2 Timothy 3:5 (DRB)

Passage

Having an appearance indeed of godliness but denying the power thereof. Now these avoid.

Nearby Context

2 Timothy 3:3 Without affection, without peace, slanderers, incontinent, unmerciful, without kindness,

2 Timothy 3:4 Traitors, stubborn, puffed up, and lovers of pleasure more than of God:

2 Timothy 3:5 Having an appearance indeed of godliness but denying the power thereof. Now these avoid.

2 Timothy 3:6 For of these sort are they who creep into houses and lead captive silly women laden with sins, who are led away with divers desires:

2 Timothy 3:7 Ever learning, and never attaining to the knowledge of the truth.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "having", "appearance", "indeed", "godliness", "denying", "power", "thereof", and "avoid". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "having" and "appearance", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 4's "Traitors stubborn puffed up and lovers of..." into verse 6's "For of these sort are they who...", so "having" and "appearance" 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 "having" and "appearance" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.