Avoid the irreverent babble and contradictions of what is falsely called “knowledge,” for by professing it some have swerved from the faith.

WHO ARE 5 IRREVERENT BABBLERS THAT YOU PERSONALLY KNOW?

What kind of “knowledge” do these irreverent babblers preoccupy themselves with?

You are aware that Phygelus and Hermogenes turned away from me.

Who would you publicly name as quisling irreverent babblers?

Avoid irreverent babble, for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness, and their talk will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, who have swerved from the truth. They are upsetting the faith of some.

Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels. But patiently enduring evil. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.

But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, proud, arrogant, abusive, heartless, unappeasable, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people. They capture and cajole and control weak women; they are always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth. These men are corrupted in mind and disqualified regarding the faith. But they will not get very far, for their folly will be plain to all, as was that of those two men.

Evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. But as for you, continue in what you have learned from the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.