What does 2 Timothy 2:15 mean?
“Make every effort to present yourself approved to God, an unashamed workman who accurately handles the word of truth.”
Quick answer
Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.
What it means
The image is of a worker — perhaps a stoneworker cutting a straight road — laying out God's word truthfully.
Being "approved" is God's judgment, not human applause. The audience that matters is one.
"Rightly handling" is literally "cutting straight." Bible teaching should track with what the text actually says, not bend around our preferences.
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Original BibleDawn explanation · reviewed 2026-06-07. Drafted with AI assistance and reviewed for accuracy.