Fathers

2 Timothy 3

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But know this: that in the last days, grievous times will come. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, fierce, not lovers of good, traitors, headstrong, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding a form of godliness, but having denied its power. Turn away from these, also. For some of these are people who creep into houses and take captive gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts, always learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. Even as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these also oppose the truth, men corrupted in mind, who concerning the faith are rejected. But they will proceed no further. For their folly will be evident to all men, as theirs also came to be. But you followed my teaching, conduct, purpose, faith, patience, love, steadfastness, persecutions, and sufferings: those things that happened to me at Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra. I endured those persecutions. The Lord delivered me out of them all. Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. But you remain in the things which you have learned and have been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them. From infancy, you have known the holy Scriptures which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith, which is in Christ Jesus. Every Scripture is God-breathed and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness, that each person who belongs to God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

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What the Fathers say

2 Timothy 3:16

Eastern Fathers

John Chrysostom

"All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works." All what Scripture? all that sacred writing, he means, of which I was speaking. …

Homily on 2 Timothy 9 ↗

Gregory of Nyssa

The Scripture, "given by inspiration of God," as the Apostle calls it, is the Scripture of the Holy Spirit, and its intention is the profit of men. For "every scripture," he says, "is given by inspiration of God and is profitable"; and the profit is varied and multiform, as the Apostle says—"for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness." Such a boon as this, however, is not within any man's reach to lay hold of, but the Divine intention lies hid under the body of the Scripture, as it were under a veil, …

Against Eunomius 7 ↗

Theophylact of Ohrid

Having pointed out many ways of comforting Timothy, the apostle now offers the greatest one as well – in the reading of Holy Scripture. For he intends to communicate to him something sorrowful, namely, that he is finishing his earthly course. So, lest he lose heart as one being deprived of communion with Paul, he says: in place of me you have the Scriptures, which can be profitable to you. Some raise the question: how did the apostle say, "all Scripture is God-breathed"? Are even the Greek writings God-breathed? …

Commentary on 2 Timothy ↗

Western Saints

Augustine of Hippo

The Scriptures are holy, they are truthful, they are blameless.… So we have no grounds at all for blaming Scripture if we happen to deviate in any way, because we haven't understood it. When we do understand it, we are right. But when we are wrong because we haven't understood it, we leave it in the right. When we have gone wrong, we don't make out Scripture to be wrong, but it continues to stand up straight and right, so that we may return to it for correction.

Sermons 23.3 ↗

Thomas Aquinas

Then he discloses the reason, saying, all Scripture, inspired of God, is profitable. And he does three things. He commends Scripture by reason of its principle, by reason of its useful effect, and by reason of its final fruit and success. For if you consider its principle, it has a special place above all writings, because others are given through human reason, while Sacred Scripture is divine. Therefore he says Scripture is inspired of God. …

Commentary on 2 Timothy ↗