God-Breathed Scripture

Paul writes his last letter to Timothy from prison in Rome.

Overview

All Scripture is breathed out by God and is useful for teaching, correcting and training, so that God's people are ready for every good work.

Going deeper

Timothy learned Scripture as a child from his mother and grandmother (1:5). Scripture's goal is salvation through faith in Christ (v15) and a mature life.

Key verses (KJV)

2 Timothy 3:15 From a child thou hast known the holy scriptures.
2 Timothy 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God.
2 Timothy 3:17 Thoroughly furnished unto all good works.

From the commentaries

15. from a child—literally, "from an infant." The tender age of the first dawn of reason is that wherein the most lasting impressions of faith may be made. holy scriptures—The Old Testament taught by his Jewish mother. An undesigned coincidence with 2Ti 1:5; Ac 16:1-3. able—in themselves: though through men's own fault they often do not in fact make men savingly alive. wise unto salvation—that is, wise unto the attainment of salvation. Contrast "folly" (2Ti 3:9). Wise also in extending it to others. through faith—as the instrument of this wisdom. Each knows divine things only as far as his own experience in himself extends. He who has not faith, has not wisdom or salvation. which is in—that
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown, Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory (1871)

Verse 15 From a child thou hast known the Holy Scriptures - The early religious education of Timothy has been already sufficiently noticed; see 2Tim 1:5, and the preface to the first epistle. St. Paul introduces this circumstance again here for the confirmation of Timothy's faith. He had learned the doctrines of Christianity from a genuine apostle; and, as Christianity is founded on the law and the prophets, Timothy was able to compare its doctrines with all that had been typified and predicted, and consequently was assured that the Christian religion was true. Able to make thee wise unto salvation - The apostle is here evidently speaking of the Jewish Scriptures; ...
Adam Clarke, Adam Clarke's Commentary (1810-1826)

15 And that from (thy) childhood This was also no ordinary addition, that he had been accustomed, from his infancy, to the reading of the Scripture; for this long habit may make a man much more strongly fortified against every kind of deception. It was therefore a judicious caution observed in ancient times, that those who were intended for the ministry of the word should be instructed, from their infancy, in the solid doctrine of godliness, that, when they came to the performance of their office, they might not be untried apprentices. ...
John Calvin, John Calvin's Commentaries (16th century, Calvin Translation Society, 1840s-1850s)

Verse 15. And that from a child thou hast known the holy Scriptures. That is, the Old Testament; for the New Testament was not then written. See Barnes "Joh 5:39". The mother of Timothy was a pious Hebrewess, and regarded it as one of the duties of her religion to train her son in the careful knowledge of the word of God. This was regarded by the Hebrews as an important duty of religion, and there is reason to believe that it was commonly faithfully performed. The Jewish writings abound with lessons on this subject. ...
Albert Barnes, Barnes' Notes on the New Testament (1834-1885)

Application

How did you first come to the Bible?
Which of the four uses in v16 do you need most?
Set a daily reading time.

Next lesson ›