2 Timothy 3:1-7
New English Translation
Ministry in the Last Days
3 But understand this, that in the last days difficult[a] times will come. 2 For people[b] will be lovers of themselves,[c] lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 unloving, irreconcilable, slanderers, without self-control, savage, opposed to what is good, 4 treacherous, reckless, conceited, loving pleasure rather than loving God. 5 They will maintain the outward appearance[d] of religion but will have repudiated its power. So avoid people like these.[e] 6 For some of these insinuate themselves[f] into households and captivate weak women[g] who are overwhelmed with sins and led along by various passions. 7 Such women are always seeking instruction,[h] yet never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth.
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- 2 Timothy 3:1 tn Or perhaps, “dangerous,” “fierce.”
- 2 Timothy 3:2 tn Grk “men,” but here ἄνθρωποι (anthrōpoi) is generic, referring to both men and women.
- 2 Timothy 3:2 tn Or “self-centered.” The first two traits in 2 Tim 3:2 and the last two in 3:4 are Greek words beginning with the root “lovers of,” and so bracket the list at beginning and end.
- 2 Timothy 3:5 tn Or “form.”sn Outward appearance. Paul’s contrast with power in 3:5b shows that he regards this “form” to be outward, one of appearance rather than reality (cf. 1 Cor 4:19-20; 1 Thess 1:5).
- 2 Timothy 3:5 tn Grk “and avoid these,” with the word “people” implied.
- 2 Timothy 3:6 tn Grk “For from these are those who sneak.”
- 2 Timothy 3:6 tn Or “silly women.”
- 2 Timothy 3:7 tn Grk “always learning,” continuing the description of the women from v. 6. Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
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