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20 Now in (A)a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver but also of wood and clay, (B)some for honourable use, some for dishonourable. 21 Therefore, (C)if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonourable,[a] he will be a vessel for honourable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, (D)ready for every good work.

22 So (E)flee (F)youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with (G)those who call on the Lord (H)from a pure heart. 23 Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant (I)controversies; you know that they breed quarrels. 24 And (J)the Lord's servant[b] must not be quarrelsome but (K)kind to everyone, (L)able to teach, patiently enduring evil, 25 correcting his opponents (M)with gentleness. God (N)may perhaps grant them repentance (O)leading to a knowledge of the truth, 26 and they may come to their senses and escape from (P)the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.

Godlessness in the Last Days

But understand this, that (Q)in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be (R)lovers of self, (S)lovers of money, (T)proud, (U)arrogant, abusive, (V)disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, (W)heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, (X)not loving good, treacherous, reckless, (Y)swollen with conceit, (Z)lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but (AA)denying its power. (AB)Avoid such people. For among them are (AC)those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions, always learning and never able to (AD)arrive at a knowledge of the truth. Just as (AE)Jannes and Jambres (AF)opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, (AG)men corrupted in mind and (AH)disqualified regarding the faith. But they will not get very far, for their folly will be plain to all, (AI)as was that of those two men.

All Scripture Is Breathed Out by God

10 (AJ)You, however, have followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness, 11 my persecutions and sufferings that happened to me (AK)at Antioch, (AL)at Iconium, and (AM)at Lystra—which persecutions I endured; yet (AN)from them all (AO)the Lord rescued me. 12 Indeed, all who desire to (AP)live a godly life in Christ Jesus (AQ)will be persecuted, 13 while (AR)evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and (AS)being deceived. 14 But as for you, (AT)continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom[c] you learned it 15 and how (AU)from childhood you have been acquainted with (AV)the sacred writings, (AW)which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16 (AX)All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that (AY)the man of God[d] may be competent, (AZ)equipped (BA)for every good work.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Timothy 2:21 Greek from these things
  2. 2 Timothy 2:24 Greek bondservant
  3. 2 Timothy 3:14 The Greek for whom is plural
  4. 2 Timothy 3:17 That is, a messenger of God (the phrase echoes a common Old Testament expression)

20 In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for special purposes and some for common use.(A) 21 Those who cleanse themselves from the latter will be instruments for special purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work.(B)

22 Flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love(C) and peace, along with those who call on the Lord(D) out of a pure heart.(E) 23 Don’t have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels.(F) 24 And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful.(G) 25 Opponents must be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth,(H) 26 and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil,(I) who has taken them captive to do his will.

But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days.(J) People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money,(K) boastful, proud,(L) abusive,(M) disobedient to their parents,(N) ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous,(O) rash, conceited,(P) lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— having a form of godliness(Q) but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.(R)

They are the kind who worm their way(S) 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.(T) Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses,(U) so also these teachers oppose(V) the truth. They are men of depraved minds,(W) 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,(X) their folly will be clear to everyone.

A Final Charge to Timothy

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

Footnotes

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