2 Timothy 2:23

International Standard Version

Do not have anything to do with foolish and stupid discussions, because you know they breed arguments.1 Timothy 1:4; 4:7; 6:4; 2 Timothy 2:16; Titus 3:9;">[xr]

Parallel Translations

Easy-to-Read Version
Stay away from foolish and stupid arguments. You know that these arguments grow into bigger arguments.

Revised Standard Version
Have nothing to do with stupid, senseless controversies; you know that they breed quarrels.

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
Folisshe and vnlearned questions put from the remebrynge that they do but gendre stryfe.

Hebrew Names Version
But refuse foolish and ignorant questionings, knowing that they generate strife.

New American Standard Bible
But refuse foolish and ignorant speculations, knowing that they produce quarrels.

New Century Version
Stay away from foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they grow into quarrels.

Update Bible Version
But foolish and ignorant questionings refuse, knowing that they gender strifes.

Webster's Bible Translation
But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they gender contentions.

English Standard Version
Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels.

World English Bible
But refuse foolish and ignorant questionings, knowing that they generate strife.

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
But avoid foolish and unlearned questions, knowing that they beget strife:

Weymouth's New Testament
But avoid foolish discussions with ignorant men, knowing--as you do--that these lead to quarrels;

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And eschewe thou foltische questiouns, and without kunnyng, wytynge that tho gendren chidyngis.

English Revised Version
But foolish and ignorant questionings refuse, knowing that they gender strifes.

Berean Standard Bible
But reject foolish and ignorant speculation, for you know that it breeds quarreling.

Contemporary English Version
Stay away from stupid and senseless arguments. These only lead to trouble,

Amplified Bible
But have nothing to do with foolish and ignorant speculations [useless disputes over unedifying, stupid controversies], since you know that they produce strife and give birth to quarrels.

American Standard Version
But foolish and ignorant questionings refuse, knowing that they gender strifes.

Bible in Basic English
And put away foolish and uncontrolled questionings, seeing that they are a cause of trouble.

Complete Jewish Bible
But stay away from stupid and ignorant controversies — you know that they lead to fights,

Darby Translation
But foolish and senseless questionings avoid, knowing that they beget contentions.

Etheridge Translation
23 From foolish controversies which are without instruction withdraw; for thou knowest that they beget strifes [fn]

Murdock Translation
Avoid those foolish discussions which afford no instruction; for thou knowest, that they generate contests.

King James Version (1611)
But foolish and vnlearned questions auoid, knowing that they doe gender strifes.

New Living Translation
Again I say, don't get involved in foolish, ignorant arguments that only start fights.

New Life Bible
Let me say it again. Have nothing to do with foolish talk and those who want to argue. It can only lead to trouble.

New Revised Standard
Have nothing to do with stupid and senseless controversies; you know that they breed quarrels.

Geneva Bible (1587)
And put away foolish and vnlearned questions, knowing that they ingender strife.

George Lamsa Translation
Keep away from foolish disputes which do not educate, you know they cause strife.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
But, from the foolish and undisciplined questionings, excuse thyself, knowing that they gender strifes;

Douay-Rheims Bible
And avoid foolish and unlearned questions, knowing that they beget strifes.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
But foolishe & vnlearned questions put from thee, knowyng that they do but gender strife.

Good News Translation
But keep away from foolish and ignorant arguments; you know that they end up in quarrels.

Christian Standard Bible®
But reject foolish and ignorant disputes, because you know that they breed quarrels.

King James Version
But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes.

Lexham English Bible
But avoid foolish and uninformed controversies, because you know that they produce quarrels.

Literal Translation
But refuse the foolish and uninstructed questionings, knowing that they generate quarrels.

Young's Literal Translation
and the foolish and uninstructed questions be avoiding, having known that they beget strife,

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
As for folish questions and soch as teach not, put them fro the: for thou knowest that they do but geder stryfe.

Mace New Testament (1729)
decline all impertinent barren disputes, since they only serve for contention.

New English Translation
But reject foolish and ignorant controversies, because you know they breed infighting.

New King James Version
But avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife.

Simplified Cowboy Version
How many times do I have to say it? Stay away from petty arguments that only bring quarreling and bickering.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
But refuse foolish and ignorant speculations, knowing that they produce quarrels.

Legacy Standard Bible
But refuse foolish and ignorant speculations, knowing that they produce quarrels.

Contextual Overview

²² Flee from youthful passions. Instead, pursue righteousness, faithfulness,faith">[fn] love, and peace together with those who call on the Lord with a pure heart.Acts 9:14; 1 Corinthians 1:2; 1 Timothy 1:5; 4:12; 6:11;">[xr] ²³ Do not have anything to do with foolish and stupid discussions, because you know they breed arguments.1 Timothy 1:4; 4:7; 6:4; 2 Timothy 2:16; Titus 3:9;">[xr] ²⁴ A servantslave">[fn] of the Lord must not argue. Instead, he must be kind to everyone, teachable,able to teach">[fn] willing to suffer wrong,1 Timothy 3:2-3; Titus 1:9; 3:2;">[xr] ²⁵ and gentle in refuting his opponents. After all, maybe God will allow them to repent and to come to a full knowledge of the truth,Acts 8:22; Galatians 6:1; 1 Timothy 2:4; 6:11; 2 Timothy 3:7; Titus 1:1; 1 Peter 3:15;">[xr] ²⁶ so that they might escape from the devil's snare, even though they've been held captive by him to do his will.1 Timothy 3:7;">[xr]

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

2 Timothy 2:14, 2 Timothy 2:16, 1 Timothy 1:4, 1 Timothy 4:7, 1 Timothy 6:4, 1 Timothy 6:5, Titus 3:9

Reciprocal: Proverbs 6:19 - that soweth Proverbs 17:14 - leave Proverbs 26:17 - passeth Acts 18:15 - a question 1 Corinthians 1:11 - that there Ephesians 4:31 - wrath Colossians 3:8 - anger 1 Timothy 1:6 - turned 2 Timothy 3:5 - from Titus 1:1 - the acknowledging

Gill's Notes on the Bible

But foolish and unlearned questions avoid,.... Such as have no solid wisdom in them, and are foreign from the Gospel, the wisdom of God in a mystery, and are not useful and unedifying; such ought to be avoided, publicly and privately; they should not be started in the public ministry, nor attended to in private conversation; as being unworthy of the notice of a minister of the Gospel wise and learned, and useless to the church, and to his hearers.

Knowing that they do gender strife; about words, and contentions, which break the peace of churches, and hinder the profit of souls, and the progress of the Gospel.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

But foolish and unlearned questions avoid; - see the notes at 2 Timothy 2:16; compare the notes at 1Ti 1:4, 1 Timothy 1:6; 1 Timothy 4:7. The word “unlearned,” here, means “trifling; that which does not tend to edification; stupid.” The Greeks and the Hebrews were greatly given to controversies of various kinds, and many of the questions discussed pertained to points which could not be settled, or which, if settled, were of no importance. Such has been the character of no small part of the disputes which have agitated the world. Paul correctly says that the only effect of such disputes is to engender harsh contention. Points of real importance can be discussed with no injury to the temper; but people cannot safely dispute about trifles.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 23. Foolish and unlearned questions — See the notes on 1 Timothy 1:4; "1 Timothy 4:7", and "Titus 3:9".