2 TIM 3:16 Parallel Verse View

Note: This view shows ‘verses’ which are not natural language units and hence sometimes only part of a sentence will be visible—click on any Bible version abbreviation down the left-hand side to see the verse in more of its context. Normally the OET discourages the reading of individual ‘verses’, but this view is only designed as a tool for doing comparisons of different translations—the older translations are further down the page (so you can read up from the bottom to trace the English translation history). The OET segments on this page are still very early looks into the unfinished texts of the Open English Translation of the Bible—please double-check these texts in advance before using in public.

Text critical issues=minor/spelling Clarity of original=clear Importance to us=vital (All still tentative.)

Key: light-green:nominative/subject, orange:accusative/object, cyan:dative/indirect object.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).

ULT All Scripture is God-breathed and is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness,

UST All the Scriptures come from God’s Spirit. They are useful for teaching people. They are useful for telling people that they have done what is wrong. They are useful for telling people what is actually true. They are useful for instructing people in how to do what is right.

BLB Every Scripture is God-breathed and profitable for instruction, for conviction, for correction, and for training in righteousness,

AICNT Every scripture is God-breathed[fn] and beneficial for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,

3:16, God-breathed: That is inspired by God.

OEB All scripture is God-breathed: helpful for teaching, for refuting error, for giving guidance, and for training others in righteousness;

CSB All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness,

NLT All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.

NIV All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,

CEV Everything in the Scriptures is God's Word. All of it is useful for teaching and helping people and for correcting them and showing them how to live.

ESV All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,

NASB All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness;

LSB All Scripture is God-breathed and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness,

2DT Every scripture is God-spirited and useful for teaching, for convicting, for straightening out, for education that is in rightness,

WEBBE Every Scripture is God-breathed and[fn] profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness,

3:16 or, Every writing inspired by God is

WMBB (Same as above including footnotes)

MSG ^(14-17)But don’t let it faze you. Stick with what you learned and believed, sure of the integrity of your teachers—why, you took in the sacred Scriptures with your mother’s milk! There’s nothing like the written Word of God for showing you the way to salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. Every part of Scripture is God-breathed and useful one way or another—showing us truth, exposing our rebellion, correcting our mistakes, training us to live God’s way. Through the Word we are put together and shaped up for the tasks God has for us.

NET Every scripture is inspired by God and useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,

LSV Every Writing [is] God-breathed, and profitable for teaching, for conviction, for correction, for instruction that [is] in righteousness,

FBV All Scripture inspired by God is useful for teaching, for confronting what is wrong, for setting us straight, and for telling us what is right.

TCNT All Scripture is inspired by God and is beneficial for teaching, reproof, correction, and instruction in righteousness,

T4T God ◄inspired/put into men’s minds► everything that is written in the Scriptures {they wrote in the holy writings}, and those writings are all useful to teach us what is true, to cause us to know when we are wrong and then ◄to correct us/to show us what we have done that is wrong►, and to train/teach us to do what is right.

LEB All scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness,

NRSV All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,

NKJV All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,

NAB All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for refutation, for correction, and for training in righteousness,

BBE Every holy Writing which comes from God is of profit for teaching, for training, for guiding, for education in righteousness:

Moff All scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for amendment, and for moral discipline,

Wymth Every Scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for convincing, for correction of error, and for instruction in right doing;

ASV Every scripture inspired of God is also profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for instruction which is in righteousness:

DRA All scripture, inspired of God, is profitable to teach, to reprove, to correct, to instruct in justice,

YLT every Writing [is] God-breathed, and profitable for teaching, for conviction, for setting aright, for instruction that [is] in righteousness,

Drby Every scripture [is] divinely inspired, and profitable for teaching, for conviction, for correction, for instruction in righteousness;

RV Every scripture inspired of God is also profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for instruction which is in righteousness:

SLT All writing divinely inspired, and profitable for doctrine, for refutation, for correction, for instruction in justice:

Wbstr All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

KJB-1769 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

KJB-1611 All Scripture is giuen by inspiration of God, & is profitable for doctrine, for reproofe, for correction, for instrution in righteousnesse,
(All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instrution in righteousness,)

Bshps All scripture is geuen by inspiration of God, and is profitable to doctrine, to reproue, to correction, to instruction which is in ryghteousnesse,
(All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable to doctrine, to reprove, to correction, to instruction which is in righteousness,)

Gnva For the whole Scripture is giuen by inspiration of God, and is profitable to teache, to conuince, to correct, and to instruct in righteousnesse,
(For the whole Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable to teache, to conuince, to correct, and to instruct in righteousness, )

