2 Timothy 2:20 (DBY)

Passage

But in a great house there are not only gold and silver vessels, but also wooden and earthen; and some to honour, and some to dishonour.

Nearby Context

2 Timothy 2:18 [men] who as to the truth have gone astray, saying that the resurrection has taken place already; and overthrow the faith of some.

2 Timothy 2:19 Yet the firm foundation of God stands, having this seal, [The] Lord knows those that are his; and, Let every one who names the name of [the] Lord withdraw from iniquity.

2 Timothy 2:20 But in a great house there are not only gold and silver vessels, but also wooden and earthen; and some to honour, and some to dishonour.

2 Timothy 2:21 If therefore one shall have purified himself from these, [in separating himself from them], he shall be a vessel to honour, sanctified, serviceable to the Master, prepared for every good work.

2 Timothy 2:22 But youthful lusts flee, and pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace, with those that call upon the Lord out of a pure heart.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "great", "house", "only", "gold", "silver", "vessels", "wooden", and "earthen". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "great" and "house", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 19's "Yet the firm foundation of God stands..." into verse 21's "If therefore one shall have purified himself...", so "great" and "house" 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 "great" and "house" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.