Perilous Times and Perilous Men

3 But know this, that ^(A)in the last days ^[a]perilous times will come: ² For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, ³ unloving, ^[b]unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, ^4 (B)traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, ^5 (C)having a form of godliness but ^(D)denying its power. And ^(E)from such people turn away! ⁶ For ^(F)of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts, ⁷ always learning and never able ^(G)to come to the knowledge of the truth. ^8 (H)Now as Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses, so do these also resist the truth: ^(I)men of corrupt minds, ^(J)disapproved concerning the faith; ⁹ but they will progress no further, for their folly will be manifest to all, ^(K)as theirs also was.

The Man of God and the Word of God

^10 (L)But you have carefully followed my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love, perseverance, ¹¹ persecutions, afflictions, which happened to me ^(M)at Antioch, ^(N)at Iconium, ^(O)at Lystra—what persecutions I endured. And ^(P)out of them all the Lord delivered me. ¹² Yes, and ^(Q)all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. ^13 (R)But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. ¹⁴ But you must ^(S)continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, ¹⁵ and that from childhood you have known ^(T)the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

Israel’s Irresponsible Leaders

Defilement Comes from Within^(A)

15 Then ^(B)the scribes and Pharisees who were from Jerusalem came to Jesus, saying, ^2 (C)“Why do Your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread.”

³ He answered and said to them, “Why do you also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition? ⁴ For God commanded, saying, ^(D)‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ^(E)‘He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.’ ⁵ But you say, ‘Whoever says to his father or mother, ^(F)“Whatever profit you might have received from me is a gift to God”— ⁶ then he need not honor his father ^[a]or mother.’ Thus you have made the ^[b]commandment of God of no effect by your tradition. ^7 (G)Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying:

John Baptizes Jesus^(A)

²¹ When all the people were baptized, ^(B)it came to pass that Jesus also was baptized; and while He prayed, the heaven was opened. ²² And the Holy Spirit descended in bodily form like a dove upon Him, and a voice came from heaven which said, “You are My beloved Son; in You I am ^(C)well pleased.”

Satan Tempts Jesus^(A)

4 Then ^(B)Jesus, being filled with the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and ^(C)was led by the Spirit ^[a]into the wilderness, ² being ^[b]tempted for forty days by the devil. And ^(D)in those days He ate nothing, and afterward, when they had ended, He was hungry.

³ And the devil said to Him, “If You are ^(E)the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.”