Cvdl For all scripture geue by inspiracion of God, is profitable to teach, to improue, to amende, and to instructe in righteousnes,
(For all scripture give by inspiracion of God, is profitable to teach, to improue, to amende, and to instructe in righteousness,)

TNT For all scripture geve by inspiracion of god is proffitable to teache to improve to amende and to instruct in rightewesnes
(For all scripture give by inspiracion of god is proffitable to teach to improve to amend and to instruct in rightewesnes )

Wycl For al scripture inspirid of God is profitable to teche, to repreue, to chastice, to lerne in riytwisnes, that the man of God be parfit, lerud to al good werk.
(For all scripture inspirid of God is profitable to teche, to reprove, to chastice, to learn in riytwisnes, that the man of God be parfit, lerud to all good work.)

Luth Denn alle Schrift, von GOtt eingegeben, ist nutze zur Lehre, zur Strafe, zur Besserung, zur Züchtigung in der Gerechtigkeit,
(Because all writing, from God eingegeben, is use(v)e to/for teaching, to/for penalty, to/for Besserung, to/for Züchtigung in the/of_the justice,)

ClVg Omnis Scriptura divinitus inspirata utilis est ad docendum, ad arguendum, ad corripiendum, et erudiendum in justitia:
(Everyone Scriptura divinitus inspirata utilis it_is to teachndum, to arguendum, to corripiendum, and erudiendum in/into/on justice: )

UGNT πᾶσα Γραφὴ θεόπνευστος καὶ ὠφέλιμος πρὸς διδασκαλίαν, πρὸς ἐλεγμόν, πρὸς ἐπανόρθωσιν, πρὸς παιδείαν τὴν ἐν δικαιοσύνῃ,
(pasa Grafaʸ theopneustos kai ōfelimos pros didaskalian, pros elegmon, pros epanorthōsin, pros paideian taʸn en dikaiosunaʸ,)

SBL-GNT πᾶσα γραφὴ θεόπνευστος καὶ ὠφέλιμος πρὸς διδασκαλίαν, πρὸς ⸀ἐλεγμόν, πρὸς ἐπανόρθωσιν, πρὸς παιδείαν τὴν ἐν δικαιοσύνῃ,
(pasa grafaʸ theopneustos kai ōfelimos pros didaskalian, pros ⸀elegmon, pros epanorthōsin, pros paideian taʸn en dikaiosunaʸ,)

RP-GNT Πᾶσα γραφὴ θεόπνευστος καὶ ὠφέλιμος πρὸς διδασκαλίαν, πρὸς ἔλεγχον, πρὸς ἐπανόρθωσιν, πρὸς παιδείαν τὴν ἐν δικαιοσύνῃ·
(Pasa grafaʸ theopneustos kai ōfelimos pros didaskalian, pros elegⱪon, pros epanorthōsin, pros paideian taʸn en dikaiosunaʸ;)

TC-GNT Πᾶσα γραφὴ θεόπνευστος καὶ ὠφέλιμος πρὸς διδασκαλίαν, πρὸς [fn]ἔλεγχον, πρὸς ἐπανόρθωσιν, πρὸς παιδείαν τὴν ἐν δικαιοσύνῃ·
(Pasa grafaʸ theopneustos kai ōfelimos pros didaskalian, pros elegⱪon, pros epanorthōsin, pros paideian taʸn en dikaiosunaʸ; )

3:16 ελεγχον ¦ ελεγμον CT

Key for above GNTs: yellow:punctuation differs, red:words differ (from our SR-GNT base).

SOTN SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 3:10–4:8: Paul gave Timothy some more instructions and encouraged him to continue preaching the gospel

In 3:10–4:8 Paul reminded Timothy that Timothy had thoroughly learned true doctrine, so he should continue to preach it faithfully, even if he had to suffer because of it.

3:16a

All Scripture is God-breathed

All Scripture comes from God,
All Scripture is words that God placed into the minds/thoughts of those who wrote them.

All Scripture is God-breathed: The term God-breathed is a literal translation of the Greek word that older English versions translated as “inspired.” This is the only place in the New Testament that this word is used.

This word indicates that the people who wrote the books of the Bible did not merely write what they themselves were thinking. It means that they wrote the thoughts that God put into their minds. God was the source or origin of what they wrote.

Another way to translate this term is “all Scripture came from God.” Whichever way you translate this term, be sure that the word “Scripture” is the topic of the sentence.

