2 Timothy 3

Difficult Times in the Last Days

¹ But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. ² People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, ³ without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, ⁴ treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God—⁵ having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people!

⁶ They are the kind who worm their way into homes and gain control over gullible women, who are loaded down with sins and swayed by all kinds of evil desires, ⁷ always learning but never able to come to a knowledge of the truth. ⁸ Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so also these teachers oppose the truth. They are people of depraved minds, who, as far as the faith is concerned, are rejected. ⁹ But they will not get very far because, as in the case of those men, their folly will be clear to everyone.

Paul’s Example of Perseverance

¹⁰ You, however, know all about my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, ¹¹ persecutions, sufferings—what kinds of things happened to me in Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra, the persecutions I endured. Yet the Lord rescued me from all of them! ¹² In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, ¹³ while evildoers and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.

¹⁴ But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, ¹⁵ and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. ¹⁶ All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, ¹⁷ so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Footnotes:

1.“Terrible times” (verse 1) translates the Greek word chalepoi, which carries the sense of violent or fierce times, emphasizing the gravity of moral decay in the last days.

2.“Having a form of godliness” (verse 5) refers to outward displays of religious behavior that lack the transformative power of true faith. The word morphosis signifies an appearance, while the denial of power shows their faith is superficial.

3.“Jannes and Jambres” (verse 8) are names traditionally given to the Egyptian magicians who opposed Moses in the Exodus narrative (Exodus 7:11). Paul uses them as symbols of rebellion against the truth of God.

4.“My teaching, my way of life” (verse 10) highlights the intimate mentorship Timothy received from Paul. The word agogē (way of life) points to Paul’s lifestyle as a lived example of his teaching.

5.“The Holy Scriptures” (verse 15) refers to the Jewish Scriptures (what we now call the Old Testament). These Scriptures were instrumental in bringing Timothy to faith and preparing him for salvation through Christ.

6.“God-breathed” (verse 16) comes from the Greek word theopneustos, meaning that Scripture is directly inspired by God, having divine authority for teaching, correcting, and preparing believers.

7.“Thoroughly equipped” (verse 17) uses the Greek exartizo, which conveys the idea of complete preparation, ensuring that the believer is fully furnished for every task and challenge in God’s service.