2 Timothy 2:20–26, King James Version
Italic words were supplied in the English translation for clarity.
2 Timothy 2:20–26
Cleansed Vessels Pursue Justice and Correct Gently
A cleansed vessel runs toward justice and hopes for a gentle recovery
In a large house there are vessels of gold and silver, wood and clay, some for honorable use and some for dishonorable. If anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart, useful to the master, ready for every good work. Flee youthful passions; pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.
The vessel image is about use, not a caste. It does not divide people into fixed superior and inferior classes, and it does not justify racism, caste, ableism, sexism, or treating anyone as disposable. Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; they breed quarrels. The Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting opponents with gentleness. God may grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and they may escape the snare of the devil. Correction hopes for release, not for a public kill.
How this should shape us
Leave the quarrel that is feeding your ego. Run after justice, faith, love, and peace with people who actually want the Lord. If you must correct someone, be gentle enough that repentance is possible. Do not use vessel of honor to rank bodies, races, or disabilities.
Teach it back
Explain 2 Timothy 2:20–26 in your own words. Include its place in 2 Timothy's movement, the unit's logic, one material uncertainty, and one misuse the context rules out.
Your explanation stays in this browser. It is not sent or saved.
Go deeper
The explanation above is meant to stand on its own. Open these notes only if you want language, history, disagreements, or source locations.
Where careful interpreters disagreeThe strongest options and their difficulties
Where do careful interpreters disagree?
Best judgment: Interpreters dispute what 'these' in verse 21 refers to, whether vessels signify members or teachings, and the syntax of verse 26. The unit itself makes change possible and explicitly governs correction by gentleness.
How certain? probableResearch trail and exact locationsThe source record behind this section
Supports: Exact reader-facing KJV wording, paragraph markers, supplied-word markup, and complete verse coverage.
2 Timothy 2:20–26, pinned eng-kjv2006 USFM corpus
Supports: Greek wording, clause relationships, morphology targets, and base text for original-language discussion.
Faithlife SBLGNT repository, data/sblgnt/text/2Tim.txt, 2:20–26
Supports: Verse-level syntax, KJV-era wording, textual alternatives, and interpretive notes.
NET Bible official 2 Timothy PDF, 2:20–26 translation and attached translator, study, and textual notes
Supports: Historical-critical orientation, authorship and date alternatives, Timothy setting, outline, false-teaching restraint, and letter theology.
Enter the Bible 2 Timothy course, Summary, Outline, Background, Introductory Issues, and Theological Themes; applied to 2 Timothy 2:20–26
Supports: Direct-Pauline alternative, whole-letter flow, verse exposition, theological synthesis, and confessional application.
Jeon, '2 Timothy,' section covering 2:20–26, with Authority and Audience, introduction, outline, bibliography, and endnotes
Supports: Full-letter historical exegesis, Greek and KJV-language notes, unit boundaries, historical alternatives, and verse-level interpretation.
Lock, ICC Pastoral Epistles PDF, 2 Timothy introduction printed pp. 77–82 and commentary printed pp. 100–102
Supports: Independent morphology, form, and lexical-range cross-check for material Greek claims.
STEP Bible Data repository, Greek morphology and lexical records for 2 Timothy 2:20–26
Sources for This Section
These records identify the source, the claim it supports, and the exact location used. A source remains evidence to evaluate; it does not replace the biblical text.
Biblical text
King James (Authorized) Version — eng-kjv2006
eBible.org and CrossWire Bible Society
USFM archive eng-kjv2006_usfm.zip; source files dated 2026-08-19; downloaded 2026-08-24; archive SHA-256 aec1b3b26c622fd3d963d2bbac963016b9513246ffbfa20da00bb100372ea007; normalized corpus SHA-256 09aef51d90488aa7b9722b3fd9a93f4b25f6bf2064c5fd798fb39673c300ddf2.
Supports: Exact reader-facing KJV wording, paragraph markers, supplied-word markup, and complete verse coverage.
Exact location: 2 Timothy 2:20–26, pinned eng-kjv2006 USFM corpus
Open source ↗Greek textual evidence
The Greek New Testament: SBL Edition
Michael W. Holmes, editor; Society of Biblical Literature and Logos
Society of Biblical Literature and Logos Bible Software, 2010
Supports: Greek wording, clause relationships, morphology targets, and base text for original-language discussion.
Exact location: Faithlife SBLGNT repository, data/sblgnt/text/2Tim.txt, 2:20–26
Open the 2 Timothy Greek text file ↗Translation and textual notes
NET Bible — 2 Timothy with translators' and textual notes
Biblical Studies Press
Biblical Studies Press, 2005–2026 online edition
Supports: Verse-level syntax, KJV-era wording, textual alternatives, and interpretive notes.
Exact location: NET Bible official 2 Timothy PDF, 2:20–26 translation and attached translator, study, and textual notes
Open the official NET 2 Timothy PDF ↗modern scholarly book introduction
2 Timothy course: summary, outline, background, introductory issues, and theological themes
Arland J. Hultgren; revised by Mary Hinkle Shore
Enter the Bible, Luther Seminary, 2023 revision
Supports: Historical-critical orientation, authorship and date alternatives, Timothy setting, outline, false-teaching restraint, and letter theology.
Exact location: Enter the Bible 2 Timothy course, Summary, Outline, Background, Introductory Issues, and Theological Themes; applied to 2 Timothy 2:20–26
Open source ↗modern open commentary
2 Timothy
Paul Jeon
The Gospel Coalition Bible Commentary, 2023
Supports: Direct-Pauline alternative, whole-letter flow, verse exposition, theological synthesis, and confessional application.
Exact location: Jeon, '2 Timothy,' section covering 2:20–26, with Authority and Audience, introduction, outline, bibliography, and endnotes
Open source ↗public domain critical commentary
A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Pastoral Epistles
Walter Lock
T&T Clark, International Critical Commentary, 1924
Supports: Full-letter historical exegesis, Greek and KJV-language notes, unit boundaries, historical alternatives, and verse-level interpretation.
Exact location: Lock, ICC Pastoral Epistles PDF, 2 Timothy introduction printed pp. 77–82 and commentary printed pp. 100–102
Open source ↗Lexical and grammatical evidence
STEP Bible Data
Tyndale House Cambridge
Tyndale House Cambridge, repository snapshot verified 2026
Supports: Independent morphology, form, and lexical-range cross-check for material Greek claims.
Exact location: STEP Bible Data repository, Greek morphology and lexical records for 2 Timothy 2:20–26
Open source ↗