I had a study about 2 weeks that touched on 2 Tim 2:15 and I wanted to compare some translations to have a better understand of this verse. I pulled up KJV, NIV, NKJV and ESV. This is what I saw (I use KJV when studying most of the time)
KJV – Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
NIV – Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.
NKJV – Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
ESV – Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved,[a] a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.
ESV Foot Note – 2 Timothy 2:15 That is, one approved after being tested
At 1st I was shocked when I saw NIV, ESV) all said Do your best to present yourself to God. I saw this like in doing this as a work and I know that when I became born again I am approved unto God through the blood of Jesus. So I had to dig further.
I learned that 2 Timothy was one of the last books (If not the last book) Paul wrote while in Jail just before his death. It was written to Timothy who was a pastor at this time, tell him to work and study hard so that he could lead his people who the true gospel and not into the many errors that started to come into the church at this time.
I also went looked up what was in the Greek to get a better understanding
Hasten, yourself, approved, to present, to God, a workman, not ashamed.
(This is what I saw in inter-translation of the Greek)
Then I saw the word diligent in the NKJV and I looked that up in a dictionary and this is what it means
Have or showing care in ones work or duty, attentive, persistent in doing anything.
I began to think about about how education has changed over the 200 years or so and how we have lost the ability to think and learn deeply. Years ago when you study something you became an expert in what you were learning. (an example is when the Jewish boys went to learn at a young age that had to memorize the old testament).
Today we have so much knowledge we get lost in it and social media is filling the gap with our time.
I know social media is good in many areas yet we get lost in it and time flies away.
I came across one more version that I think clears this all up and speaks volumes to me.
Amplified version – Study and be eager and do your utmost to present yourself to God approved (tested by trial), a workman who has no cause to be ashamed, correctly analyzing and accurately dividing [rightly handling and skillfully teaching] the Word of Truth.
So the word study is very narrow and it does not show how important it is for us to be eager when we study (give all we got) when we study the word of God.
(KJV-King James),(NIV-New International Version),(ESV – English Standered Vesrsion)