THE SECOND EPISTLE OF PAUL TO TIMOTHY - Chapter 3 - Verse 3

Verse 3. Without natural affection. See Barnes "Ro 1:31".

Trucebreakers. The same word in Ro 1:31, is rendered implacable. See Barnes "Ro 1:31".

It properly means, without treaty; that is, those who are averse to any treaty or compact. It may thus refer to those who are unwilling to enter into any agreement; that is, either those who are unwilling to be reconciled to others when there is a variance— implacable; or those who disregard treaties or agreements. In either case, this marks a very corrupt condition of society. Nothing would be more indicative of the lowest state of degradation, than that in which all compacts and agreements were utterly disregarded.

False accusers. Marg., makebates. The word makebate means one who excites contentions and quarrels. Webster. The Greek here is diaboloi—devils —the primitive meaning of which is, calumniator, slanderer, accuser. Comp. See Barnes "1 Ti 3:11, where the word is rendered slanderers.

Incontinent. 1 Co 7:5. Literally, without strength; that is, without strength to resist the solicitations of passion, or who readily yield to it.

Fierce. The Greek word used here— anhmerov does not elsewhere occur in the New Testament. It means ungentle, harsh, severe, and is the opposite of gentleness and mildness. Religion produces gentleness; the want of it makes men rough, harsh, cruel. See Barnes "2 Ti 2:24".

Despisers of those that are good. In Tit 1:8, it is said of a bishop that he must be "a lover of good men." This, in every condition of life, is a virtue; and hence the opposite of it is here set down as one of the characteristics of that evil age of which the apostle speaks.

{1} "false accusers" "makebates"