2 Timothy 2:16
“But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Paul warns Timothy to avoid empty, godless chatter, because it only spreads and leads to greater ungodliness.
What Does 2 Timothy 2:16 Mean?
In contrast to handling truth well, Paul warns against empty and irreverent talk. Such babble is not harmless; it grows, leading people further and further into ungodliness.
Idle, godless words are like a spreading stain, never staying contained. What begins as foolish talk can erode reverence and drift steadily away from God. Paul tells Timothy simply to shun it, to give it no foothold. There is practical wisdom here about the company we keep and the conversations we entertain. Words shape souls, and empty chatter pulls in the wrong direction. For the reader, the counsel is to guard what we listen to and speak, turning from talk that diminishes godliness and toward words that nourish faith and reverence for the Lord.