2 Timothy 2:23 (KJV)

Passage

But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes.

Nearby Context

2 Timothy 2:21 If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work.

2 Timothy 2:22 Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

2 Timothy 2:23 But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes.

2 Timothy 2:24 And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient,

2 Timothy 2:25 In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "foolish", "unlearned", "questions", "avoid", "knowing", "gender", and "strifes". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "foolish" and "unlearned", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 22's "Flee also youthful lusts but follow righteousness..." into verse 24's "And the servant of the Lord must...", so "foolish" and "unlearned" belong inside that flow. In 2 Timothy context, the local focus is Christ, faith, and discipleship.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "foolish" and "unlearned" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.