“Perfect” (ἐξηρτισμένος)

exērtismenos
ἐξαρτίζω
exartizō
having been finished
VRPP-SNM
Verb, perfect, passive, participle, singular, nominative, masculine.
to complete; to equip fully 75.5
(2 Timothy 3:17, NA27 Int.)

To make someone perfectly adequate or sufficient for something; to cause to

be fully qualified.

‘completely qualified for every good deed’ 2 Tm 3:17

Louw, J. P., & Nida, E. A. (1996). In Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament: based on
semantic domains (electronic ed. of the 2nd edition., Vol. 1, p. 679). United Bible Societies.
to be thoroughly prepared or furnished
Liddell, H. G. (1996). In A lexicon: Abridged from Liddell and Scott’s Greek-English lexicon (p.
271). Logos Research Systems, Inc.
“Thoroughly equipped” is the combination of an adjective and the perfect passive participle of a
verb. The adjective [perfect) is artios; occurs only here in the NT.
Ralph Earle, 2 Timothy, in Frank E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary:
Ephesians through Philemon (Vol. 11, p. 410). Zondervan Publishing House,1981
“Perfect” is artios (ἀρτιος), “complete, fitted,” having reference to special aptitude for given
uses. It speaks of “a mutual, symmetrical adjustment of all that goes to make a man: a
harmonious combination of different qualities and powers” (Vincent).

“Throughly furnished” is exartizō (ἐξαρτιζω), “to complete, finish.” It has the same root as
artios (ἀρτιος), the word for “perfect.” The prefixed preposition ex (ἐξ) means “out,” and
makes the compound verb mean, “fitted out.”

Translation. Every scripture is God-breathed, and is profitable for teaching, for

conviction, for correction, for training with respect to righteousness, in order that
the man of God may be complete, fitted out for every good work.

Wuest, K. S. (1997). Wuest’s word studies from the Greek New Testament: for the English
reader (Vol. 8, p. 151). Eerdmans.
“Perfect” (ἀρτιος): This word is positioned for special emphasis; it carries the sense of
“complete, competent, able to meet all demands.”
Biblical Studies Press. (2006). The NET Bible First Edition Notes (2 Ti 3:17). Biblical Studies
Press.
 That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works [2
Tim. 3:17].

“Thoroughly furnished”: the Word of God can fit you out for life for every good work.
McGee, J. V. (1991). Thru the Bible commentary: The Epistles (1 and 2
Timothy/Titus/Philemon) (electronic ed., Vol. 50, p. 124). Thomas Nelson.
Baur, Arndt, and Gingrich, Greek-English Lexicon the New Testament define it thus: “complete,
capable, proficient = able to meet all demands” (p. 110, cited in Ralph Earle, 2 Timothy, in
Frank E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Ephesians through Philemon
(Vol. 11, p. 410). Zondervan Publishing House, 1981.
See F.E. Gaebelein, The Christian Use of the Bible (Chicago: Moody Press, 1946) for an
extended treatment of 2 Timothy 3:16, 17.
Commentary Material
Ἀρτιος [Artios] is old word (from root ἀρω [arō], to fit), specially adapted, here only in N. T.
Furnished completely (ἐξηρτισμενος [exērtismenos]). Perfect passive participle of ἐξαρτιζω
[exartizō], rare verb, to furnish (fit) fully (perfective use of ἐξ [ex]), in N. T. only here and Acts
21:5.
Robertson, A. T. (1933). Word Pictures in the New Testament (2 Ti 3:17). Broadman Press.

The Bible Knowledge Commentary:

2 Timothy 3:16–17. Paul had just noted that the Scriptures are able to make one wise with regard
to salvation, a lesson Timothy had learned long before. But now Paul wanted to reemphasize to
Timothy the crucial role of God’s inscripturated revelation in his present ministry. Thus Paul
reminded Timothy that all Scripture is God-breathed (theopneustos, “inspired”), that is, God’s
words were given through men superintended by the Holy Spirit so that their writings are
without error. . . . Then Paul asserted the “usefulness” of the Word. For each aspect of Timothy’s
ministry, whatever it might be—teaching (instructing believers in God’s truths), rebuking those
in sin (cf. 1 Tim. 5:20; 2 Tim. 4:2), correcting those in error (cf. 2 Tim. 2:25; 4:2), and training
(paideian, lit., “child-training”) in righteousness (guiding new believers in God’s ways)—for all
of these and more the written Word of God is profitable. With it the man of God (one who
must provide spiritual leadership to others) is artios——“complete, capable, proficient in the
sense of being able to meet all demands.” To drive home his point still more emphatically Paul
added equipped (exērtismenos, “furnished”) for every good work (cf. 2:21). Paul placed heavy
burdens of ministry on his young disciple in this letter, but he did not do so irresponsibly. He was
confident of Timothy’s commitment to and dependence on the Scriptures, and he was even more
confident of God’s ability to supply all Timothy’s needs through the word.
Litfin, A. D. (1985). 2 Timothy. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge
Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 2, p. 757). Victor Books.

