Prokopto means, to drive forwards as if with repeated strokes (Dr. Bullinger's Lexicon).

"To continue" (3: 14), on the other hand, is the translation of meno "to abide", as in

2: 13 and 4: 20, and is a strong contrast with the "driving forward" of these men who

are called "evil" and "seducers".

"Evil" poneros is the character of this age "this evil age" (Gal. 1: 4) and of the

"wicked" one (Matt. 13: 19). The apostle uses the word but once more in II Timothy,

namely when he says:

"Seducer" goes from goao "to moan", and referring to the "wizards that peep and

mutter" (Isa. 8: 19). Secular writers join goes with magos "magician" and Josephus

uses the word to describe an imposter during the government of Felix (Jos. Ant. 20: vii).

The reader will need no reminder of Jannes and Jambres who withstood Moses and

whom the apostle brought forward to exemplify the kind of opposition which the truth

will meet in the last days (3: 1-8). Neither will he need reminding of the teachers who

will turn away the ears of the people from the truth and turn them unto fables or myths

(4: 4). There is an apparent contradiction between II Tim. 2: 16, 3: 9 and 3: 13, for

one passage says "they will increase", another passage using the same word says "they

shall proceed no further", and yet another using the same word says "they shall wax

worse and worse". The discrepancy however is only superficial. Timothy is warned in

2: 16 to shun profane and vain babblings, for such will increase, yea eat as a canker. He

is comforted in 3: 9 by the fact that all evil has a limit, and just as Jannes and Jambres

were compelled to admit that their enchantments failed in the presence of the mighty

power of God, so shall be made manifest the folly of the opponents of the truth "as theirs

also was". Until that day comes, however, Timothy and ourselves must expect evil men

and seducers to wax worse and worse, and consequently persecution for the truth's sake

will never be far away. "Deceiving and being deceived." Can anyone be a deceiver of

others without being eventually deceived himself? It would appear not, for the very

untruth that one teaches wittingly or unwittingly, takes the place of the truth that alone

makes free.  Planao, translated "to deceive", primarily means "to wander", which

meaning is still preserved in our word "planet", translated in Jude 13 "wandering stars"

and in the references to "wandering" or "straying" sheep (Matt. 18: 12; I Pet. 2: 25).

When at last God shall send "a strong delusion (plane) that they shall believe the lie"

(II Thess. 2: 11) it is but a judicial reflex for such "received not the love of the truth, that

they might be saved"; "who believed not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness"

(II Thess. 2: 10-12).

In intense and purposeful contrast with this expansion of error, the apostle places

Timothy's "continuance". It is not easy to divorce some element of movement from the

English word "continue" but the Greek meno, meaning to abide or to remain, has no such

idea at all. Other translations of meno in the Authorized Version are "be present",

"abide", "dwell", "tarry", "remain".  The idea is well expressed in I Cor. 13:  In

contrast with those things which are to "vanish away" or "be done away" or "be put