Final Instructions and Greetings

¹⁷ I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles ^(A)contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; ^(B)avoid them. ¹⁸ For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but ^(C)their own appetites,^[a] and ^(D)by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive.

Godlessness in the Last Days

3 But understand this, that ^(A)in the last days there will come times of difficulty. ² For people will be ^(B)lovers of self, ^(C)lovers of money, ^(D)proud, ^(E)arrogant, abusive, ^(F)disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, ^3 (G)heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, ^(H)not loving good, ⁴ treacherous, reckless, ^(I)swollen with conceit, ^(J)lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, ⁵ having the appearance of godliness, but ^(K)denying its power. ^(L)Avoid such people. ⁶ For among them are ^(M)those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions, ⁷ always learning and never able to ^(N)arrive at a knowledge of the truth. ⁸ Just as ^(O)Jannes and Jambres ^(P)opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, ^(Q)men corrupted in mind and ^(R)disqualified regarding the faith. ⁹ But they will not get very far, for their folly will be plain to all, ^(S)as was that of those two men.

⁹ He must ^(A)hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in ^(B)sound^[a] doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it.

¹⁰ For there are many who are insubordinate, ^(C)empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of ^(D)the circumcision party.^{[b] 11} They must be silenced, since ^(E)they are upsetting whole families by teaching ^(F)for shameful gain what they ought not to teach.

¹² For what have I to do with judging ^(A)outsiders? ^(B)Is it not those inside the church^[a] whom you are to judge? ¹³ God judges^[b] those outside. ^(C)“Purge the evil person from among you.”