2 Timothy 2:20

Revised Standard Version

In a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver but also of wood and earthenware, and some for noble use, some for ignoble.

Parallel Translations

Easy-to-Read Version
In a large house there are things made of gold and silver. But there are also things made of wood and clay. Some of these are used for special purposes, others for ordinary jobs.

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
Not withstondinge in a greate housse are not only vesselles of golde and of silver: but also of wood and of erthe some for honoure and some vnto dishonoure.

Hebrew Names Version
Now in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of clay. Some are for honor, and some for dishonor.

New American Standard Bible
Now in a large house there are not only gold and silver implements, but also implements of wood and of earthenware, and some are for honor while others are for dishonor.

New Century Version
In a large house there are not only things made of gold and silver, but also things made of wood and clay. Some things are used for special purposes, and others are made for ordinary jobs.

Update Bible Version
Now in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honor, and some to shame.

Webster's Bible Translation
But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honor, and some to dishonor.

English Standard Version
Now in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver but also of wood and clay, some for honorable use, some for dishonorable.

World English Bible
Now in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of clay. Some are for honor, and some for dishonor.

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and of stone; and some to honour, some to dishonour.

Weymouth's New Testament
Now in a great house there are not only articles of gold and silver, but also others of wood and of earthenware; and some are for specially honourable, and others for common use.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
But in a greet hous ben not oneli vessels of gold and of siluer, but also of tree and of erthe; and so summen ben in to onour, and summe in to dispit.

English Revised Version
Now in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some unto honour, and some unto dishonour.

Berean Standard Bible
A large house contains not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay. Some indeed are for honorable use, but others are for common use.

Contemporary English Version
In a large house some dishes are made of gold or silver, while others are made of wood or clay. Some of these are special, and others are not.

Amplified Bible
Now in a large house there are not only vessels and objects of gold and silver, but also vessels and objects of wood and of earthenware, and some are for honorable (noble, good) use and some for dishonorable (ignoble, common).

American Standard Version
Now in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some unto honor, and some unto dishonor.

Bible in Basic English
Now in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but others of wood and earth, and some which are honoured and some without honour.

Complete Jewish Bible
In a large house there are dishes and pots not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay. That is, some are meant for honorable use and some for dishonorable.

Darby Translation
But in a great house there are not only gold and silver vessels, but also wooden and earthen; and some to honour, and some to dishonour.

International Standard Version
In a large house there are not only utensils made of gold and silver, but also those made of wood and clay. Some are for special use, while others are for ordinary use.Romans 9:21; 1 Timothy 3:15;">[xr]

Etheridge Translation
But in a great house there are not vessels of gold only or of silver, but also of wood, also of clay: of them (some are) to honour, and of them (some) to dishonour.

Murdock Translation
But in a great house, there are not only vessels of gold or silver, but also of wood and of pottery; and some of them for honor, and some for dishonor.

King James Version (1611)
But in a great house, there are not onely vessels of gold, and of siluer, but also a wood, & of earth: and some to honour, and some to dishonour.

New Living Translation
In a wealthy home some utensils are made of gold and silver, and some are made of wood and clay. The expensive utensils are used for special occasions, and the cheap ones are for everyday use.

New Life Bible
In a big house there are not only things made of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay. Some are of more use than others. Some are used every day.

New Revised Standard
In a large house there are utensils not only of gold and silver but also of wood and clay, some for special use, some for ordinary.

Geneva Bible (1587)
Notwithstanding in a great house are not onely vessels of gold & of siluer, but also of wood and of earth, and some for honour, and some vnto dishonour.

George Lamsa Translation
But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; some for formal use on occasions of honor and others for service.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
But, in a great house, there are not only gold and silver vessels, but, also wooden and earthen: and, some, indeed, for honour, while, some, are for dishonour:

Douay-Rheims Bible
But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth: and some indeed unto honour, but some unto dishonour.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
But in a great house are not onely vessels of golde, and of siluer, but also of wood and of earth: some to honour, and some vnto dishonour.

Good News Translation
In a large house there are dishes and bowls of all kinds: some are made of silver and gold, others of wood and clay; some are for special occasions, others for ordinary use.

Christian Standard Bible®
Now in a large house there are not only gold and silver vessels, but also those of wood and clay; some for honorable use and some for dishonorable.

King James Version
But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour.

Lexham English Bible
Now in a great house there are not only gold and silver vessels, but also wooden and earthenware ones, some of which are for honorable use, and some of which are for ordinary use.

Literal Translation
But in a great house not only are there vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and of earth, and some to honor and some to dishonor.

Young's Literal Translation
And in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth, and some to honour, and some to dishonour:

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Not withstondynge in a greate house are not onely vessels of golde and of syluer, but also of wod and of earth: some for honoure, and some to dishonoure.

Mace New Testament (1729)
in a palace there are vessels not only of gold, and of silver, but of wood and of earth likewise: some are for honourable uses, and others for meaner purposes.

THE MESSAGE
In a well-furnished kitchen there are not only crystal goblets and silver platters, but waste cans and compost buckets—some containers used to serve fine meals, others to take out the garbage. Become the kind of container God can use to present any and every kind of gift to his guests for their blessing.

New English Translation
Now in a wealthy home there are not only gold and silver vessels, but also ones made of wood and of clay, and some are for honorable use, but others for ignoble use.

New King James Version
But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some for honor and some for dishonor.

