2 Timothy 3:15

From a babe

(απο βρεφους). Only here in the Pastorals. This teaching from the fifth year, covering the whole of Timothy's recollections. See Mark 9:21 εκ παιδιοθεν, from a child.Thou has known

(οιδας). Present active indicative, progressive perfect reaching from a babe till now. Would that Christian parents took like pains today.The sacred writings

(ιερα γραμματα). "Sacred writings" or "Holy Scriptures." Here alone in N.T., though in Josephus (Proem to Ant. 3; Apion 1, etc.) and in Philo. The adjective ιερος occurs in 1 Corinthians 9:13 of the temple worship, and γραμμα in contrast to πνευμα in 2 Corinthians 3:6; Romans 2:29 and in John 5:47 of Moses' writings, in Acts 28:21 of an epistle, in Galatians 6:11 of letters (characters). In Ephesus there were Εφεσια γραμματα that were βεβηλα (Acts 19:19), not ιερα.To make thee wise

(σε σοφισα). First aorist active infinitive of σοφιζω, old verb (from σοφος), in N.T. only here, and 2 Peter 1:16.Which is in

(της εν). Common idiom with the article, "the in." The use of the Scriptures was not magic, but of value when used "through faith that is in Christ Jesus."