Some Will Depart from the Faith

4 Now ^(A)the Spirit expressly says that ^(B)in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to ^(C)deceitful spirits and teachings of demons,

Godlessness in the Last Days

3 But understand this, that ^(A)in the last days there will come times of difficulty. ² For people will be ^(B)lovers of self, ^(C)lovers of money, ^(D)proud, ^(E)arrogant, abusive, ^(F)disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, ^3 (G)heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, ^(H)not loving good, ⁴ treacherous, reckless, ^(I)swollen with conceit, ^(J)lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, ⁵ having the appearance of godliness, but ^(K)denying its power. ^(L)Avoid such people. ⁶ For among them are ^(M)those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions, ⁷ always learning and never able to ^(N)arrive at a knowledge of the truth. ⁸ Just as ^(O)Jannes and Jambres ^(P)opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, ^(Q)men corrupted in mind and ^(R)disqualified regarding the faith. ⁹ But they will not get very far, for their folly will be plain to all, ^(S)as was that of those two men.

False Prophets and Teachers

2 But ^(A)false prophets also arose among the people, ^(B)just as there will be false teachers among you, who will ^(C)secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master ^(D)who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction.

¹⁸ They^[a] said to you, ^(A)“In the last time there will be scoffers, following their own ungodly passions.”

¹³ For such men are ^(A)false apostles, ^(B)deceitful workmen, ^(C)disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. ¹⁴ And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as ^(D)an angel of light. ¹⁵ So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as ^(E)servants of righteousness. ^(F)Their end will correspond to their deeds.

^3 (A)Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, ^(B)unless the rebellion comes first, and ^(C)the man of lawlessness^[a] is revealed, ^(D)the son of destruction,^{[b] 4} who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, ^(E)proclaiming himself to be God. ⁵ Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things? ⁶ And you know what is restraining him now so that he may be revealed in his time. ⁷ For ^(F)the mystery of lawlessness ^(G)is already at work. Only he who now restrains it will do so until he is out of the way. ⁸ And then ^(H)the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus ^(I)will kill with ^(J)the breath of his mouth and bring to nothing by ^(K)the appearance of his coming. ⁹ The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan ^(L)with all power and false signs and wonders, ¹⁰ and with all wicked deception for ^(M)those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. ¹¹ Therefore ^(N)God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe ^(O)what is false, ¹² in order that all may be condemned ^(P)who did not believe the truth but ^(Q)had pleasure in unrighteousness.

³ knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come ^(A)in the last days with scoffing, ^(B)following their own sinful desires.

⁴ For ^(A)certain people ^(B)have crept in unnoticed ^(C)who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert ^(D)the grace of our God into sensuality and ^(E)deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.

³ But I am afraid that ^(A)as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts ^(B)will be led astray from a ^(C)sincere and ^(D)pure devotion to Christ.