Simplified Cowboy Version
On a nice ranch that takes care of the cowboys, some horses are good and some horses are special. The special horses are used for special occasions while the other ones are for everyday use.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
Now in a large house there are not only gold and silver vessels, but also vessels of wood and of earthenware, and some to honor and some to dishonor.

Legacy Standard Bible
Now in a large house there are not only gold and silver vessels, but also vessels of wood and of clay, and some to honor and some to dishonor.

Contextual Overview

¹⁹ But God's firm foundation stands, bearing this seal: "The Lord knows those who are his," and, "Let every one who names the name of the Lord depart from iniquity." ²⁰ In a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver but also of wood and earthenware, and some for noble use, some for ignoble. ²¹ If any one purifies himself from what is ignoble, then he will be a vessel for noble use, consecrated and useful to the master of the house, ready for any good work.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

in a: 1 Corinthians 3:9, 1 Corinthians 3:16, 1 Corinthians 3:17, Ephesians 2:22, 1 Timothy 3:15, Hebrews 3:2-6, 1 Peter 2:5

vessels: Exodus 27:3, Ezra 1:6, Ezra 6:5, Lamentations 4:2, Daniel 5:2, 2 Corinthians 4:7

and some to honour: Romans 9:21-23

Reciprocal: Exodus 37:16 - dishes 1 Samuel 21:5 - the vessels Proverbs 25:4 - General Isaiah 22:24 - vessels of small Jeremiah 22:28 - a despised Jeremiah 48:38 - broken Hosea 8:8 - a vessel Acts 5:1 - General Acts 9:15 - a chosen Romans 1:24 - to dishonour Romans 9:22 - the vessels 1 Corinthians 3:12 - gold 1 Thessalonians 4:4 - his 1 Thessalonians 5:9 - not 2 Timothy 2:21 - a vessel

Cross-References

Genesis 2:18
Then the LORD God said, "It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him."

Gill's Notes on the Bible

But in a great house,.... This simile the apostle makes use of, to show that it need not seem strange, nor should it be distressing to anyone's mind, to hear that men of such wicked principles and practices should be in the church of God, who are before mentioned; since in every great house or palace, the house of a nobleman, or palace of a king, there is a variety of vessels of different matter, and for different uses, and some are mean, despicable, and dishonourable; and so it is in the church of God: for by this great house, in the application of the simile, is not meant the world, as some think; for though that is a house built by God, who built all things; and is a very large one, and full of inhabitants, comparable to vessels; and there are in it both good and bad, as always have been; yet it is no startling thing to any man, that there should be bad men in it; rather the wonder is, that there should be any good; but by this house is meant the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of truth, 1 Timothy 3:15

1 Timothy 3:15- :.

There are not only vessels of gold and of silver; persons who are members of the visible church, who are comparable to gold and silver, for their worth and value, and preciousness in the sight of Christ, who accounts them his jewels, and peculiar treasure; and for their excellency and usefulness in the church, by reason of those differing gifts bestowed upon them; and for their lustre and purity, both of doctrine and of life; and for their solidity and duration:

but also of wood, and of earth: there are others in a visible church state, who are like to dry wood, destitute of the grace of God, and are fit matter for Satan to work upon, and by them raise and increase the flames of contention and division, and will be fit fuel for everlasting burnings; and there are others who are sensual, and carnal, and worldly, who mind earth, and earthly things, and have no spirituality, nor spiritual mindedness in them:

and some to honour; who are designed for honourable service, and behave honourably, and are worthy of honour in the church; are honourable officers, or members in it; and are to the honour of Christ, and the Gospel; and shall at last enjoy honour, glory, immortality, and eternal life.

And some to dishonour; who are to the disreputation of the church, the dishonour of religion, and scandal of the Gospel; by them God is dishonoured, his ways evil spoken of, his doctrines blasphemed, and his name reproached; and who are themselves dishonourable among men now, and will be covered with shame and everlasting contempt hereafter.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

But in a great house - Still keeping up the comparison of the church with a building. The idea is, that the church is a large edifice, and that in such a building we are not to expect entire uniformity in all the articles which it contains.

There are not only vessels of gold and of silver, ... - You are not to expect to find all the articles of furniture alike, or all made of the same material. Variety in the form, and use, and material, is necessary in furnishing such a house.

And some to honour, and some to dishonour - Some to most honorable uses - as drinking vessels, and vessels to contain costly viands, and some for the less honorable purposes connected with cooking, etc. The same thing is to be expected in the church. See this idea illustrated at greater length under another figure in the notes at 1 Corinthians 12:14-26; compare the notes, Romans 9:21. The application here seems to be, that in the church it is to be presumed that there will be a great variety of gifts and attainments, and that we are no more to expect that all will be alike, than we are that all the vessels in a large house will be made of gold.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 20. But in a great house — Here the apostle carries on the allusion introduced in the preceding verse. As the foundation of God refers to God's building, i.e. the whole system of Christianity, so here the great house is to be understood of the same; and the different kinds of vessels mean the different teachers, as well as the different kinds of members. In this sacred house at Ephesus there were vessels of gold and silver-eminent, holy, sincere, and useful teachers and members, and also vessels of wood and of earth-false and heretical teachers, such as Hymeneus and Philetus, and their followers. There are also in such houses vessels employed, some in a more honourable, others in a less honourable, office. To these he seems also to compare the same persons.