3:16b

and is useful

and it is beneficial/helpful to us^(incl)
We^(incl) can use Scripture

is useful: The Greek word that the BSB translates as useful also means “helpful” or “beneficial.” This same word is used in 1 Timothy 4:8 and Titus 3:8.

In some languages, it may be necessary to say for whom Scripture is useful. Since Paul was writing to Timothy, he meant that Scripture was useful for Timothy and other church leaders as they would teach, correct, and instruct. If you must state the participants, use a general statement like “it is useful to us (incl).”

General Comment on 3:16a–b

There are two ways to interpret and translate 3:16a–b. They are:

“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful….” This is the interpretation presented above. For example, GNT says:
All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching…. See also BSB, NIV, RSV, NET, NASB, KJV, NJB, GW, NLT, CEV, JBP, NCV.
“All God-breathed Scripture is useful….” This second interpretation is based on the fact that there is no word in the Greek text between “Scripture” and “God-breathed.” The REB says:
All inspired scripture has its use for teaching…. See also the footnotes in GNT, NRSV, NET.

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). Also, if the major language version in use in your area has a footnote here to show interpretation (2), it is recommended that you also include a footnote about it.

3:16c

for instruction,

for teaching people,
to teach people God’s message/truth,

for instruction: Paul said that Timothy should use Scripture to teach people. If you need to indicate what the Scriptures teach and to whom it is taught. You could say:

All Scripture…is useful for teaching people God’s message…

All Scripture…is useful for teaching people the truth….

3:16d

for conviction,

for rebuking/reprimanding them,
to tell people that what they have done is wrong,

for conviction: The Greek word that the BSB translates as conviction means “to tell people that what they are believing or doing is wrong.” When Paul used this word, he was probably thinking of the false teachers who believed and taught false doctrine. Another way to translate this word in English is “rebuke” or “reprimand.” This Greek word occurs only here and as a verb in 4:2c (translated as “reprove”) and in 1 Timothy 5:20 (translated as “rebuked”).

3:16e

for correction,

for correcting errors/faults,
to correct people when they do something that is wrong,

correction: The Greek word that the BSB translates as correction probably refers to correcting both wrong beliefs that people had and the wrong ways that they were behaving, and then showing them what was right. It is best to use a general term like GNT does, for example, “correcting faults.”

3:16f

and for training in righteousness,

and for training people to do what is right,
and to teach/instruct them how to live a moral life.

for training in righteousness: Paul told Timothy that he should use the Scriptures to train, or instruct, people in righteousness.

righteousness: The word righteousness includes the meaning of “doing what God says is right/moral,” or “behaving correctly/morally.” So training in righteousness means, “to instruct people how to do what is right.” See righteousness in the Glossary, Meaning 1.

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive

πᾶσα Γραφὴ θεόπνευστος καὶ ὠφέλιμος

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Πάσα Γραφή Θεόπνευστος καί ὠφέλιμος πρός διδασκαλίαν πρός ἐλεγμόν πρός ἐπανόρθωσιν πρός παιδείαν τήν ἐν δικαιοσύνῃ)

If your language does not use this passive form, you could express the idea in active form or in another way that is natural in your language. Alternate translation: [God has breathed out all Scripture, and it is profitable]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

πᾶσα Γραφὴ θεόπνευστος καὶ

Here Paul speaks as if God had breathed all Scripture. He means that God is the one who spoke or gave Scripture through his Spirit. In other words, All Scripture has its origin in God. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the idea in simile form or state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [All Scripture comes from God, as if he had breathed it out, and it] or [All Scripture is produced by God and] or [All Scripture originates in God and]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

πᾶσα Γραφὴ

Here the phrase translated as All Scripture refers to what we call the Old Testament. Paul could be referring to: (1) the entirety of Scripture. Alternate translation: [The whole of Scripture] (2) each of the individual scriptures. Alternate translation: [Every scripture]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

ὠφέλιμος

beneficial

Here Paul could be implying that Scripture is profitable: (1) for someone to use in the following ways. Alternate translation: [is profitable for people to use for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness] (2) as it functions in the following ways for those who read or hear it. Alternate translation: [is profitable for our teaching, for our reproof, for our correction, for our training in righteousness]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

πρὸς διδασκαλίαν, πρὸς ἐλεγμόν, πρὸς ἐπανόρθωσιν, πρὸς παιδείαν τὴν ἐν δικαιοσύνῃ

If your language does not use abstract nouns for some or all of the ideas in this list, you could express the same ideas in another way. Alternate translation: [for instructing, for reproving, for correcting, for training to be righteous]

Parallel 2 TIM 3:16