2 TIMOTEUS 3
Swaar tye sal kom
1 Dít moet jy weet: in die laaste dae sal daar swaar tye kom. 2 Die mense sal selfsugtig wees, geldgierig, grootpraterig en verwaand, beledigend teenoor hulle medemense en ongehoorsaam aan hulle ouers, ondankbaar en ongodsdienstig; 3 hulle sal liefdeloos en onversoenlik wees, kwaadpraters, bandeloos en wreed, sonder liefde vir die goeie; 4 hulle sal verraaiers wees, roekeloos en hooghartig. Hulle sal eerder liefde vir genot hê as liefde vir God. 5 Hulle sal nog die uiterlike skyn van die godsdiens hê, maar die krag van die godsdiens sal hulle nie ken nie. Bly weg van sulke mense af. 6 Party van hulle dring in die huise in en kry liggelowige vroue wat met sonde belaai is en deur allerlei sinlike begeertes gedryf word, in hulle mag, 7 vroue wat altyd iets wil leer, maar tog nooit tot die kennis van die waarheid kan kom nie. 8 Net soos Jannes en Jambres hulle teen Moses verset het, so verset hierdie mense hulle teen die waarheid, mense wat in die verstand verward is en in die geloof 'n mislukking. 9 Maar hulle sal nie ver kom nie, omdat hulle dwaasheid vir almal duidelik sal wees, net soos dit die geval was met Jannes en Jambres.
Laaste opdrag aan Timoteus
10 Maar jy het my nagevolg in leer, lewenswandel en lewensdoel, in geloof, geduld, liefde en volharding, 11 in vervolging en ontbering soos my te beurt geval het in Antiogië, Ikonium en Listra. Watter vervolging moes ek nie alles verduur nie! Maar die Here het my uit almal gered. 12 Almal wat in Christus Jesus toegewy aan God wil lewe, sal ook vervolg word. 13 Maar goddelose mense en bedrieërs sal voortgaan van kwaad tot erger. Hulle mislei ander en word self mislei.
14 Maar jy, bly by wat jy geleer het en wat jy vas glo. Jy weet tog wie jou leermeesters was 15 en jy ken van kleins af die heilige Skrif. Dit kan jou die kennis bybring wat tot verlossing lei deur die geloof in Christus Jesus. 16 Die hele Skrif is deur God geïnspireer en het groot waarde om in die waarheid te onderrig, dwaling te bestry, verkeerdhede reg te stel en 'n regte lewenswyse te kweek, 17 sodat die man wat in diens van God staan, volkome voorberei en toegerus sal wees vir elke goeie werk.
2 Timothy 3
1 BUT UNDERSTAND this, that in the last days will come (set in) perilous times of great stress and trouble [hard to deal with and hard to bear].2 For people will be lovers of self and [utterly] self-centered, lovers of money and aroused by an inordinate [greedy] desire for wealth, proud and arrogant and contemptuous boasters. They will be abusive (blasphemous, scoffing), disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy and profane.3 [They will be] without natural [human] affection (callous and inhuman), relentless (admitting of no truce or appeasement); [they will be] slanderers (false accusers, troublemakers), intemperate and loose in morals and conduct, uncontrolled and fierce, haters of good.4 [They will be] treacherous [betrayers], rash, [and] inflated with self-conceit. [They will be] lovers of sensual pleasures and vain amusements more than and rather than lovers of God.5 For [although] they hold a form of piety (true religion), they deny and reject and are strangers to the power of it [their conduct belies the genuineness of their profession]. Avoid [all] such people [turn away from them].6 For among them are those who worm their way into homes and captivate silly and weak-natured and spiritually dwarfed women, loaded down with [the burden of their] sins [and easily] swayed and led away by various evil desires and seductive impulses.7 [These weak women will listen to anybody who will teach them]; they are forever inquiring and getting information, but are never able to arrive at a recognition and knowledge of the Truth.8 Now just as Jannes and Jambres were hostile to and resisted Moses, so these men also are hostile to and oppose the Truth. They have depraved and distorted minds, and are reprobate and counterfeit and to be rejected as far as the faith is concerned. 9 But they will not get very far, for their rash folly will become obvious to everybody, as was that of those [magicians mentioned].10 Now you have closely observed and diligently followed my teaching, conduct, purpose in life, faith, patience, love, steadfastness,11 Persecutions, sufferings--such as occurred to me at Antioch, at Iconium, and at Lystra, persecutions I endured, but out of them all the Lord delivered me.12 Indeed all who delight in piety and are determined to live a devoted and godly life in Christ Jesus will meet with persecution [will be made to suffer because of their religious stand].13 But wicked men and imposters will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and leading astray others and being deceived and led astray themselves.14 But as for you, continue to hold to the things that you have learned and of which you are convinced, knowing from whom you learned [them],15 And how from your childhood you have had a knowledge of and been acquainted with the sacred Writings, which are able to instruct you and give you the understanding for salvation which comes through faith in Christ Jesus [through the leaning of the entire human personality on God in Christ Jesus in absolute trust and confidence in His power, wisdom, and goodness].16 Every Scripture is God-breathed (given by His inspiration) and profitable for instruction, for reproof and conviction of sin, for correction of error and discipline in obedience, [and] for training in righteousness (in holy living, in conformity to God’s will in thought, purpose, and action),17 So that the man of God may be complete and proficient, well fitted and thoroughly equipped for every good work.