Survey of the Letters of Paul back to the top     back to main page for this verse 2 Timothy 3:13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. This section consists of four verses. 2 Timothy 3:10-13 10 But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience, 11 Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me. 12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. 13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. We generally begin with the Barclay on this set of verses.  However it is rather long and I do not want to repeat it verbally for all four verses, so I am placing it here and picking it up below in the text.  Scroll down to the Instruction: "CONTINUE HERE." [click on the link] THE DUTIES AND THE QUALITIES OF AN APOSTLE 2 Timothy 3:10–13 Verses 10-13 paraphrased: But you have been my disciple in my teaching, my training, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my endurance, my persecutions, my sufferings, in what happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra, in the persecutions which I underwent; and the Lord rescued me from them all. And those who wish to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil men and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceived themselves and deceiving others. PAUL contrasts the conduct of Timothy, his loyal disciple, with the conduct of the heretics who were doing their utmost to wreck the Church. The word we have translated as to be a disciple includes so much that is beyond translation in any single English word. It is the Greek parakolouthein and literally means to follow alongside, but it is used with a magnificent breadth of meaning. It means to follow someone physically, to stick by that person through thick and thin. It means to follow someone mentally, to attend diligently to that person’s teaching and fully to understand the meaning of what is being said. It means to follow someone spiritually, not only to understand what is being said, but also to carry out that person’s ideas and become everything that that person would want us to be. Parakolouthein is indeed the word for the disciple, for it includes the unwavering loyalty of the true comrade, the full understanding of the true scholar and the complete obedience of the dedicated servant. Paul goes on to list the things in which Timothy has been his disciple; and the interest of that list is that it consists of the strands out of which the life and work of an apostle are woven. In it, we find the duties, the qualities and the experiences of an apostle. First, there are the duties of an apostle. There is teaching. We cannot teach what we do not know, and therefore before we can teach Christ to others we must know him for ourselves. When the father of the Scottish historian and essayist Thomas Carlyle was discussing the kind of minister his parish needed, he said: ‘What this parish needs is a man who knows Christ other than at second hand.’ Real teaching always comes out of real experience. There is training. The Christian life does not consist only in knowing something; it consists even more in being something. The task of the apostle is not only to tell men and women the truth; it is also to help them do it. The true leader gives training in living. Second, there are the qualities of the apostle. First and foremost, he has an aim in life. Two men were talking about a great satirist who had been filled with serious moral resolve. ‘He kicked the world about,’ said one, ‘as if it had been a football.’ ‘True,’ said the other, ‘but he kicked it to a goal.’ As individuals, we should sometimes ask ourselves: what is our aim in life? As teachers, we should sometimes ask ourselves: what am I trying to do with these people whom teach? Once Agesilaus, the king of Sparta, was asked: ‘What shall we teach our boys?’ His answer was: ‘That which will be most useful to them when they are men.’ Is it knowledge, or is it life, that we are trying to transmit? As members of the Church, we should sometimes ask ourselves: what are we trying to do in it? It is not enough to be satisfied when a church is humming like a dynamo and every night in the week has its own crowded organization. We should be asking: what, if any, is the unifying purpose which binds all this activity together? In all life, there is nothing so creative of really productive effort as a clear sense of purpose. Paul goes on to other qualities of an apostle. There is faith, complete belief that God’s commands are binding and that his promises are true. There is patience. The word here is makrothumia; and makrothumia, as the Greeks used it, usually meant patience with people. It is the ability not to lose patience when people are foolish, not to grow irritable when they seem unteachable. It is the ability to accept the folly, the perversity, the blindness and the ingratitude of others and still to remain gracious, and still to labor on. There is love. This is God’s attitude to us. It is the attitude which puts up with everything we can do and refuses to be either angry or embittered, and which will never seek anything but our highest good. To love others is to forgive them