2 Timothy 3:4

2 Timothy 3:4 

Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God;

a. NLT: They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God. [Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.]

b. NIV: treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— [THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by Permission of Biblica, Inc.® All rights reserved worldwide.]

c. Young’s Literal Translation: traitors, heady, lofty, lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God, [The Young's Literal Translation was translated by Robert Young, who believed in a strictly literal translation of God's word. This version of the Bible is in the public domain.]

d. Amplified Bible: [They will be] treacherous [betrayers], rash, [and] inflated with self-conceit. [They will be] lovers of sensual pleasures and vain amusements more than and rather than lovers of God. [Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC) Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation]

e. Worrell Translation: traitors, reckless, puffed up, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God; [Copyright 1904 by A.S. Worrell. Copyright assigned to the Assemblies of God, Springfield, MO. This edition was published 1980 by the Gospel Publishing House, Springfield, MO 65802. Printed in the U.S.A.]

1. “Traitors…”

a. Traitors [Strong: 4273 * prodótēs, prod-ot'-ace; from G4272 (in the sense of giving forward into another's (the enemy's) hands); a surrender:—betrayer, traitor.] [Zodhiates: A betrayer, traitor.] 

1). Acts 7:52 “Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? And they have slain them which showed before of the coming of the Just One, of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers:”

2). Luke 6:16 And Judas the brother of James, and Judas Iscariot, which also was the traitor.

2. “…heady…”

a. heady [Strong: 4312 * propetḗs, prop-et-ace'; from a compound of G4253 and G4098; falling forward, i.e. headlong (figuratively, precipitate):—heady, rash(-ly).] [Zodhiates: propetes; pro-forward; pipto-to fall; Rash, careless, it characterizes someone who rushes headlong or out of control into matters.] 

3. “…high minded…”

a. high minded [Strong: 5187 * typhóō, toof-o'-o; from a derivative of G5188; to envelop with smoke, i.e. (figuratively) to inflate with self-conceit:—high-minded, be lifted up with pride, be proud.] [Zodhiates: To swell or inflate with pride.]

1). We are warned against this sin because it was what caused Lucifer’s fall.

a). 1 Timothy 3:6 Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.

4. “…lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God;”

a. lovers or pleasure [Strong: 5369 * philḗdonos, fil-ay'-don-os; from G5384 and G2237; fond of pleasure, i.e. voluptuous:—lover of pleasure.] [Zodhiates: philedonos; philos-loving; hedone-pleasure;]  

1). The Greek word translated “lovers of pleasure” as shown above is a compound word. The one Greek word for “pleasure” is the same word translated “pleasures” in Luke 8:14 below. All of these characteristics that describe these “believers” are nothing but lusts of the flesh lived out in their daily lives and described in Galatians, of which Christians are not to allow in their lives. These believers are riddled with them.

a). Galatians 5:19-21 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,

5:20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,

5:21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

2). Love of pleasure is a lust that will choke the effectiveness of God out in my life.

a). Mark 4:18, 19 And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word,

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.

b). Luke 8:14 And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection.  

c. more [Strong: 3123 mâllon, mal'-lon; neuter of the comparative of the same as G3122; (adverbially) more (in a greater degree)) or rather:—+ better, × far, (the) more (and more), (so) much (the more), rather.]

d. than [Strong: 2228 ḗ, ay; a primary particle of distinction between two connected terms; disjunctive, or; comparative, than:—and, but (either), (n-)either, except it be, (n-)or (else), rather, save, than, that, what, yea.]

e. lovers of God [Strong: 5377 * philótheos, fil-oth'-eh-os; from G5384 and G2316; fond of God, i.e. pious:—lover of God; philotheos; philos-lover; theos-God.]

1). Romans 5:5 says, “…the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.” But that love can be choked out by the thorns mentioned in Mark and Luke. This list of descriptions would not be so shocking if not for the fact that he is referring to last day Christians. No matter if it is for good or evil, we are changed from the inside first, then we are changed on the outside. In the case of these Christians, they opened the door by yielding little by little to these ungodly characteristics. Either that or they allowed them to stay in their heart. I am reminded of what happened to Israel when they went into the promised land, how God warned them to drive out all the inhabitants and not make any leagues with them.

a). Numbers 33:50-53, 55, And the LORD spake unto Moses in the plains of Moab by Jordan near Jericho, saying,

33:51 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye are passed over Jordan into the land of Canaan;

33:52 Then ye shall drive out all the inhabitants of the land from before you, and destroy all their pictures, and destroy all their molten images, and quite pluck down all their high places;

33:53 And ye shall dispossess the inhabitants of the land, and dwell therein: for I have given you the land to possess it.

33:55 But if ye will not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you; then it shall come to pass, that those which ye let remain of them shall be pricks in your eyes, and thorns in your sides, and shall vex you in the land wherein ye dwell.

2). Every one of the ungodly characteristics mentioned in 2 Timothy 3 can be shown in other areas of Scripture, that they are not to be in our lives as believers. More than a few are mentioned in Titus 3:3.

a). 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.

3). In context it is said as being before the born again experience.

a). Titus 3:4, 5 But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, 

3:5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; 

4). Through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ we have been given an inheritance, not only of heaven as our home, but also to live free and overcoming lives that glorify God and Jesus by living free from the pollutions of the world, and the lusts of the flesh.