The first thing that Paul does is to remind Timothy of his obligations to the Christians in Ephesus.

For remind see 2 Tim 1.6. Them (Good News Translation “your people”) refers to the Christians in Ephesus, that is, the Christians who are with Timothy at the time he receives the letter. This is literally “these things”; it may be interpreted as referring to what precedes, particularly to the faithful saying in verses 11-13. In this case the following restructuring will be appropriate: “Remind your people about these things that I have written about (or, told you).” Another possibility is to take this as referring to what follows, particularly Paul’s instructions for them not to get involved in useless arguments, in which case an appropriate restructuring will be “Remind your people of these things that I am going to tell you (or, write about).” Most translations retain the ambiguity. The Greek text can be literally translated “These things remind, charging them before God not to fight over words.” It is clear from this literal translation that the Greek text favors the first of these two options.

For charge them before the Lord, see 1 Tim 5.21. Before the Lord means “in the presence of the Lord” (so Good News Translation), with the Lord functioning as witness (so Contemporary English Version “with God as your witness”). As the Revised Standard Version footnote shows, there is a textual problem here, with some manuscripts having either “God” or the Lord. The UBS Greek text has opted for “God,” and this is reflected in Good News Translation and New Revised Standard Version. RSV, however, translates a Greek text that has the Lord, perhaps because the Revised Standard Version translators feel that the reading “God” has come about as a result of the influence of 1 Tim 5.21. Of course, even with a text that has Lord, it is still possible to have “God” in the translation, if Lord, which is ambiguous, is taken as referring to God.

Avoid disputing about words is literally “not to fight over words.” For disputing about words see 1 Tim 6.4, where the nominal form of the verb is used. It is not only individual words that are meant but various kinds of teachings and doctrines.

Does no good is literally “no use.” The word for “use” occurs only here in the New Testament and refers to a valid use or function of something, hence “useful,” “beneficial,” “helpful.”

Ruins likewise translates a verb that occurs only here in the Pastoral letters. The verb itself is where the word “catastrophe” is derived, hence “destruction,” “ruin.” It is, however, likely that in the present context the focus is on not on the destruction of the hearers but on the serious harm done to them.

An alternative translation model for this verse is:
• Don’t let any of your people forget these things that I have told you. And with the Lord (or, God) as a witness (or, looking on), you must warn them not to argue over the meaning of words. Such arguments don’t help anyone but only cause great harm to the people who listen.

Quoted with permission from Arichea, Daniel C. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Paul’s Second Letter to Timothy. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1995. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .