Difficult Times Will Come

But realize this, that (A)in the last days difficult times will come. For people will be (B)lovers of self, (C)lovers of money, (D)boastful, (E)arrogant, (F)slanderers, (G)disobedient to parents, (H)ungrateful, (I)unholy, (J)unloving, irreconcilable, (K)malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, [a](L)haters of good, (M)treacherous, (N)reckless, (O)conceited, (P)lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to a form of [b](Q)godliness although they have (R)denied its power; (S)avoid such people as these. For among them are those who [c](T)slip into households and captivate [d](U)weak women weighed down with sins, led on by (V)various impulses, always learning and never able to (W)come to the [e]knowledge of the truth. Just as (X)Jannes and Jambres (Y)opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, (Z)men of depraved mind, [f]worthless in regard to the faith. But they will not make further progress; for their (AA)foolishness will be obvious to all, just (AB)as was that also of [g]Jannes and Jambres.

10 Now you (AC)followed my teaching, conduct, purpose, faith, patience, (AD)love, [h]perseverance, 11 (AE)persecutions, and (AF)sufferings, such as happened to me at (AG)Antioch, at (AH)Iconium, and at (AI)Lystra; what (AJ)persecutions I endured, and out of them all (AK)the Lord rescued me! 12 Indeed, all who want to live in a godly way in Christ Jesus (AL)will be persecuted. 13 But evil people and impostors (AM)will proceed from bad to worse, (AN)deceiving and being deceived. 14 You, however, (AO)continue in the things you have learned and become convinced of, knowing from whom you have learned them, 15 and that (AP)from childhood you have known (AQ)the sacred writings which are able to (AR)give you the wisdom that leads to (AS)salvation through faith which is in (AT)Christ Jesus. 16 (AU)All Scripture is [i]inspired by God and beneficial for teaching, for [j]rebuke, for correction, for training in righteousness; 17 so that (AV)the man or woman of God may be [k]fully capable, (AW)equipped for every good work.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Timothy 3:3 Lit not loving good
  2. 2 Timothy 3:5 Or religion
  3. 2 Timothy 3:6 Or creep into
  4. 2 Timothy 3:6 Or idle
  5. 2 Timothy 3:7 Or recognition
  6. 2 Timothy 3:8 Or unfit
  7. 2 Timothy 3:9 Lit those
  8. 2 Timothy 3:10 Or steadfastness
  9. 2 Timothy 3:16 Lit God-breathed
  10. 2 Timothy 3:16 Or reprimand
  11. 2 Timothy 3:17 Or proficient

Know That Difficult Times Will Come, And Turn Away From The Ungodly

But know this— that during the last days difficult[a] times will be present. For the people will be self-lovers, money-lovers, boasters, proud, blasphemous, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unaffectionate, unreconcilable[b], slanderous, without-self-control, untamed[c], not-lovers-of-good, traitors, reckless, having become conceited, pleasure-lovers rather than God-lovers, holding a form of godliness but having denied the power of it. Indeed, be turning-away-from these ones.

For They Deceive The Ignorant And Oppose The Truth

For from these are the ones creeping into the houses and taking-captive little-women[d]women having been heaped with sins, being led by various desires, always learning and never being able to come to the knowledge of the truth. And the way Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, in this manner these also oppose the truth— people having been corrupted as to the mind, disapproved with respect to the faith. But they will not advance further, for their folly will be very-evident to everyone, as also the folly of those two came-to-be[e].

Continue In The Teaching And Lifestyle You Have Seen In Me And Learned From The Scriptures

10 Now you closely-followed my teaching, way-of-life, purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, 11 persecutions, sufferings— such as happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra. Such persecutions I endured! And the Lord delivered me out of them all! 12 And indeed all the ones wanting to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. 13 And evil people and impostors will advance to the worse, deceiving and being deceived. 14 But you, be continuing in the things which you learned and were convinced-of, knowing from whom[f] you learned, 15 and that from babyhood you have known the sacred writings being able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus!

All Scripture Is God-Breathed, And Profitable For Equipping Us For Good Works

16 All[g] Scripture is God-breathed[h], and profitable for teaching, for rebuking[i], for correcting[j], for training[k] in righteousness, 17 in order that the person of God may be complete[l], having been equipped for every good work.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Timothy 3:1 Or, hard, hard to bear, troublesome.
  2. 2 Timothy 3:3 That is, unwilling to be reconciled.
  3. 2 Timothy 3:3 Or, savage, brutal.
  4. 2 Timothy 3:6 Paul may be referring negatively to the women, weak-women, silly-women, gullible-women; or, this may be derogatory of the creepers who prey on helpless-women, vulnerable-women. The following three phrases describe the women.
  5. 2 Timothy 3:9 Or, proved-to-be.
  6. 2 Timothy 3:14 This word is plural.
  7. 2 Timothy 3:16 Or, Every.
  8. 2 Timothy 3:16 That is, God-inspired.
  9. 2 Timothy 3:16 Or, refuting, exposing.
  10. 2 Timothy 3:16 Or, amending, restoring, reforming.
  11. 2 Timothy 3:16 Or, discipline, instruction, education.
  12. 2 Timothy 3:17 Or, proficient, fitted to God’s purpose.

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,