatened to distort the gospel message. Paul emphasizes the importance of sound doctrine and the dangers of deviating from the truth.

will spread like gangrene
The imagery of "gangrene" is vivid and alarming. Gangrene is a medical condition where body tissue dies due to a lack of blood flow or a bacterial infection. In the Greek, the word used is "γάγγραινα" (gangraina), which conveys the idea of something that spreads rapidly and destructively. This metaphor underscores the destructive nature of false teachings, which can quickly infect and damage the body of Christ if not addressed. Historically, the early church had to be vigilant against such spiritual infections to maintain the purity of the gospel.

Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus
Paul names Hymenaeus and Philetus as examples of those spreading false teachings. This personalizes the warning and serves as a cautionary tale for the church. Hymenaeus is also mentioned in 1 Timothy 1:20, where Paul states that he has handed him over to Satan to be taught not to blaspheme. This indicates that Hymenaeus was a persistent troublemaker within the church. Philetus, though not mentioned elsewhere in the New Testament, is grouped with Hymenaeus, suggesting that he was similarly influential in spreading false doctrine. The naming of these individuals serves as a historical record and a reminder of the real and present danger of false teachings within the church community.

(17) And their word will eat as doth a canker.--Better rendered, as in the margin of the English translation, as doth a gangrene, the usual rendering of the various English versions. "Cancer," which is adopted also by Luther--krebs--fails to express the terrible and deathly nature of the "word" of these false teachers. The life of the sufferer afflicted with cancer may be prolonged for many years; a few hours, however, is sufficient to put a term to the life of the patient attacked with "gangrene," unless the limb affected be at once cut away. To translate this Greek word here by "cancer" is to water down the original, in which St. Paul expresses his dread of the fatal influence of the words of these teachers on the lives of many of the flock of Christ. Perhaps Jerome's words, "a perverse doctrine, beginning with one, at the commencement scarcely finds two or three listeners; but little by little the cancer creeps through the body" (Jerome. in Epist. ad Gal.), has suggested the rendering of the English Version.

Of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus.--Of these false teachers nothing is known beyond the mention, in the First Epistle to Timothy, of Hymenaeus, who, regardless of the severe action which had been taken against him (1Timothy 1:20), was apparently still continuing in his error. Vitringa thinks they were Jews, and probably Samaritans. Their names are simply given as examples of the teachers of error to whom St. Paul was referring--famous leaders, no doubt, in their cheerless school of doctrine.

Verse 17. - Gangrene for canker, A.V. Their word; as opposed to "the Word of truth" in ver. 15. Will eat (νομὴν ἕξει); i.e. spread, like a gangrene, which gradually enlarges its area, corrupting the flesh that was sound before. So these heretical opinions spread in the body of the Church which is affected by them. Νομή is literally "pasture" (John 10:9), "grazing of flocks," and hence is applied to fire (Polybius), which as it were feeds upon all around it, and, in medical language (Hippocrates), to sores and gangrenes, which grow larger and depasture the flesh. Of whom; of the number of those pointed at in the phrase, "their word." Hymenaeus; probably the same person as is mentioned as a blasphemer in 1 Timothy 1:20. Philetus. Nothing is known of him.

Parallel Commentaries ...


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

the
(ho)
Article - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

talk
λόγος (logos)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3056: From lego; something said; by implication, a topic, also reasoning or motive; by extension, a computation; specially, the Divine Expression.

of [such men]
αὐτῶν (autōn)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

will
ἕξει (hexei)
Verb - Future Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 2192: To have, hold, possess. Including an alternate form scheo skheh'-o; a primary verb; to hold.

spread
νομὴν (nomēn)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 3542: (a) pasture, pasturage, (b) met: growth, increase. Feminine from the same as nomos; pasture, i.e. feeding, or pasturage.

like
ὡς (hōs)
Adverb
Strong's 5613: Probably adverb of comparative from hos; which how, i.e. In that manner.

gangrene.
γάγγραινα (gangraina)
Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular
Strong's 1044: Gangrene, mortification. From graino; an ulcer.

Among [them]
ὧν (hōn)
Personal / Relative Pronoun - Genitive Masculine Plural
Strong's 3739: Who, which, what, that.

are
ἐστιν (estin)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1510: I am, exist. The first person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb; I exist.

Hymenaeus
Ὑμέναιος (Hymenaios)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 5211: Hymenaeus. From Humen; 'hymeneal'; Hymeneus, an opponent of Christianity.

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

Philetus,
Φιλητός (Philētos)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 5372: Philetus, a Christian at Rome. From phileo; amiable; Philetus, an opposer of Christianity.


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NT Letters: 2 Timothy 2:17 And their word will consume like gangrene (2 Tim. 2Ti iiTi ii Tim)
2 Timothy 2:16
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