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 .