2 Timothy 3:13

2 Timothy 3:13

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

a. NLT: But evil people and impostors will flourish. They will deceive others and will themselves be deceived. [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: while evildoers and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. [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: and evil men and impostors shall advance to the worse, leading astray and being led astray. [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: But wicked men and imposters will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and leading astray others and being deceived and led astray themselves. [Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC) Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation]

e. Worrell Translation:  But evil men and imposters will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. [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.”But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse…”

a. But [Strong: 1161 dé, deh; a primary particle (adversative or continuative); but, and, etc.:—also, and, but, moreover, now (often unexpressed in English).]

b. evil men [Strong: 4190 ponērós, pon-ay-ros'; from a derivative of G4192; hurtful, i.e. evil (properly, in effect or influence, and thus differing from G2556, which refers rather to essential character, as well as from G4550, which indicates degeneracy from original virtue); figuratively, calamitous; also (passively) ill, i.e. diseased; but especially (morally) culpable, i.e. derelict, vicious, facinorous; neuter (singular) mischief, malice, or (plural) guilt; masculine (singular) the devil, or (plural) sinners:—bad, evil, grievous, harm, lewd, malicious, wicked(-ness).] [This word is a compound word from two words

c. men [Strong: 444 ánthrōpos, anth'-ro-pos; from G435 and ὤψ ṓps (the countenance; from G3700); man-faced, i.e. a human being:—certain, man.

d. and [Strong: 2532 kaí, kahee; apparently, a primary particle, having a copulative and sometimes also a cumulative force; and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words:—and, also, both, but, even, for, if, or, so, that, then, therefore, when, yet.]

seducers [Strong: 1114 * góēs, go'-ace; from γοάω goáō (to wail); properly, a wizard (as muttering spells), i.e. (by implication) an imposter:—seducer.] [Zodhiates: A conjurer, an enchanter. In the N.T. a deceiver, imposter.] [Vine: primarily denotes a wailer (goao-to wail); hence, from the howl in which spells were chanted, a wizard, sorcerer, enchanter, and hence, a juggler, cheat, imposter…possibly the false teachers referred to practiced magical arts.]

c. [shall] wax [Strong: 4298 * prokóptō, prok-op'-to; from G4253 and G2875; to drive forward (as if by beating), i.e. (figuratively and intransitively) to advance (in amount, to grow; in time, to be well along):—increase, proceed, profit, be far spent, wax.] [Zodhiates: prokopto; pro-before; kopto-to cut or strike forward, impel; to beat or drive forward as if with repeated strokes, hence to go forward or further.]

d. worse [Strong: 5501 * cheírōn, khi'-rone; irregular comparative of G2556; from an obsolete equivalent χέρης chérēs (of uncertain derivation); more evil or aggravated (physically, mentally or morally):—sorer, worse.] [Zodhiates: worse, inferior in rank, goodness and excellence or condition.]

1). This warning primarily is about apostate Christians. The New Testament is full of warnings concerning them. Jesus warned about them, Paul warned about them, as well as Peter, Jude and John. I can see in this word “wax”, a progressiveness toward evil, a step by step descent. Though portions of the words of the writers of the New Testament have found fulfillment in every century of the last 2000 years, in the last 100, the cancer they warned of is reaching its prophetic fulfillment.  In 1922 when Harry Emerson Fosdick, Pastor of New York’s First Presbyterian Church preached his sermon, “Shall the Fundamentalists Win?” He was booted out of his church because of his views were contrary to Scripture. Below is a small portion of his poisonous views. Though all are important, pay close attention to his attack on the inspiration of Scripture and the Blood Atonement.

a). “It is interesting to note where the Fundamentalists are driving in their stakes to mark out the deadline of doctrine around the church, across which no one is to pass except on terms of agreement. They insist that we must all believe in the historicity of certain special miracles, preeminently the virgin birth of our Lord; that we must believe in a special theory of inspiration—that the original documents of the Scripture, which of course we no longer possess, were inerrantly dictated to men a good deal as a man might dictate to a stenographer; that we must believe in a special theory of the Atonement—that the blood of our Lord, shed in a substitutionary death, placates an alienated Deity and makes possible welcome for the returning sinner; and that we must believe in the second coming of our Lord upon the clouds of heaven to set up a millennium here, as the only way in which God can bring history to a worthy denouement. Such are some of the stakes which are being driven to mark a deadline of doctrine around the church.”

b). These same two foundational doctrines, the inspiration of Scripture and the Blood Atonement of Christ Jesus are now attacked on an everyday basis in liberal Christianity. Though Mr. Fosdick was booted out of his church in the 1920’s, in 2014 he would be applauded and awarded, because just as the Scripture warned, evil men and seducers have waxed worse and worse. Today you can surf progressive Christian websites all over the internet and find it riddled with articles attacking the inspiration of Scripture and the Blood Atonement. Because of the waxing “worse and worse”, you can add Biblical morality and the institution of marriage and others to the list of godly doctrines under attack. Two of the most popular sites are Sojourners and Red Letter Christians, but sites similar to them are all over the internet.

2.”…deceiving and being deceived.”

a. deceiving [4105 * planao] [Zodhiates: To cause to wander, lead astray.] [Strong: planao plan-ah'-o from 4106; to (properly, cause to) roam (from safety, truth, or virtue):--go astray, deceive, err, seduce, wander, be out of the way.]

b. and [Strong: 2532 * kai kahee apparently, a primary particle, having a copulative and sometimes also a cumulative force; and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words:--and, also, both, but, even, for, if, or, so, that, then, therefore, when, yet.]

c. being deceived [4105 * planao] [Zodhiates: To cause to wander, lead astray.] [Strong: planao plan-ah'-o from 4106; to (properly, cause to) roam (from safety, truth, or virtue):--go astray, deceive, err, seduce, wander, be out of the way.]

1). The word for deceived is the same as deceiving. These evil people, these seducers are progressively getting more and more evil, hence we can look back at our opening verses and see the reason.

a). 2 Timothy 3:1, 2 “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.

For men shall be…”

2). The time period for these warnings are the last days. The number of false and dangerous doctrines now being circulated by deceived individuals in the church are numerous, too much to mention here. The answer for though is given in the next verses. “But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them, And that from a child thou hast known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.