and care for them as God Forgives and cares - and it is only God who can enable us to do that. PAUL completes the story of the things in which Timothy has shared and must share with him, by speaking of the experiences of an apostle; and he prefaces that list of experiences by setting down the quality of endurance. The Greek is hupomone¯, which means not a passive sitting down and bearing things but a triumphant facing of them so that even out of evil there can come good. It describes not the spirit which accepts life but the spirit which takes control of it. And that quality of conquering endurance is necessary, because persecution is an essential part of the experience of an apostle. Paul cites three instances when he had to suffer for Christ. He was driven from Antioch in Pisidia (Acts 13:50), he had to flee from Iconium to avoid lynching (Acts 14:5–6), and in Lystra he was stoned and left for dead (Acts 14:19). It is true that these things happened before the young Timothy had definitely entered on the Christian way; but they all happened in his home district, and he may well have been an eyewitness to them. It may well be a proof of Timothy’s courage and consecration that he had seen very clearly what could happen to an apostle and still had not hesitated to throw in his lot with Paul. It is Paul’s conviction that the real follower of Christ cannot escape persecution. When trouble fell on the Thessalonians, Paul wrote to them: ‘When we were with you, we told you beforehand that we were to suffer persecution; so it turned out, as you know’ (1 Thessalonians 3:4). It is as if he said to them: ‘You have been well warned.’ He returned after the first missionary journey to visit the churches he had founded, where ‘they strengthened the souls of the disciples, and encouraged them to continue in the faith, saying “It is through many persecutions that we must enter the kingdom of God”’ (Acts 14:22). The kingdom had its price. And Jesus himself had said: ‘Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake’ (Matthew 5:10). Anyone who proposes to accept a set of standards quite different from the world’s is bound to encounter trouble. For anyone who proposes to introduce into life a loyalty which surpasses all earthly loyalties, there are bound to be clashes. And that is precisely what Christianity demands that we should do. [CONTINUE HERE in the audio] Persecution and hardships will come; but of two things Paul is sure. He is sure that God will rescue those who put their faith in him. He is sure that in the long run it is better to suffer with God and the right than to prosper with the world and the wrong. Certain of the temporary persecution, he is equally certain of the ultimate glory. He is sure that the ungodly will go from bad to worse and that there is literally no future for those who refuse to accept the way of God. This is an important bit of commentary so let us do a recap: 1] The word disciple is the Greek word parakolouthein [para-ko-lou-thein] means: a) to follow someone [the apostle/teacher] physically. b) to follow the apostle/teacher mentally c) to attend diligently to the apostle/teacher's teaching. d) to fully understand the meaning of what is being said by the apostle/teacher. e) to follow the apostle/teacher spiritually. 2] To be a disciple of Christ is to have unwavering loyalty. It is to fully understand Him. It is being in complete obedience to Him. 3] Firstfruits cannot teach what they do not know. Before we can be examples of Christ, we must know Him. 4] Being a firstfruit is not knowing something, it is being something. 5] Apostles, ministers and teachers not only tell firstfruits the truth, they help and encourage them to do it. They give training in living. 6] Teachers teach more than knowledge. They teach life. 7] The entire congregation must have a clear sense of purpose. 8] Apostles, ministers and teachers [and all firstfruits] must have: ---faith ---belief that God's commands are binding. ---belief that God's promises are true. ---ability not to lose patience when people are foolish. ---ability to accept the folly, the perversity, the blindness and the ingratitude of others and still to remain gracious, and still to labour on. ---love ---endurance. Triumphantly facing the hardships of being a disciple of Christ. ---a spirit that does not just accept life but takes control of it. This is a "conquering endurance." 9] Paul had the quality of conquering endurance. He speaks of them in verse 11 [Antioch, Iconium and Lystra]. 10] A real follower of Christ cannot escape persecution. Acts 14:22 Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God. Matthew 5:10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11] Firstfruits accept a set of standards quite different from the world. Trouble will be encountered because they do. 12] Firstfruits have a loyalty that surpasses all earthly loyalties. 13] God will rescue those who put their faith in Him. Firstfruits are certain of ultimate glory. 