The nature of Scripture is further explained in this verse, and several other functions are mentioned.
While there are some who interpret All scripture as including other writings in addition to the Old Testament, most interpreters take scripture here as equivalent to “sacred writings” in the previous verse. A problem, though, is whether to translate the Greek text as “All Scripture” (collective) or “Every scripture” (distributive). The former takes the holy Scriptures in their entirety, while the latter focuses on individual parts. Either way the meaning comes out the same.
Inspired by God translates a term that occurs nowhere else in the New Testament. Its literal translation is “God-breathed,” which means that Scripture is produced by God’s breath (or spirit, which is also his power) and is therefore of divine origin. Another possibility is to understand the Scriptures as written by people but as breathed into by God (as in the case of the first man Adam), so that these writings are “alive” and can confront people in a way that accomplishes specific functions for which these writings were produced. This single term has perhaps produced more varieties of interpretation and generated more controversy among Christians than any other term. It is impossible in this Handbook to do justice to all the discussions; those who want a more thorough discussion may consult the commentaries mentioned in the bibliography. Suffice it to say that the mention of this term is not primarily to define the nature of Scripture but to give a reason why Scripture is useful and effective for the functions that are mentioned.
A further question is signaled by the footnotes in both Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation: should the text be read “All Scripture inspired by God” or “All Scripture is inspired by God”? Both are possible because in the Greek the verb “to be” is not used. The first possibility means that this is a further explanation of verse 15, and the sense is something like “The Holy Scriptures give people the wisdom to know how to obtain salvation. Indeed, all God-breathed scripture is useful….” The attractiveness of this option is that it focuses on the usefulness of Scripture and not its nature as inspired writing. However, the second option is the choice by far of more interpreters as being more appropriate in this context; a similar construction cited to support this is found in 1 Tim 4.4, where clearly the verb “to be” should be supplied. Other ways to express All scripture is inspired by God are “God makes all Scriptures alive by his living spirit,” “God caused all Scriptures to become his word.”
Profitable is more properly “useful” (Good News Translation, also New Revised Standard Version). See further on “some value” in 1 Tim 4.8. This phrase may also be rendered as “All of it is valuable (or, useful),” “These writings are all useful,” or “We can use all these writings for….”
Three additional functions of Scripture are then enumerated. Teaching represents the didactic or nurturing function and includes both the task of teaching and its content (compare Good News Translation “teaching the truth”). Reproof represents the apologetic function, or defending the faith from error or false doctrines; the word is derived from a verb that means to reproach someone for doing something wrong (so Good News Translation “rebuking error”). This is of course aimed primarily at the false teachers and their erroneous teachings. Teaching can be also expressed as “teaching the true doctrine,” and reproof as “rebuking (or, criticizing) people for the wrong things that they believe” or “causing people to be ashamed for the wrong things that they believe.”
The ethical function of Scripture is represented both negatively and positively by the expressions correction and training in righteousness. Correction appears only here in the New Testament and denotes restoration to a better state, with the implication that there is some condition or fault that needs to be straightened up (so Good News Translation “correcting faults”). One may also express this as “correcting people when they do wrong” or “telling people what they do wrong so that they may do good.” The positive counterpart of this is training in righteousness. Training translates a word that can mean “discipline” or “punishment,” but in this context it refers to providing instruction to produce proper behavior. Righteousness, like 1 Tim 6.11, is used here in a moral or ethical sense, referring to upright or ethically acceptable behavior (so Good News Translation “right living”). This may also be rendered as “helping them to lead straight lives,” “showing them how to live good lives,” or “showing them how to walk the straight path.”
An alternative translation model for this verse is:
• God makes all Scriptures alive by his living spirit. We can use all these writings to teach people the true doctrines, rebuke (or, criticize) people who do wrong, help people to correct their wrong ways, and show people how to live good (or, straight) lives.
Quoted with permission from Arichea, Daniel C. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Paul’s Second Letter to Timothy. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1995. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .