Book of Common Prayer

He prophesies of the perilous times. He describes the traits of hypocrites, and tells us what they are within for all their fair faces outwardly. Persecution for the gospel.

3 This understand: in the last days, perilous times will come. ² For men will be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, cursed speakers, disobedient to father and mother, unthankful, unholy, ³ unkind, truce breakers, stubborn, false accusers, dissolute, fierce, despisers of those who are good, ⁴ traitors, wilful, high-minded, greedy for pleasures more than lovers of God, ⁵ having a similitude of godly living, but who have denied the power thereof – and from such, turn away. ⁶ Of this sort are those who enter into houses and bring into bondage women laden with sin, which women are led by divers desires and lusts, ⁷ ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.

⁸ As Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, even so do these resist the truth. Men they are of corrupt minds, and ignorant concerning the faith. ⁹ But they will progress no further, for their madness will be revealed to all, as theirs was.

¹⁰ But you have seen the experience of my doctrine, fashion of living, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love, patience – ¹¹ and the persecutions and afflictions that happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, and at Lystra, which persecutions I suffered patiently. And from them all, the Lord delivered me. ¹² Yea, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus must suffer persecutions. ¹³ But the evil men and deceivers will grow worse and worse, while they deceive and are deceived themselves.

¹⁴ But continue in the things that you have learned, which also were committed to you, seeing you know from whom you have learned them, ¹⁵ and also that from childhood you have known the holy scripture, which is able to make you wise unto salvation through the faith that is in Christ Jesus. ¹⁶ For all scripture given by the inspiration of God is profitable to teach, to convict, to reform, and to instruct in righteousness, ¹⁷ so that the man of God may be perfect and prepared for all good works.

³² And they were on the road going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus went before them. And they were amazed, and as they followed, were afraid. And Jesus took the twelve again, and began to tell them the things that would happen to him: ³³ Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of man will be delivered to the high priests and to the scribes. And they will condemn him to death, and will deliver him to the Gentiles. ³⁴ And they will mock him, and scourge him, and spit upon him, and kill him. And the third day he will rise again.

³⁵ And then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him, saying, Teacher, we would like you to do for us whatever we ask. ³⁶ He said to them, What would you like me to do for you? ³⁷ They said to him, Grant to us that we may sit one on your right hand, and the other on your left hand, in your glory. ³⁸ But Jesus said to them, You know not what you ask. Can you drink of the cup that I must drink of, and be baptized in the baptism that I must be baptized in? ³⁹ And they said to him, That we can. Jesus said to them, You will drink of the cup that I will drink of, and be baptized with the baptism that I will be baptized in. ⁴⁰ But to sit on my right hand and on my left hand is not mine to give, but is for them for whom it is prepared.

⁴¹ And when the ten heard this, they began to be much displeased with James and John. ⁴² But Jesus called them to him and said to them, You know that those who are seen to bear rule among the Gentiles reign as lords over them. And those who are great among them exercise authority over them. ⁴³ It shall not be this way among you, but whoever would be great among you shall minister to you, ⁴⁴ and whoever would be chief shall be servant to all. ⁴⁵ For even the Son of man came not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life for the redemption of many.