2 Timothy 2 · Verse 13

2 Timothy 2:13

If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself.

2 Timothy 2:13, King James Version

2 Timothy 2:13 in other translations

BSB	if we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself.
WEB	If we are faithless, he remains faithful; for he can’t deny himself.”
ASV	if we are faithless, he abideth faithful; for he cannot deny himself.
YLT	if we are not stedfast, he remaineth stedfast; to deny himself he is not able.
DARBY	if we are unfaithful, he abides faithful, for he cannot deny himself.
BBE	If we are without faith, still he keeps faith, for he will never be untrue to himself.
Webster	If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself.

What does 2 Timothy 2:13 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

13. believe not--"If we are unbelievers (literally, 'unfaithful'), He remains faithful" (De 7:9, 10). The oldest manuscripts read, "For He cannot (it is an impossibility that He should) deny Himself." He cannot be unfaithful to His word that He will deny those who deny Him, though we be not faithful to our profession of faith in Him (Ro 3:3). Three things are impossible to God, to die, to lie, and to be deceived [Augustine, The Creed, 1.1], (He 6:18). This impossibility is not one of infirmity, but of infinite power and majesty. Also, indirectly, comfort is suggested to believers, that He is faithful to His promises to them; at the same time that apostates are shaken out of their self-deceiving fancy, that because they change, Christ similarly may change. A warning to Timothy to be steadfast in the faith.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes

Verse 13. If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful. This cannot mean that, if we live in sin, he will certainly save us, as if he had made any promise to the elect, or formed any purpose that he would save them, whatever might be their conduct; for

(1.) he had just said, that if we deny him he will deny us; and

(2.) there is no such promise in the Bible, and no such purpose has been formed. The promise is, that he that is a believer shall be saved, and there is no purpose to save any but such as lead holy lives. The meaning must be, that if we are unbelieving and unfaithful, Christ will remain true to his word, and we cannot hope to be saved. The object of the apostle evidently is, to excite Timothy to fidelity in the performance of duty, and to encourage him to bear trials, by the assurance that we cannot hope to escape if we are not faithful to the cause of the Saviour. This interpretation accords with the design which he had in view.

He cannot deny himself. Implying that it would be a denial of his very nature to save those who are unfaithful. He is holy; and how can he save one who is unholy? His very nature is purity; and how can he save one who has no purity? Let no one, then, suppose that, because he is elected, he is safe, if he lives in sin. The electing purpose of God, indeed, makes salvation sure; but it is only for those who lead righteous lives. Nothing would be more dishonourable for God than to resolve to save a man that lived habitually in sin; and if that were the doctrine of election, it would deserve all the opprobrium that has ever been heaped upon it.

(h) "If we believe not" Rom 3:3 (i) "he cannot" Nu 23:19

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 13 If we believe not - Should we deny the faith and apostatize, he is the same, as true to his threatenings as to his promises; he cannot deny - act contrary to, himself.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 2 Timothy 2:8-13

Let suffering saints remember, and look to Jesus, the Author and Finisher of their faith, who for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, despised the shame, and is now set down at the right hand of the throne of God. We must not think it strange if the best men meet with the worst treatment; but this is cheering, that the word of God is not bound. Here we see the real and true cause of the apostle's…

Read the full comment on 2 Timothy 2:8-13 →

2 Timothy 2:13 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

εἰeiifG1487

ἀπιστοῦμεν,apistoumenwe are faithless,G569

ἐκεῖνοςekeinosHeG1565

πιστὸςpistosfaithfulG4103

μένει·meneiremains;G3306

ἀρνήσασθαιarnēsasthaito denyG720

ἑαυτὸνhe'autonHimselfG1438

οὐounotG3756

δύναται.¶dunataiHe is able.G1410

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for 2 Timothy 2:13

Numbers 23:19
God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?
Romans 3:3
For what if some did not believe? shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect?
1 Thessalonians 5:24
Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.
2 Thessalonians 3:3
But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil.
Titus 1:2
In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;
1 Corinthians 1:9
God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.
Hebrews 6:18
That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:
Matthew 24:35
Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.
Romans 9:6
Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel:
Isaiah 25:1
O Lord, thou art my God; I will exalt thee, I will praise thy name; for thou hast done wonderful things; thy counsels of old are faithfulness and truth.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

yet.
Isa 25:1; Mt 24:35; Ro 3:3; 9:6; 1Th 5:24; 2Th 3:3
he cannot.
Nu 23:19; Tit 1:2; Heb 6:18

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

2 Timothy 2:12
If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us:
2 Timothy 2:13
If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself.
2 Timothy 2:14
Of these things put them in remembrance, charging them before the Lord that they strive not about words to no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers.

Read all of 2 Timothy 2

2 Timothy 2:13 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Si fuéremos infieles, él permanece fiel: no se puede negar á sí mismo.
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	si nous sommes incrédules, lui demeure fidèle, car il ne peut se renier lui-même.
German Elberfelder 1871	wenn wir untreu sind, er bleibt treu, denn er kann sich selbst nicht verleugnen.
Latin Clementine Vulgate	si non credimus, ille fidelis permanet, negare seipsum non potest.