Difficult Times Ahead

3 But know this: Hard times will come in the last days.^{(A) 2} For people will be lovers of self,^(B) lovers of money,^(C) boastful, proud,^(D) demeaning, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy,^{(E) 3} unloving, irreconcilable, slanderers,^(F) without self-control, brutal, without love for what is good,^{(G) 4} traitors,^(H) reckless,^(I) conceited,^(J) lovers of pleasure^(K) rather than lovers of God, ⁵ holding to the form of godliness but denying its power.^(L) Avoid these people.^(M)

¹³ Evil people and impostors will become worse, deceiving^(A) and being deceived. ¹⁴ But as for you, continue in what you have learned and firmly believed. You know those who taught you,^{(B) 15} and you know that from infancy you have known the sacred Scriptures,^(C) which are able to give you wisdom for salvation^(D) through faith in Christ Jesus. ¹⁶ All Scripture is inspired by God^[a](E) 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.^(F)