2 Timothy 3:6

For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts,

For {G1063} of {G1537} this sort {G5130} are they {G1526} which creep {G1744} into {G1519} houses {G3614}, and {G2532} lead captive {G162} silly women {G1133} laden {G4987} with sins {G266}, led away {G71} with divers {G4164} lusts {G1939},

For some of them worm their way into homes and get control of weak-willed women who are heaped with sins and swayed by various impulses,

They are the kind who worm their way into households and captivate vulnerable women who are weighed down with sins and led astray by various passions,

For of these are they that creep into houses, and take captive silly women laden with sins, led away by divers lusts,

In 2 Timothy 3:6, the Apostle Paul continues his sobering warning to Timothy about the characteristics of people who will arise in the "last days" (2 Timothy 3:1). This verse specifically describes their deceptive methods and their targets.

Context

Paul is providing a prophetic description of the moral and spiritual decay that will mark the end times, characterized by self-love, greed, and a rejection of true godliness. Following a list of negative traits in verses 2-5, verse 6 details how these individuals operate. They do not openly confront but "creep into houses," suggesting a stealthy, insinuation-based approach. In the early church, homes often served as meeting places and centers of community, making them prime targets for those seeking to gain influence and spread their false teachings.

Key Themes

  • Deception and Exploitation: The primary action described is the cunning infiltration of private spaces to exploit vulnerable individuals. This highlights the insidious nature of false teachers who do not operate transparently, often preying on trust within a household or community.
  • Targeting Vulnerability: The specific targets are "silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts." The Greek term for "silly women" (gunaikaria) is a diminutive, implying weakness, instability, or a lack of firm discernment. These individuals are further described as being "laden with sins" (sesoreumenas hamartiais – literally, "heaped up with sins"), suggesting a heavy burden of guilt or past mistakes, making them susceptible to promises of easy solutions or spiritual shortcuts. Their "divers lusts" (epithymiais poikilais) refer to various desires or cravings that can be exploited, whether for novelty, emotional satisfaction, or worldly gain.
  • Spiritual Danger: The verse underscores the danger posed by those who prey on spiritual weakness, leading people astray from sound doctrine and genuine faith.

Linguistic Insights

The phrase "creep into houses" comes from the Greek enduno (ἐνδύνω), which means to 'enter into', 'slip into', or 'insinuate oneself'. It conveys a sense of stealth and hidden entry, rather than open, honest engagement. The term "silly women" (gunaikaria) is not necessarily a blanket derogatory term for all women, but rather points to a specific type of person who is easily swayed, perhaps due to emotional susceptibility, lack of spiritual grounding, or a desire for sensationalism over truth. Their being "laden with sins" indicates a spiritual vulnerability, making them ripe targets for those who offer false assurances or exploit their guilt.

Practical Application

This verse serves as a timeless warning for all believers. It emphasizes the critical need for spiritual discernment and a firm grounding in sound biblical truth to resist deception. We must be vigilant against those who subtly infiltrate communities, offering messages that cater to personal desires or unresolved guilt rather than challenging people to holiness. It also calls for compassion and careful instruction for those who may be spiritually vulnerable, helping them to grow in maturity and understanding so they are not easily led astray by "every wind of doctrine" (Ephesians 4:14). The warning extends beyond "silly women" to anyone who might be susceptible due to spiritual immaturity, unconfessed sin, or a desire for easy answers.

Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Jude 1:4

    For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.

  • 2 Peter 3:17

    Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know [these things] before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness.

  • 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.

  • Titus 1:11

    Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre's sake.

  • Jude 1:18

    How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts.

  • Mark 4:19

    And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.

  • Matthew 23:13

    But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in [yourselves], neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.

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