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)

⁶ For among them are those who worm their way into households and deceive gullible women overwhelmed by sins and led astray by a variety of passions,^{(N) 7} always learning and never able to come to a knowledge of the truth.^{(O) 8} Just as Jannes and Jambres^(P) resisted Moses,^(Q) so these also resist the truth. They are men who are corrupt in mind^(R) and worthless^(S) in regard to the faith. ⁹ But they will not make further progress, for their foolishness will be clear to all, as was the foolishness of Jannes and Jambres.

Struggles in the Christian Life

¹⁰ But you have followed my teaching, conduct, purpose,^(T) faith, patience, love,^(U) and endurance, ¹¹ along with the persecutions and sufferings^(V) that came to me in Antioch,^(W) Iconium,^(X) and Lystra.^(Y) What persecutions I endured—and yet the Lord rescued me from them all. ¹² In fact, all who want to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.^{(Z) 13} Evil people and impostors will become worse, deceiving^(AA) and being deceived.

Persecutions Predicted

¹⁸ “If the world hates^(A) you, understand that it hated me before it hated you. ¹⁹ If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own. However, because you are not of the world, but I have chosen^(B) you out of it, the world hates you. ²⁰ Remember the word I spoke to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’^(C) If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word,^(D) they will also keep yours. ²¹ But they will do all these things to you on account of my name,^(E) because they don’t know^(F) the one who sent me.

The Believer’s Triumph

³¹ What, then, are we to say about these things?^(A) If God is for us, who is against us?^{(B) 32} He did not even spare his own Son^(C) but gave him up for us all.^(D) How will he not also with him grant us everything? ³³ Who can bring an accusation against God’s elect?^(E) God is the one who justifies.^{(F) 34} Who is the one who condemns?^(G) Christ Jesus is the one who died,^(H) but even more, has been raised;^(I) he also is at the right hand of God^(J) and intercedes for us.^{(K) 35} Who can separate us from the love of Christ? Can affliction^(L) or distress or persecution^(M) or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? ³⁶ As it is written:

³⁷ No, in all these things we are more than conquerors^(P) through him who loved us.^{(Q) 38} For I am persuaded that neither death nor life,^(R) nor angels nor rulers,^(S) nor things present nor things to come,^(T) nor powers, ³⁹ nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God^(U) that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.^(V)