Difficult Times Ahead

But know this: Difficult times will come in the last days.(A) For people will be lovers of self,(B) lovers of money,(C) boastful, proud,(D) blasphemers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy,(E) unloving, irreconcilable, slanderers,(F) without self-control, brutal, without love for what is good,(G) traitors,(H) reckless,(I) conceited,(J) lovers of pleasure(K) rather than lovers of God, holding to the form of godliness but denying its power.(L) Avoid these people!(M)

For among them are those who worm their way into households and capture idle women burdened down with sins, led along by a variety of passions,(N) always learning and never able to come to a knowledge of the truth.(O) Just as Jannes and Jambres(P) resisted Moses,(Q) so these also resist the truth, men who are corrupt in mind,(R) worthless(S) in regard to the faith. But they will not make further progress, for their lack of understanding will be clear to all, as theirs[a] was also.

Struggles in the Christian Life

10 But you have followed my teaching, conduct, purpose,(T) faith, patience, love,(U) and endurance, 11 along with the persecutions and sufferings(V) that came to me in Antioch,(W) Iconium,(X) and Lystra.(Y) What persecutions I endured! Yet the Lord rescued me from them all. 12 In fact, all those who want to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.(Z) 13 Evil people and impostors will become worse, deceiving(AA) and being deceived. 14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and firmly believed. You know those who taught you,(AB) 15 and you know that from childhood you have known the sacred Scriptures,(AC) which are able to give you wisdom for salvation(AD) through faith in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is inspired by God[b](AE) and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness, 17 so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.(AF)

Footnotes

  1. 2 Timothy 3:9 = Jannes and Jambres
  2. 2 Timothy 3:16 Lit breathed out by God; the Scripture is the product of God’s Spirit working through men; 2Pt 1:20-21.

But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days.(A) People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money,(B) boastful, proud,(C) abusive,(D) disobedient to their parents,(E) ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous,(F) rash, conceited,(G) lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— having a form of godliness(H) but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.(I)

They are the kind who worm their way(J) into homes and gain control over gullible women, who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires, always learning but never able to come to a knowledge of the truth.(K) Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses,(L) so also these teachers oppose(M) the truth. They are men of depraved minds,(N) who, as far as the faith is concerned, are rejected. But they will not get very far because, as in the case of those men,(O) their folly will be clear to everyone.

A Final Charge to Timothy

10 You, however, know all about my teaching,(P) my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, 11 persecutions, sufferings—what kinds of things happened to me in Antioch,(Q) Iconium(R) and Lystra,(S) the persecutions I endured.(T) Yet the Lord rescued(U) me from all of them.(V) 12 In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,(W) 13 while evildoers and impostors will go from bad to worse,(X) deceiving and being deceived.(Y) 14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it,(Z) 15 and how from infancy(AA) you have known the Holy Scriptures,(AB) which are able to make you wise(AC) for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is God-breathed(AD) and is useful for teaching,(AE) rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,(AF) 17 so that the servant of God[a](AG) may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.(AH)

Footnotes

  1. 2 Timothy 3:17 Or that you, a man of God,