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.

Notas al pie

  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

Difficult Times Ahead

1-5 Don’t be naive. There are difficult times ahead. As the end approaches, people are going to be self-absorbed, money-hungry, self-promoting, stuck-up, profane, contemptuous of parents, crude, coarse, dog-eat-dog, unbending, slanderers, impulsively wild, savage, cynical, treacherous, ruthless, bloated windbags, addicted to lust, and allergic to God. They’ll make a show of religion, but behind the scenes they’re animals. Stay clear of these people.

6-9 These are the kind of people who smooth-talk themselves into the homes of unstable and needy women and take advantage of them; women who, depressed by their sinfulness, take up with every new religious fad that calls itself “truth.” They get exploited every time and never really learn. These men are like those old Egyptian frauds Jannes and Jambres, who challenged Moses. They were rejects from the faith, twisted in their thinking, defying truth itself. But nothing will come of these latest impostors. Everyone will see through them, just as people saw through that Egyptian hoax.

Keep the Message Alive

10-13 You’ve been a good apprentice to me, a part of my teaching, my manner of life, direction, faith, steadiness, love, patience, troubles, sufferings—suffering along with me in all the grief I had to put up with in Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra. And you also well know that God rescued me! Anyone who wants to live all out for Christ is in for a lot of trouble; there’s no getting around it. Unscrupulous con men will continue to exploit the faith. They’re as deceived as the people they lead astray. As long as they are out there, things can only get worse.

14-17 But don’t let it faze you. Stick with what you learned and believed, sure of the integrity of your teachers—why, you took in the sacred Scriptures with your mother’s milk! There’s nothing like the written Word of God for showing you the way to salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. Every part of Scripture is God-breathed and useful one way or another—showing us truth, exposing our rebellion, correcting our mistakes, training us to live God’s way. Through the Word we are put together and shaped up for the tasks God has for us.

And know this: in the last days, times will be hard. You see, the world will be filled with narcissistic, money-grubbing, pretentious, arrogant, and abusive people. They will rebel against their parents and will be ungrateful, unholy, uncaring, coldhearted, accusing, without restraint, savage, and haters of anything good. Expect them to be treacherous, reckless, swollen with self-importance, and given to loving pleasure more than they love God. Even though they may look or act like godly people, they’re not. They deny His power. I tell you: Stay away from the likes of these. They’re snakes slithering into the houses of vulnerable women, women gaudy with sin, to seduce them. These reptiles can capture them because these women are weak and easily swayed by their desires. They seem always to be learning, but they never seem to gain the full measure of the truth. And, just as Jannes and Jambres rose up against Moses,[a] these ungodly people defy the truth. Their minds are corrupt, and their faith is absolutely worthless. But they won’t get too far because their stupidity will be noticed by everyone, just as it was with Jannes and Jambres.

Paul challenges Timothy to be prepared. Hard times are coming. Things will go from bad to worse, he warns, because pretentious, hostile, hateful, and betraying people are out there. He tells Timothy to stay away from them and to continue to look to Paul’s example, enduring in love and recalling how Paul himself has followed Jesus. For if Jesus was persecuted, then what should His followers expect for themselves? In the midst of this warning, Paul encourages Timothy.

10 You have been a good student. You have closely observed how I have lived. You’ve followed my instructions, my habits, my purpose, my faith, my patience. You’ve watched how I love and have seen how I endure. You have been with me 11 through persecutions and sufferings—remember what they did to me in Antioch? In Iconium and Lystra? I endured all of it, and the Lord rescued me from it all! 12 Anyone wishing to live a godly life in Jesus the Anointed will be hunted down and persecuted. 13 But as for the wicked and the imposters, they will keep leading and following each other further and further away from the truth. 14 So surely you ought to stick to what you know is certain. All you have learned comes from people you know and trust 15 because since childhood you have known the holy Scriptures, which enable you to be wise and lead to salvation through faith in Jesus the Anointed. 16 All of Scripture is God-breathed; in its inspired voice, we hear useful teaching, rebuke, correction, instruction, and training for a life that is right 17 so that God’s people may be up to the task ahead and have all they need to accomplish every good work.

Notas al pie

  1. 3:8 Exodus 7:11, 22

Watch Out for Sinful People

You must understand this: In the last days there will be violent periods of time. People will be selfish and love money. They will brag, be arrogant, and use abusive language. They will curse their parents, show no gratitude, have no respect for what is holy, and lack normal affection for their families. They will refuse to make peace with anyone. They will be slanderous, lack self-control, be brutal, and have no love for what is good. They will be traitors. They will be reckless and conceited. They will love pleasure rather than God. They will appear to have a godly life, but they will not let its power change them. Stay away from such people.

Some of these men go into homes and mislead weak-minded women who are burdened with sins and led by all kinds of desires. These women are always studying but are never able to recognize the truth.

As Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men oppose the truth. Their minds are corrupt, and the faith they teach is counterfeit. Certainly, they won’t get very far. Like the stupidity of Jannes and Jambres, their stupidity will be plain to everyone.

Teach the Truth

10 But you know all about my teachings, my way of life, my purpose, my faith, my patience, my love, and my endurance. 11 You also know about the kind of persecutions and sufferings which happened to me in the cities of Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra. I endured those persecutions, and the Lord rescued me from all of them. 12 Those who try to live a godly life because they believe in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. 13 But evil people and phony preachers will go from bad to worse as they mislead people and are themselves misled.

14 However, continue in what you have learned and found to be true. You know who your teachers were. 15 From infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures. They have the power to give you wisdom so that you can be saved through faith in Christ Jesus. 16 Every Scripture passage is inspired by God. All of them are useful for teaching, pointing out errors, correcting people, and training them for a life that has God’s approval. 17 They equip God’s servants so that they are completely prepared to do good things.