2 Timothy 2:14-15

14 Remind them of these things, charging them before the Lord not to strive about words to no profit, to the ruin of the hearers.

15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

remind them (v.14) = cause them to be mindful of — tense indicates the need of constant reminders

strive not about words (v.14) —don’t wrangle about empty and trifling matters — 1 Timothy 6:4

to no profit (v.14) = lit. “which is profitable for nothing” — a form of the word is translated “useful” in v.21

ruin (v.14) = to turn over, turn under, like the soil with a plow — to overturn, overthrow — the Greek word gives us our word “catastrophe”

be diligent (v.15) = endeavor, exert yourself, make haste, agonize

present (v.15) = present yourself, place yourself at the disposal — tense indicates a decisive act requiring diligent repetition

approved (v.15) = put to the test for the purpose of approving and finding that the thing or person tested meets the required specifications

to God (v.15) — goes with “present” — “present yourself to God, approved”

worker (v.15) — used (but not exclusively) of a craftsman

does not need to be ashamed (v.15) = having no cause for shame, not liable to be put to shame

rightly dividing (v.15) = cutting a straight course, laying out a road, making a straight cut, as a stone mason (and, therefore, dividing)

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