2 Timothy 2 · Verse 20

2 Timothy 2:20

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

2 Timothy 2:20, King James Version

2 Timothy 2:20 in other translations

BSB	A large house contains not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay. Some indeed are for honorable use, but others are for common use.
WEB	Now in a large house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of clay. Some are for honor and some for dishonor.
ASV	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.
YLT	And in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth, and some to honour, and some to dishonour:
DARBY	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.
BBE	Now in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but others of wood and earth, and some which are honoured and some without honour.
Webster	But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honor, and some to dishonor.

What does 2 Timothy 2:20 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

20. in a great house--that is, the visible professing Christian Church (1Ti 3:15). Paul is speaking, not of those without, but of the [visible] family of God [Calvin]. So the parable of the sweep-net (Mt 13:47-49) gathering together of every kind, good and bad: as the good and bad cannot be distinguished while under the waves, but only when brought to shore, so believers and unbelievers continue in the same Church, until the judgment makes the everlasting distinction. "The ark of Noah is a type of the Church; as in the former there were together the leopard and the kid, the wolf and the lamb; so in the latter, the righteous and sinners, vessels of gold and silver, with vessels of wood and earth" [Jerome, Dialogue against the Luciferians, 302] (compare Mt 20:16). vessels of gold ... silver--precious and able to endure fire. of wood and earth--worthless, fragile, and soon burnt (1Co 3:12-15; 15:47). some ... some--the former ... the latter. to dishonour--(Pr 16:4; Ro 9:17-23).

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

Barnes' Notes

Verse 20. But in a great house. Still keeping up the comparison of the church with a building. The idea is, that the church is a large edifice, and that in such a building we are not to expect entire uniformity in all the articles which it contains.

There are not only vessels of gold and of silver, etc. You are not to expect to find all the articles of furniture alike, or all made of the same material. Variety in the form, and use, and material, is necessary in furnishing such a house.

And some to honour, and some to dishonour. Some to most honourable uses--as drinking-vessels, and vessels to contain costly viands, and some for the less honourable purposes connected with cooking, etc. The same thing is to be expected in the church. See this idea illustrated at greater length under another figure: 1Cor 12:14, also 1Cor 12:15-26. Comp. Rom 9:21. The application here seems to be, that in the church it is to be presumed that there will be a great variety of gifts and attainments, and that we are no more to expect that all will be alike than we are that all the vessels in a large house will be made of gold.

(a) "vessels" Rom 9:21

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 20 But in a great house - Here the apostle carries on the allusion introduced in the preceding verse. As the foundation of God refers to God's building, i.e. the whole system of Christianity, so here the great house is to be understood of the same; and the different kinds of vessels mean the different teachers, as well as the different kinds of members. In this sacred house at Ephesus there were vessels of gold and silver - eminent, holy, sincere, and useful teachers and members, and also vessels of wood and of earth - false and heretical teachers, such as Hymeneus and Philetus, and their followers. There are also in such houses vessels employed, some in a more honorable, others in a less honorable, office. To these he seems also to compare the same persons.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 2 Timothy 2:14-21

Those disposed to strive, commonly strive about matters of small moment. But strifes of words destroy the things of God. The apostle mentions some who erred. They did not deny the resurrection, but they corrupted that true doctrine. Yet nothing can be so foolish or erroneous, but it will overturn the temporary faith of some professors. This foundation has two writings on it. One speaks our comfort. None can…

Read the full comment on 2 Timothy 2:14-21 →

2 Timothy 2:20 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.

ἘνEnInG1722

μεγάλῃmegalēa greatG3173

δὲdenowG1161

οἰκίᾳoikiahouseG3614

οὐκouknotG3756

ἔστινestinthere areG1510

μόνονmonononlyG3441

σκεύηskeuēvesselsG4632

χρυσᾶchrusagoldenG5552

καὶkaiandG2532

ἀργυρᾶargurasilverG693

ἀλλὰallabutG235

καὶkaialsoG2532

ξύλιναxulinawoodenG3585

καὶkaiandG2532

ὀστράκινα,ostrakinaearthen,G3749

καὶkaiandG2532

ἃhasomeG3739

μὲνmenindeedG3303

εἰςeisuntoG1519

τιμὴνtimēnhonorG5092

ἃhasomeG3739

δὲdehoweverG1161

εἰςeisuntoG1519

ἀτιμίαν.atimiandishonor.G819

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

Cross references for 2 Timothy 2:20

Romans 9:21-23
Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour? What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory,
1 Peter 2:5
Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.
1 Timothy 3:15
But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.
1 Corinthians 3:9
For we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building.
Ezra 1:6
And all they that were about them strengthened their hands with vessels of silver, with gold, with goods, and with beasts, and with precious things, beside all that was willingly offered.
Ezra 6:5
And also let the golden and silver vessels of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took forth out of the temple which is at Jerusalem, and brought unto Babylon, be restored, and brought again unto the temple which is at Jerusalem, every one to his place, and place them in the house of God.
Ephesians 2:22
In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.
1 Corinthians 3:16-17
Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.
Lamentations 4:2
The precious sons of Zion, comparable to fine gold, how are they esteemed as earthen pitchers, the work of the hands of the potter!
2 Corinthians 4:7
But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.
Hebrews 3:2-6
Who was faithful to him that appointed him, as also Moses was faithful in all his house. For this man was counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as he who hath builded the house hath more honour than the house. For every house is builded by some man; but he that built all things is God. And Moses verily was faithful in all his house, as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after; …
Daniel 5:2
Belshazzar, whiles he tasted the wine, commanded to bring the golden and silver vessels which his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem; that the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, might drink therein.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

in a.
1Co 3:9,16,17; Eph 2:22; 1Ti 3:15; Heb 3:2-6; 1Pe 2:5
vessels.
Ex 27:3; Ezr 1:6; 6:5; La 4:2; Da 5:2; 2Co 4:7
and some to honour.
Ro 9:21-23

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

Context

2 Timothy 2:19
Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.
2 Timothy 2:20
But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour.
2 Timothy 2:21
If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work.

Read all of 2 Timothy 2

2 Timothy 2:20 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Mas en una casa grande, no solamente hay vasos de oro y de plata, sino también de madera y de barro: y asimismo unos para honra, y otros para deshonra.
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Or, dans une grande maison, il n’y a pas seulement des vases d’or et d’argent, mais aussi de bois et de terre; et les uns à honneur, les autres à déshonneur.
German Elberfelder 1871	In einem großen Hause aber sind nicht allein goldene und silberne Gefäße, sondern auch hölzerne und irdene, und die einen zur Ehre, die anderen aber zur Unehre.
Latin Clementine Vulgate	In magna autem domo non solum sunt vasa aurea, et argentea, sed et lignea, et fictilia: et quædam quidem in honorem, quædam autem in contumeliam.