complete verse (2 Timothy 2:23)

Following are a number of back-translations of 2 Timothy 2:23:

  • Uma: “There are people who continually argue-about teaching that has no use, but they have not yet learned [lit., their hearts are not yet clear] to know the true teaching. Don’t you go-along-with them in their arguments, for you yourself know, their words just make disagreements, with the result that people don’t get-along / aren’t in-harmony.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Beware of the arguments which have no use and cause-to-be-foolish only. You (sing.) indeed know that that results in their fighting.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “But have nothing to do with those stupid and ignorant things to be studied. You know that those things are the beginning of quarrels.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Distance-yourself (sing.) also from the foolish discussions of people who are lacking in what they (lit. he) know, because it of-course leads to quarrels.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Put far away the habit of challenging/being-argumentative with arguments which achieve nothing. You are well aware that that’s what starts violent-disputes.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “But those who only want arguments and do not know what they are saying, separate from them. You know that the argument is the source of hatred between people.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

Translation commentary on 2 Timothy 2:23

For Have nothing to do see 1 Tim 4.7. Stupid and senseless are synonyms, with the former describing something that is without understanding, hence “nonsensical,” and the latter describing something that has not benefitted from proper education or formal training, hence “ignorant,” “foolish,” and even “ridiculous,” “pointless,” or “without any merit at all.” For controversies see 1 Tim 6.4.

You know is a participle (literally “knowing”) and implies that Timothy has prior knowledge of what is mentioned, which in this case is what results when people are involved in the propagation of false teachings.

Breed translates a verb whose ordinary meaning is “to beget” or “to give birth,” but in the present context it has the meaning of “to cause to happen,” hence “to produce.”

Quarrels translates the plural of a word that refers to a conflict, whether of a physical or a nonphysical nature. Another way to translate this final sentence is “I am sure that you know that such arguments only lead to fights.”

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 2:23

2:23a

But reject: The Greek verb the Berean Standard Bible translates as reject means “avoid,” or “refuse,” or “don’t have anything to do with.”

foolish and ignorant: The Greek words that the Berean Standard Bible translates as foolish and ignorant are synonyms.

foolish: The word “fool” in the Bible often means “a person who does not know what God is like or who perhaps does not even believe that he exists.” The word foolish here refers to the kinds of things such a person says or does. (See Luke 12:20 and 1 Corinthians 15:36.)

ignorant: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as ignorant means “uneducated,” “stupid” or “uninstructed.”

(New International Version (2011 Revision)) arguments: In certain contexts, the Greek word used here could be translated as “speculation” (as in the Berean Standard Bible), or “discussion” or “debate.” In this case, however, the word has a negative meaning of “controversies” or “arguments.” This is why the New International Version (2011 Revision) is recommended as a reference to translate this word.

2:23b

for you know that it breeds quarreling: Paul said that when people argue about “foolish and ignorant” questions, the result is that they quarrel with those who believe differently than they do.

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Commentaire sur la traduction de 2 Timothée 2.23

Ce verset présente un chiasme avec ce qui précède :
CH1 poursuis…
CH2 justice, foi, amour, paix
CH2 stupides et ignorants débats…
CH1 refuse

Cette structure semble mettre en relief ces injonctions fortes de la part de Paul.

Ce verset commence par la conjonction δέ de, rendue dans plusieurs versions par Mais. En effet, ces lignes contrastent avec ce qui précède.

les controverses vaines et stupides, évite-les : comme indiqué ci-dessus, les compléments d’objet direct précèdent le verbe. Les traducteurs devraient utiliser l’ordre qui convient dans leur langue. Le même genre de construction se trouve en 1 Tim 4.7.

Le mot controverses parle d’un débat entre deux parties, comme lorsque les disciples de Jean ont un débat avec un certain Juif (Jean 3.25). Voir aussi 1 Tim 6.4. Là le mot paraît avec une autre expression « bataille/querelles de mots ». Certains parlent de « spéculations », de « recherches » ou de « discussions ». Les traducteurs devraient chercher un mot fort comme « débats ».

Les adjectifs semblent synonymes. Le premier μωρός môros, vaines, se trouve fréquemment dans le NT, avec le sens « stupides, bêtes. fous » et même « imbécile » (Matt 5.22). Le deuxième ne se trouve qu’ici dans tout le NT. Ainsi les traducteurs pourront trouver deux mots qui conviennent dans ce contexte, par exemple, « inutile et stupides » (Parole de Vie), « folles et stupides » (Bible en français courant, Bible de Jérusalem), etc.

Tu sais qu’elles engendrent les querelles est littéralement « sachant qu’ils engendrent des batailles ». Certaines versions commencent une nouvelle phrase. Le mot engendrer pourra être rendu par un autre verbe non figuré. La Bible en français courant propose « suscitent », et la Parole de Vie, « provoquent ».

Source: Zogbo, Lynell & Ellingworth, Paul La deuxième lettre à Timothée – Manuel de traduction – Commentaire linguistique et exégétique de la Bible. Alliance biblique universelle, 2021.