2 Timothy 2:22
What does 2 Timothy 2:22 mean?
A plain-English look at 2 Timothy 2:22 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What 2 Timothy 2:22 means
Timothy must flee youthful lusts and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. Fleeing implies urgency and distance; do not negotiate with desires that inflame pride, impatience, sensuality, or contentiousness—temptations common to youth but not limited to it. Pursuing is equally active: chase the positive graces that mark Christlikeness. Community matters; run with companions who sincerely seek the Lord. Holiness is both negative and positive, personal and shared. This verse gives Timothy a strategy for purity: decisive avoidance, intentional pursuit, and wise fellowship that together form a path of sustained godliness in ministry pressures.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000But flee youthful lusts, and follow after righteousness, faith, love, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.
KJV
King James Version · 1611Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901But flee youthful lusts, and follow after righteousness, faith, love, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949But keep yourself from those desires of the flesh which are strong when the body is young, and go after righteousness, faith, love, peace, with those whose prayers go up to the Lord from a clean heart.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862and the youthful lusts flee thou, and pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace, with those calling upon the Lord out of a pure heart;
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752But flee thou youthful desires, and pursue justice, faith, charity and peace with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890But youthful lusts flee, and pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace, with those that call upon the Lord out of a pure heart.
Context
After calling for cleansing to become an honorable vessel (v.21), Paul specifies what to flee and what to pursue, situating Timothy within a community of the pure-hearted. This personal holiness prepares him to handle controversy well. The next verses will tell him to refuse foolish disputes (v.23) and describe the demeanor of the Lord’s servant—gentle, able to teach, patient, correcting opponents with meekness and hope in God’s granting repentance (vv.24–26). The thread is readiness for good works through sanctified character.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Psalms 17:1
Hear the right, O Jehovah, attend unto my cry; Give ear unto my prayer, that goeth not out of feigned lips.
- 1 Chronicles 29:17
I know also, my God, that thou triest the heart, and hast pleasure in uprightness. As for me, in the uprightness of my heart I have willingly offered all these things: and now have I seen with joy thy people, that are present here, offer willingly unto thee.
- 1 Corinthians 14:1
Follow after love; yet desire earnestly spiritualgifts, but rather that ye may prophesy.
- 1 Peter 2:11
Beloved, I beseech you as sojourners and pilgrims, to abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;
- Acts 7:59
And they stoned Stephen, calling upon the Lord, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.
- 1 Timothy 1:5
But the end of the charge is love out of a pure heart and a good conscience and faith unfeigned:
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