2 Timothy 2:23 (DRB)

Passage

And avoid foolish and unlearned questions, knowing that they beget strifes.

Nearby Context

2 Timothy 2:21 If any man therefore shall cleanse himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified and profitable to the Lord, prepared unto every good work.

2 Timothy 2:22 But flee thou youthful desires, and pursue justice, faith, charity and peace with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

2 Timothy 2:23 And avoid foolish and unlearned questions, knowing that they beget strifes.

2 Timothy 2:24 But the servant of the Lord must not wrangle: but be mild toward all men, apt to teach, patient,

2 Timothy 2:25 With modesty admonishing them that resist the truth: if peradventure God may give them repentance to know the truth;

Study Lenses

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

The nearby context moves from verse 22's "But flee thou youthful desires and pursue..." into verse 24's "But the servant of the Lord must...", so "avoid" and "foolish" 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 "avoid" and "foolish" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.