audio play audio stop

Godlessness in the Last Days

 But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. ² For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, ³ heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, ⁴ treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, ⁵ having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people. ⁶ For among them are 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 arrive at a knowledge of the truth. ⁸ Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men corrupted in mind and disqualified regarding the faith. ⁹ But they will not get very far, for their folly will be plain to all, as was that of those two men.

All Scripture Is Breathed Out by God

¹⁰ You, however, have followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness, ¹¹ my persecutions and sufferings that happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, and at Lystra—which persecutions I endured; yet from them all the Lord rescued me. ¹² Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, ¹³ while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. ¹⁴ But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom^[a]you learned it ¹⁵ and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. ¹⁶ All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, ¹⁷ that the man of God^[b] may be complete, equipped for every good work.

Footnotes:

1. 2 Timothy 3:14 The Greek for whom is plural
2. 2 Timothy 3:17 That is, a messenger of God (the phrase echoes a common Old Testament expression)

Cross references:

1. 2 Timothy 3:1 : See 1 Tim. 4:1
2. 2 Timothy 3:2 : [Phil. 2:21]
3. 2 Timothy 3:2 : Luke 16:14; [1 Tim. 6:10]
4. 2 Timothy 3:2 : Rom. 1:30
5. 2 Timothy 3:2 : Rom. 1:30
6. 2 Timothy 3:2 : Rom. 1:30
7. 2 Timothy 3:3 : Rom. 1:31
8. 2 Timothy 3:3 : [Titus 1:8]
9. 2 Timothy 3:4 : 1 Tim. 3:6; 6:4
10. 2 Timothy 3:4 : Phil. 3:19
11. 2 Timothy 3:5 : See 1 Tim. 5:8
12. 2 Timothy 3:5 : 1 Tim. 6:20; [Titus 1:14]
13. 2 Timothy 3:6 : [Titus 1:11]
14. 2 Timothy 3:7 : 1 Tim. 2:4
15. 2 Timothy 3:8 : Ex. 7:11
16. 2 Timothy 3:8 : [Acts 13:8]
17. 2 Timothy 3:8 : See 1 Tim. 6:5
18. 2 Timothy 3:8 : Titus 1:16
19. 2 Timothy 3:9 : Ex. 7:12; 8:18; 9:11
20. 2 Timothy 3:10 : [Phil. 2:22]
21. 2 Timothy 3:11 : Acts 13:14, 45, 50
22. 2 Timothy 3:11 : Acts 14:1, 2, 5
23. 2 Timothy 3:11 : Acts 14:6, 19
24. 2 Timothy 3:11 : Ps. 34:19
25. 2 Timothy 3:11 : ch. 4:17; [2 Cor. 1:10]
26. 2 Timothy 3:12 : Titus 2:12
27. 2 Timothy 3:12 : See Acts 14:22
28. 2 Timothy 3:13 : [Rev. 22:11]
29. 2 Timothy 3:13 : Titus 3:3
30. 2 Timothy 3:14 : [1 Tim. 4:6]
31. 2 Timothy 3:15 : [Eph. 6:4]; See ch. 1:5
32. 2 Timothy 3:15 : [John 5:39]
33. 2 Timothy 3:15 : Ps. 119:99
34. 2 Timothy 3:16 : Rom. 15:4; 2 Pet. 1:20, 21
35. 2 Timothy 3:17 : See 1 Tim. 6:11
36. 2 Timothy 3:17 : [Luke 6:40]
37. 2 Timothy 3:17 : See ch. 2:21