Wiersbe writes,
 Two words in this verse are especially important: “perfect” and “furnished.” The word
translated “perfect” means “complete, in fit shape, in fit condition.” It does not begin to suggest
sinless perfection. Rather, it implies being fitted for use.
“Furnished” has a similar meaning: “equipped for service.” In other words, the Word of God
furnishes and equips a believer so that he can live a life that pleases God and do the work God
wants him to do. The better we know the Word, the better we are able to live a life that pleases
God and do the work God wants him to do. The better we know the Word, the better we are able
to live and work for God.
Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, p. 253). Victor Books.
The goal (3:17): To equip Timothy for every good work.
Willmington, H. L. (1999). The Outline Bible (2 Ti 3:17). Tyndale House Publishers.
Wiersbe again, but different book:
The Bible is the inspired Word of God. The word “inspired” means “God-breathed—filled with
the breath of God.” The Spirit of God enabled men of God to write the Word of God (see 2 Peter
1:20–21), for the Spirit of God is the “breath” of God (John 3:1–8; Ezek. 37:1–14). While men
like Shakespeare may have had literary inspiration of a high quality, they did not write the very
words of God. “All Scripture” means that every word of God is inspired.
Wiersbe, W. W. (1992). Wiersbe’s expository outlines on the New Testament (p. 650). Victor
Books.
complete. Capable of doing everything one is called to do (cf. Col. 2:10). thoroughly equipped.
Enabled to meet all the demands of godly ministry and righteous living.
MacArthur, J., Jr., ed. (1997). The MacArthur Study Bible (electronic ed., p. 1880). Word Pub.
complete (v. 17)—capable of doing everything one is called to do (see Col. 2:10)
thoroughly equipped (v. 17)—Through the Scriptures, believers are enabled to meet all the
demands of godly ministry and righteous living. The Word not only accomplishes this in the life
of the man of God but in all who follow him (Eph. 4:11–13).
MacArthur, J. (2001). 1 & 2 Timothy: Encouragement for Church Leaders (p. 101). W
Publishing Group.
ἄρτιος (Root: αρτι, LN: 75.4; adjective, nominative, singular, masculine)
complete, capable, proficient
Contained in: Subordinate Clause
Syntactic Force: Predicate adjective
Words Modified by ἄρτιος
• adjectival relation: The word ἄρτιος modifies ανθρωπος (noun) in 2Ti 3:17, word 7
(ανθρωπος is within the current clausal unit, after ἄρτιος).
Lukaszewski, A. L., & Dubis, M. (2009). The Lexham Syntactic Greek New Testament:
Expansions and Annotations (2 Ti 3:17). Logos Bible Software.
1 Tim 6:3–16 countered an initial description of false teachers with Timothy, the man of God, as
a soldier ready to do battle for the faith. This section marks a similar transition from the false
teachers to Timothy, man of God, as “fully outfitted” (3:17).
Perkins, P. (2003). Pastoral Epistles. In J. D. G. Dunn & J. W. Rogerson (Eds.), Eerdmans
Commentary on the Bible (p. 1441). William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.
thoroughly equipped. Effective and faithful service thrives on secure Scriptural equipping.
Moo, D. J. (2018). The Letters and Revelation. In D. A. Carson (Ed.), NIV Biblical Theology
Study Bible (p. 2183). Zondervan.
ἄρτιος (Root: αρτι, LN: 75.4; adjective, nominative, singular, masculine)
complete, capable, proficient
Contained in: Subordinate Clause
Syntactic Force: Predicate adjective
Words Modified by ἄρτιος
• adjectival relation: The word ἄρτιος modifies ἄνθρωπος (noun) in 2Ti 3:17, word 7
(ἄνθρωπος is within the current clausal unit, after ἄρτιος).
Lukaszewski, A. L., Dubis, M., & Blakley, J. T. (2011). The Lexham Syntactic Greek New
Testament, SBL Edition: Expansions and Annotations (2 Ti 3:17). Lexham Press.