As an example of the evil activities of the false teachers, Paul describes how some of them use their standings within the Christian community to take advantage of unsuspecting women. The verb translated make their way (Good News Translation “go into”) means to enter secretly under false pretenses (compare Phillips “worm their way into”). In other words these people enter the homes without people knowing what their motives are.

Households is literally “houses” but can also be translated “homes” (compare Translator’s New Testament “private homes”) or “families” (compare Jerusalem Bible, New English Bible, Contemporary English Version), although this last option may not be appropriate in the present context. However, in some cultures it will be more meaningful to say something like “Some of them completely deceive (or, fool) certain families” or “Some of them worm their way into being accepted by families.”

Capture translates a verb that literally means “to take captive,” “to make someone a prisoner of war” (compare Eph 4.8), but which can be used figuratively to mean “to gain complete control over.” The literal figure is used in both Revised Standard Version and New Revised Standard Version (also New American Bible, Revised), while the meaning of the figure is found in Good News Translation (compare Jerusalem Bible “get influence over”).

Weak women translates a term derived from the word for “woman” that shows either contempt or smallness, and it can therefore be translated literally as “little women,” or in a derogatory sense as “foolish or unwise women” (so New Revised Standard Version “silly women”). This word appears only here in the whole New Testament. Other ways to express this phrase are “easily influenced,” “weak-willed,” and in some languages there will be appropriate figurative expressions; for example, “women with weak hearts.”

Burdened translates a verb that literally means “to heap up” but can figuratively mean (1) “to be given over, to be fully engaged in”; (2) “to be loaded down with,” “to be burdened with” (compare New Revised Standard Version “overwhelmed by”); hence “to feel guilty about” (compare Good News Translation “burdened by the guilt of”).

There is no explanation about the sins that press down on these women. What we are told is that because of their condition they become easy prey to these religious charlatans who probably have promised them relief from their guilt if they did what they were told.

Swayed translates the passive form of the verb “to bring,” “to lead, guide”; hence “to be led” (compare Translator’s New Testament), “to be driven” (compare Good News Translation, Revised English Bible “carried away”). What sways these people are various impulses. The word for impulses is literally “desires” (Good News Translation, New Revised Standard Version), used here in a negative or derogatory sense. What these evil desires are is not, however, stated.

An alternative translation model for this verse is:
• Some of them deceive whole families and gain complete control over foolish women whose hearts are burdened by the guilt of their sins and are controlled by all kinds of desires.

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 .