2 Timothy 2:24-26 with notes

2 Timothy 2:24-26 And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will.

Macarthur study Notes: able to teach. This is one word in Gr. meaning "skilled in teaching." those who are in opposition. Primarily unbelievers (captive to Satan, v. 26), but also could include believers deceived by the foolish and ignorant" (v. 23) speculations of the false teachers; and possibly, the false teachers themselves. God may grant them repentance. Cf. Acts 11:18; see 2 Corinthians 7:9,10. All true repentance is produced by God's sovereign grace (Ephesians 2:7), and without such grace human effort to change is futile (cf. Jeremiah 13:23). knowledge of the truth. When God, by grace, grants saving faith it includes the granting of repentance from sin. Neither is a human work. the snare of the devil. Deception is Satan's trap. He is an inveterate, scheming, clever, and subtle purveyor of lies.

Esv study Bible Notes: Servant is the common word for “slave” or “bondservant” (Gk. doulos), but Paul uses it also to refer to those who preach the gospel, e.g., himself (Rom. 1:1; Gal. 1:10; Titus 1:1) and Epaphras (Col. 4:12). This section (2 Tim. 2:24–26) is a key passage concerning a pastor's handling of troublesome people in the church. Most interpreters see these opponents as unbelievers who do not have a knowledge of the truth (i.e., salvation; cf. note on 1 Tim. 2:4). Paul emphasizes the importance of not dealing with such “quarrelsome” people in a “quarrelsome” manner (2 Tim. 2:24) but rather correcting the opponents in a spirit of gentleness (2 Cor. 10:1; Gal. 6:1; Eph. 4:2; 1 Pet. 3:15; cf. come to their senses. Rom. 1:21; 1:22), salvation brings the ability to begin to see reality. Paul's regular reference to the false teachers' lack of knowledge and understanding (e.g., 2 Tim. 2:16, 23; 3:8) points to the fact that they fail to grasp what is really true. the snare of the devil. Paul often describes humanity as enslaved by the devil and in need of rescue (see 2 Cor. 4:4).