complete verse (2 Timothy 2:17)

Following are a number of back-translations of 2 Timothy 2:17:

  • Uma: “Teaching like that spreads like a disease that wrecks/makes-bad the lives of many people. Himeneus and Filetus, both of them are bringing evil teaching like that.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “These teachings of theirs are like a sore (lit. yaws) which continues to spread until the body is completely-covered. Like that is the teaching of Himunus and Pilitus.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “As for people who teach like this, their teaching is like leprosy for it can spread and destroy. The teaching of Hymenaeus and Philetus is like this.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “What they are teaching moreover, it’s like an ulcer/sore that is getting-worse in festering/ulcerating. Two who are doing that, (they are) Himenio and Filetus.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “As for their (emph.) teachings, they’re just like a severe illness which epidemics. Many will be taken-along by it who will be deceived. Included among the ones teaching this are Himeneo and Fileto.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “These words which people teach go about until they cause spoiling. This is the kind of spoiling done by Hymenaeus and also Philetus.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

Hymenaeus

The name that is transliterated as “Hymenaeus” in English means “nuptial,” “belonging to marriage,” “wedding song” (from Hymen, the god of marriage). (Source: Cornwall / Smith 1997 )

In Libras (Brazilian Sign Language) it is translated with a sign that represents someone who is expelled from the church (in Ephesus, see 1 Timothy 1:20). (Source: Missão Kophós )


“Hymenaeus” in Libras (source )

For more information on translations of proper names with sign language see Sign Language Bible Translations Have Something to Say to Hearing Christians .

Translation commentary on 2 Timothy 2:17

The first part of this verse concludes the sentence that began in verse 16. Revised Standard Version retains the Greek form here, but Good News Translation starts a new sentence.

As already mentioned, their can refer either to “godless chatter” in the previous verse (so Good News Translation “Such teaching”) or to people. Talk is literally “word” but here refers to the content of “godless chatter,” hence Good News Translation “teaching,” and not to the way it is done.

Will eat its way translates a metaphorical Greek expression (literally “will have pasture”). Gangrene occurs only here in the New Testament and can also refer to cancer or ulcers. But more likely it refers here to an open sore that spreads and eats away at the healthy parts of the body. It is therefore an appropriate figure for wrong and unhealthy doctrines that spread among Christians and change their lives for the worse.

Two men are mentioned as examples of those who have been spreading this kind of gangrene in the church. Hymenaeus occurs only here and in 1 Tim 1.20; most likely the same person is meant. Other than the mention of his name, we know nothing about him. His name is derived from “Hymen,” who is the Greek god of weddings. Philetus is mentioned only here in the whole New Testament. The meaning of his name in Greek is “amiable.” It is not, however, recommended that the meanings of these names be translated. The usual practice is to transliterate names as names, unless the meaning of the name is significant for the passage.

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 .

SIL Translator's Notes on 2 Timothy 2:17

2:17a

and: The Greek text begins this verse with the conjunction kai, which is often translated and. Some English translations (Berean Standard Bible, Revised Standard Version, NET Bible, God’s Word, New American Standard Bible, Revised English Bible) begin this verse with and to show that 2:17a is connected with 2:16.

the talk of such men will spread: This is the second reason why Timothy should avoid empty chatter.

the talk of such men: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as talk is literally “word.” Here it refers to the “empty chatter” in 2:16a. The words “teaching” or “message” are other ways to translate this word.

will spread: The verb phrase will spread means that if the false teachers continued to talk, their message would go out to a wider area and deceive more and more people.

like gangrene: The word gangrene is a medical term. It refers to the decay of body tissue that is caused by an infection or disease.

Paul used gangrene as a figure of speech. Paul was comparing the false teaching to an infected wound. If no one tries to cure the infected wound, the infection will spread to more and more of the person’s body until it poisons him and eventually kills him. In the same way, if Timothy allowed the false teachers to continue teaching false doctrines, more and more people would believe their message and would stop believing the true message. In this way, those people would die spiritually.

If you cannot keep the figure of speech, you can say something like:

their words will spread and eventually destroy the faith of the people who listen to it.
-or-
more and more people will hear their teaching and it will damage those who pay attention to it.

2:17b

Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus: This is the first time in this letter that Paul mentioned the names of any of the false teachers. He had spoken of them in 2:17a when he mentions “the talk of such men.” Hymenaeus and Philetus were two of the people who had been teaching the believers ideas that were contrary to the truths of the word of God. Apparently, Timothy knew who both of these men were. Paul mentioned Hymenaeus in 1 Timothy 1:20 and indicated that he had removed Hymenaeus from the Christian congregation in Ephesus.

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All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible. BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.