2 Timothy 2:19 (ASV)

Passage

Howbeit the firm foundation of God standeth, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his: and, Let every one that nameth the name of the Lord depart from unrighteousness.

Nearby Context

2 Timothy 2:17 and their word will eat as doth a gangrene: or whom is Hymenaeus an Philetus;

2 Timothy 2:18 men who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already, and overthrow the faith of some.

2 Timothy 2:19 Howbeit the firm foundation of God standeth, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his: and, Let every one that nameth the name of the Lord depart from unrighteousness.

2 Timothy 2:20 Now in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some unto honor, and some unto dishonor.

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

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "howbeit", "firm", "foundation", "standeth", "having", "seal", "lord", and "knoweth". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "howbeit" and "firm", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 18's "men who concerning the truth have erred..." into verse 20's "Now in a great house there are...", so "howbeit" and "firm" 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 "howbeit" and "firm" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.