2 Timothy 3 · Verse 13

2 Timothy 3:13

But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.
2 Timothy 3:13, King James Version

2 Timothy 3:13 in other translations

BSBwhile evil men and imposters go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.
WEBBut evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.
ASVBut evil men and impostors shall wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.
YLTand evil men and impostors shall advance to the worse, leading astray and being led astray.
DARBYBut wicked men and juggling impostors shall advance in evil, leading and being led astray.
BBEEvil and false men will become worse and worse, using deceit and themselves overcome by deceit.
WebsterBut evil men and seducers will become worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.

What does 2 Timothy 3:13 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
13. Reason why persecutions must be expected, and these becoming worse and worse as the end approaches. The breach between light and darkness, so far from being healed, shall be widened [Alford]. evil men--in contrast to the "godly" (2Ti 3:12). seducers--literally, "conjurers." Magical arts prevailed at Ephesus (Ac 19:19), and had been renounced by many Ephesians on embracing Christianity: but now when Paul was writing to Ephesus, symptoms of a return to conjuring tricks appeared: an undesigned coincidence [Burton]. Probably sorcery will characterize the final apostasy (Re 13:15; 18:23; 22:15). wax worse--literally, "advance in the direction of worse" (see on 2Ti 3:9). Not contradictory to that verse: there the diffusion of the evil was spoken of; here its intensity [Alford]. deceiving, and being deceived--He who has once begun to deceive others, is the less easily able to recover himself from error, and the more easily embraces in turn the errors of others [Bengel].

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

Barnes' Notes
Verse 13. But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse. That is, it is the character of such men to do this; they may be expected to do it. This is the general law of depravity--that if men are not converted, they are always growing worse, and sinking deeper into iniquity. Their progress will be certain, though it may be gradual, since nemo repente turpissimus. The connexion here is this: that Timothy was not to expect that he would be exempt from persecution, 2Ti 3:12, by any change for the better in the wicked men referred to. He was to anticipate in them the operation of the general law in regard to bad men and seducers--that they would grow worse and worse, from this fact, he was to regard it as certain that he, as well as others, would be liable to be persecuted. The word rendered seducers γοης--occurs nowhere else in the New Testament. It means, properly, a juggler, or diviner; and then, a deceiver, or impostor. Here it refers to those who, by seductive arts, lead persons into error.

Deceiving. Making others believe that to be true and right, which is false and wrong. This was, of course, done by seductive arts.

And being deceived. Under delusion themselves. The advocates of error are often themselves as really under deception, as those whom they impose upon. They are often sincere in the belief of error, and then they are under a delusion; or, if they are insincere, they are equally deluded in supposing that they can make error pass for truth before God, or can deceive the Searcher of hearts. The worst victims of delusion are those who attempt to delude others.

(*) "wax" "grow" (a) "being deceived" 2Thes 2:1

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 13 Evil men and seducers shall wax worse - They will yet get on for a season, deceiving themselves and deceiving others; but, by and by, their folly will become manifest to all, 2Tim 3:9. The word γοητες, which we render seducers, signifies jugglers, pretenders to magical arts; probably persons dealing in false miracles, with whom the Church in all ages has been not a little disgraced.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 2 Timothy 3:10-13

The more fully we know the doctrine of Christ, as taught by the apostles, the more closely we shall cleave to it. When we know the afflictions of believers only in part, they tempt us to decline the cause for which they suffer. A form of godliness, a profession of Christian faith without a godly life, often is allowed to pass, while open profession of the truth as it is in Jesus, and resolute attention to the duties…

Read the full comment on 2 Timothy 3:10-13 →

2 Timothy 3:13 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.

πονηροὶponēroiEvilG4190
δὲdehoweverG1161
ἄνθρωποιanthrōpoimenG444
καὶkaiandG2532
γόητεςgoētesimpostersG1114
προκόψουσινprokopsousinwill advanceG4298
ἐπὶepitoG1909
τὸto<the>G3588
χεῖρονcheironworseG5501
πλανῶντεςplanōntesdeceivingG4105
καὶkaiandG2532
πλανώμενοι.planōmenoibeing deceived.G4105

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

Cross references for 2 Timothy 3:13

  • 1 Timothy 4:1

    Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;

  • Titus 3:3

    For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another.

  • 2 Timothy 3:8

    Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith.

  • 2 Peter 2:20

    For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.

  • 2 Thessalonians 2:6-11

    And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, …

  • 2 Peter 3:3

    Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts,

  • 2 Timothy 2:16-17

    But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness. And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymeneus and Philetus;

  • Ezekiel 14:9-10

    And if the prophet be deceived when he hath spoken a thing, I the Lord have deceived that prophet, and I will stretch out my hand upon him, and will destroy him from the midst of my people Israel. And they shall bear the punishment of their iniquity: the punishment of the prophet shall be even as the punishment of him that seeketh unto him;

  • Isaiah 44:20

    He feedeth on ashes: a deceived heart hath turned him aside, that he cannot deliver his soul, nor say, Is there not a lie in my right hand?

  • Revelation 13:14

    And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.

  • Revelation 12:9

    And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

  • Job 12:16

    With him is strength and wisdom: the deceived and the deceiver are his.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
evil.
8; 2:16,17; 2Th 2:6-10; 1Ti 4:1; 2Pe 2:20; 3:3; Re 12:9; 13:14; 18:23
being.
Job 12:16; Isa 44:20; Eze 14:9,10; 2Th 2:11

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

Context

  • 2 Timothy 3:12

    Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.

  • 2 Timothy 3:13

    But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.

  • 2 Timothy 3:14

    But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;

Read all of 2 Timothy 3

2 Timothy 3:13 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Mas los malos hombres y los engañadores, irán de mal en peor, engañando y siendo engañados.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
mais les hommes méchants et les imposteurs iront de mal en pis, séduisant et étant séduits.
German
Elberfelder 1871
Böse Menschen aber und Gaukler werden im Bösen fortschreiten, indem sie verführen und verführt werden.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Mali autem homines et seductores proficient in pejus, errantes, et in errorem mittentes.