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)