What does 2 Timothy 3:16 mean?
“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for instruction, for conviction, for correction, and for training in righteousness,”
All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, reproof, correction, and training in righteousness. The verse names the Bible as God's own breath, for our formation.
"Breathed out by God" (theopneustos) is Paul's coined word: Scripture is exhaled by God himself. It is his book.
Four uses are named — teach, reprove, correct, train. Scripture is not just a source of information; it forms whole persons.
The next verse names the goal: that the person of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. Scripture's purpose is competence in Christian living, not mere knowledge.
Original BibleDawn explanation · reviewed 2026-06-07. Drafted with AI assistance and reviewed for accuracy.