2 Timothy 3

Avoid people like this

1 Understand that the last days will be dangerous times.2 People will be selfish and love money. They will be the kind of people who brag and who are proud. They will slander others, and they will be disobedient to their parents. They will be ungrateful, unholy,3 unloving, contrary, and critical. They will be without self-control and brutal, and they won’t love what is good.4 They will be people who are disloyal, reckless, and conceited. They will love pleasure instead of loving God.5 They will look like they are religious but deny God’s power. Avoid people like this.6 Some will slither into households and control immature women who are burdened with sins and driven by all kinds of desires.7 These women are always learning, but they can never arrive at an understanding of the truth.8 These people oppose the truth in the same way that Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses. Their minds are corrupt and their faith is counterfeit.

9 But they won’t get very far. Their foolishness will become obvious to everyone like those others.

Take Paul as your model

10 But you have paid attention to my teaching, conduct, purpose, faithfulness, patience, love, and endurance.11 You have seen me experience physical abuse and ordeals in places such as Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra. I put up with all sorts of abuse, and the Lord rescued me from it all!12 In fact, anyone who wants to live a holy life in Christ Jesus will be harassed.

13 But evil people and swindlers will grow even worse, as they deceive others while being deceived themselves.
14 But you must continue with the things you have learned and found convincing. You know who taught you.15 Since childhood you have known the holy scriptures that help you to be wise in a way that leads to salvation through faith that is in Christ Jesus.16 Every scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for showing mistakes, for correcting, and for training character,

17 so that the person who belongs to God can be equipped to do everything that is good.

2 Timothy 3

Ministry in the Last Days

1 But understand this, that in the last days difficultt times will come.2 For peoplet will be lovers of themselves,t lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy,3 unloving, irreconcilable, slanderers, without self-control, savage, opposed to what is good,4 treacherous, reckless, conceited, loving pleasure rather than loving God.5 They will maintain the outward appearancets of religion but will have repudiated its power. So avoid people like these.t6 For some of these insinuate themselvest into households and captivate weak woment who are overwhelmed with sins and led along by various passions.7 Such women are always seeking instruction,t yet never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth.8 And just as Jannes and Jambress opposed Moses, so these people – who have warped minds and are disqualified in the faitht – also oppose the truth.

9 But they will not go much further,t for their foolishness will be obvious to everyone, just like it was with Jannes and Jambres.t

Continue in What You Have Learned

10 You, however,s have followed my teaching, myt way of life, my purpose, my faith, my patience, my love, my endurance,11 as well as the persecutions and sufferingst that happened to me in Antioch,s in Iconium, and in Lystra.ss I endured these persecutions and the Lord delivered me from them all.12 Now in fact all who want to live godly lives in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.13 But evil people and charlatans will go from bad to worse,t deceiving others and being deceived themselves.t14 You, however, must continuet in the things you have learned and are confident about. You knowt who taught yout15 and how from infancy you have known the holy writings, which are able to give you wisdom for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.16 Every scripturets is inspired by Gods and useful for teaching, for reproof,t for correction, and for training in righteousness,

17 that the person dedicated to Godt may be capablet and equipped for every good work.