14] Firstfruits know that the ungodly will go from bad to worse. Now to the other commentaries. As usual, we will begin with the general commentaries and go to the specific. Let us begin in the Matthew Henry Main, which is a long commentary piece on verses 10-17. We are about to jump in where verse 13 is discussed. He warns Timothy of the fatal end of seducers, as a reason why he should stick closely to the truth as it is in Jesus: But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, etc., 2 Timothy 3:13. Observe, As good men, by the grace of God, grow better and better, so bad men, through the subtlety of Satan and the power of their own corruptions, grow worse and worse. The way of sin is down-hill; for such proceed from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. Those who deceive others do but deceive themselves; those who draw others into error run themselves into more and more mistakes, and they will find it so at last, to their cost. ~Matthew Henry Main Now to the Matthew Henry Concise. This covers verses 10-13. It is close in content to the main commentary. 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 of godliness, stir up the scorn and enmity of the world. As good men, by the grace of God, grow better, so bad men, through the craft of Satan, and the power of their own corruptions, grow worse. The way of sin is down-hill; such go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. Those who deceive others, deceive themselves, as they will find at last, to their cost. The history of the outward church, awfully shows that the apostle spake this as he was moved by the Holy Ghost [Spirit]. ~Matthew Henry Concise Now to the Biblical Illustrator: Graduating in ungodliness 1. If we consider wicked men as they are in themselves, they are all strongly bent to apostasy; every day they grow worse and worse. As godly men are graduates in God’s school, growing from strength to strength, and from one degree of grace unto another, till they become perfect men in Christ, every sermon makes them better, and every ordinance improves them. So wicked men are graduates also, and take degrees in the devil’s school; they stand not at a stay, but they grow from evil to Worse. As he that is righteous will go on and be more righteous, so he that is filthy will go on in his filthiness (Revelation 22:11). It is the proper character of wicked men that they fall away more and more (Isaiah 1:5; Proverbs 1:22). Quoted verses Revelation 22:11 He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still. Isaiah 1:5 Why should ye be stricken any more? ye will revolt more and more: the whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint. Proverbs 1:22 How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge? 2. But secondly, let us consider them specifically and divisively for such evil men as are deceivers and impostors, and these we see experimentally grow worse and worse. They have no foundation to rest on; they know no stay when once they have passed the bounds of the word, no more than a violent stream doth when it hath broke over those bounds and bonds which before kept it in. Error knows no end; when once men forsake the way of truth they wander in infinitum. As it is in logic, grant one absurdity and I will infer a thousand, and as sin begets sin, blood toucheth blood, and one murder begets another (Hosea 4:2). So error is very fertile and prolific; it speedily brings forth a great increase. One error is a bridge to another; ill weeds spring apace and spread far, when good herbs grow thin and low. A little of this leaven will quickly sour the whole lump (Matthew 16:6). When once men begin to tumble down the hill of error they seldom rest till they come to the bottom. ~Biblical Illustrator Quoted verses Hosea 4:2 By swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery, they break out, and blood toucheth blood [they add sins to sins]. Matthew 16:6 Then Jesus said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees. Another one from the Biblical Illustrator; Deceiving others and being deceived in turn They cozen others, and the devil cozens them, leading them into far greater errors; and so they shall be punished on a double account. 1. Because they err themselves and resist the truth. 2. Because they have drawn others into error. The participle of the present tense notes their assiduity [constant or close application or effort; diligence] and constancy [quality of being unchanging]; they make it their trade to deceive others: they are still deceiving one or other with their smooth, flattering language. As God loves to employ good men for the conversion of others (not that He needs the help of man, but), for the exercising of the graces of His servants, and for the greater manifestation of His own glory, so the devil, who is God’s ape, loves to deceive men by men. He hath his agents and emissaries everywhere. As good men delight in converting others, so wicked men delight in perverting others: as those would not go to [the Kingdom] alone, so these would not go to [the second death] alone: and therefore they labour to make others twofold more the children of the devil than themselves. ~Biblical Illustrator Here is more from the Biblical Illustrator: Satan the great deceiver As thieves when they would rob a man draw him aside out of the