This verse is still part of the sentence that begins in the previous verse. As such its main verb is “knowing” and should therefore be read “knowing how from childhood….”

Translators will do well to subdivide this long sentence into at least two sentences, depending of course on the requirements of the receptor language and the intended audience. One way of doing this is by using Good News Translation as a model, in which the last part of verse 14 is made the beginning of a new sentence that includes all of verse 15. Another way is to translate verse 14 as one sentence and verse 15 as another, in which case verse 15 can start with “You also know that” (compare Revised English Bible “Remember from whom you learned them; remember that from early childhood…”; Translator’s New Testament “… because you know who your teachers were. You know that from your earliest days…”; Contemporary English Version “After all, you know who taught you these things. Since childhood, you have known…”).

Childhood translates a word that literally means “an infant” but should not be taken literally. What the statement wants to emphasize is that at a very early age Timothy was introduced to the Scriptures, although we cannot be sure as to how old Timothy was when this started. However, there is information to the effect that at the age of five a Jewish boy received instruction in the Torah and memorized from it. This practice may be reflected in this verse, and if so, then Timothy was taught the Scriptures by his mother, since his father was not a Jew.

You have been acquainted is literally “you know” (compare Good News Translation “you have known”). The Revised Standard Version rendering may be rather weak here, since knowing the Scriptures is much more than just being acquainted with it.

The sacred writings most certainly refer to the Jewish Scriptures, or what is now commonly known as the Old Testament. There is some question as to whether there is a definite article before sacred writings or not. The UBS Greek New Testament includes the definite article here but puts it in brackets, but there is no explanation of the problem. If the definite article is retained, the identity of these sacred writings is in focus (so Good News Translation “the Holy Scriptures”); if the definite article is dropped, then their quality as sacred is emphasized, as, for example, “writings that are sacred.” The former of these seems to be more probable, since the expression used here is the technical term used among Greek-speaking Jews to refer to the Scriptures (the Old Testament). In most languages it will be fairly easy to find a term for sacred or “holy” here; but in certain languages where “holy” is translated by terms meaning “pure,” “clean,” “spotless,” and so on, some other term will need to be found. In some instances translators may use a term meaning “positive taboo,” but in other languages it will be necessary to refer to the sacred writings as “Scriptures from God” or, perhaps better, “Scriptures about God.” It will also be possible to use the same term that is used for the Bible, but with a note that the Old Testament part is meant. In cultures where the Koran or other sacred writings are used, it will be helpful to have a footnote explaining what these sacred writings are, in order to ensure that they are not identified with the Koran.

One function of these sacred writings is now mentioned: they can lead people to experience salvation in Jesus Christ. Instruct translates a verb that refers to causing a person to have wisdom and understanding, “to make wise” (so Good News Translation “give you the wisdom,” or Contemporary English Version “make you wise enough”). For salvation is literally “into salvation,” which makes clear that the wisdom that comes from the holy Scriptures has the function of showing people the way to salvation and what they must do to experience it. It is therefore evident that the holy Scriptures themselves do not bestow salvation but only point to it. The experience of salvation always comes through faith in Christ Jesus. Faith here is subjective, referring to trust in and commitment to Jesus Christ. (For salvation see further on 2 Tim 2.10 and the discussion of “Savior” in 1 Tim 1.1.) Another way to express this final sentence is “which are able to give you the wisdom to believe in Christ Jesus and be saved (or, let him save you).”

Implicit in all this is the New Testament conviction that the Jewish Scriptures (that is, the Old Testament) are a primary witness to Jesus Christ. (See, for example, Luke 24.27.)

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 .