highway into some wood, and then cut his throat, so this grand deceiver and his agents draw men aside from the right way of God’s worship into some bypaths of error to their ruin. The devil he is the cheater of cheaters, and deluder of deluders; it is his constant trade, as the participle implies. And this is the reason why many false teachers may die with boldness and courage for their opinions, viz., because they are blinded and deluded by the devil; they think themselves martyrs, when they are grand deceivers and grossly deceived. We had need, therefore, to pray for the Spirit of grace and illumination that we may see the methods, depths, and devices of Satan and avoid them. ~Biblical Illustrator. Note: The illumination comes from prayer, meditation, immersion in the Word and invoking, as a practice, the power of God. Being deceived A man may tell a lie till he believes it to be the truth. ~Biblical Illustrator Now to the specific commentaries. Verse 13 breaks out into three parts within the commentaries. 1] But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse. 2] Deceiving. 3] And being deceived. 1] But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse. Seducers. Better, ‘magicians,’ ‘sorcerers,’ with reference to Jannes and Jambres. ~Popular commentary Evil men and seducers - The men who hate the church shall become worse and worse. ~People's New Testament 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 connection here is this: that Timothy was not to expect that he would be exempt from persecution 2 Timothy 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” - γόης goēs - 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. ~Barnes Notes But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse - By "evil men" are meant, not sinful men in common, as all are by nature and practice; nor only open profane sinners but rather wicked men under a form of godliness, as before; and who are full of wickedness and malice against truly godly persons, even as the devil himself, of whom the same word is used, when he is called the wicked one; and this is a reason why true professors of religion must expect persecution, seeing as there ever were, so there ever will be such sort of men, who will not grow better, but worse and worse. The word for "seducers", signifies sorcerers, enchanters, a sort of jugglers; and as the other, it well suits with the ecclesiastics of the church of Rome, who pretend to miracles, and do lying wonders, and by their sorceries deceive all nations, Revelation 18:23 and these "shall wax worse and worse"; in principle and in practice, in ungodliness, and in error, in wickedness and malice against the saints, and in the arts of deceiving; so the church of Rome is never to be expected to be better, but worse; at the time of the fall of Babylon she will be an habitation of devils, the hold of every foul spirit, and the cage of every unclean and hateful bird, Revelation 18:2 ~John Gill Quoted verses: Revelation 18:23 And the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee; and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee: for thy merchants were the great men of the earth; for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived. Revelation 18:2 And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird. 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, 2 Timothy 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 2] Deceiving. Deceiving - Making others believe that to be true and right, which is false and wrong. This was, of course, done by seductive arts. ~Barnes Notes Deceiving - not God, but themselves and others even all nations, excepting the elect of God; which they do by their good words and fair speeches, and by their show of devotion and religion, and by their pretended miracles and lying wonders: ~John Gill 3] And being deceived. Deceiving and being deceived - He who has once begun to deceive others is both the less likely to recover from his own error, and the more ready to embrace the errors of other men. ~John Wesley Explanatory Notes 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. ~Jamieson, Fausset, Brown 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. ~Barnes Notes And being deceived - by the old serpent, the devil, under whose power and influence they are, in whose snare they are taken, and by whom they are led captive, and will at last share the same fate with himself, and be cast into the same lake of fire and brimstone. ~John Gill Some quotes on deceivers and liars: "Men are so simple and so much inclined to obey immediate needs that a deceiver will never lack victims for his deceptions." "...deceivers must expect to be deceived." “The liar's punishment is, not in the least that he is not believed, but that he cannot believe anyone else.” "A liar begins with making falsehood appear like truth, and ends with making truth itself appear like falsehood." "A lie can run around the world six times while the truth is still trying to put on its pants." ~Mark Twain A closing verse: 2 John 1:7 For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist. back to the top     back to main page for this verse