2 Timothy
Chapter 3
Overview
This chapter is a personal warning from an experienced teacher to Timothy, his younger coworker. It looks ahead to dangerous times, but the danger is not mainly storms or armies; it is people whose desires have twisted their character while they still look religious. Timothy is told to recognize such teachers, remember the suffering he has already seen, and stay rooted in what he learned from trusted people and sacred writings. The chapter moves from a grim portrait of deception to a steady confidence that truth can expose foolishness and prepare a person to do good.
1You must understand this: in the last days—the final period of history—difficult times will come.
2People will love themselves and money. They will brag, act proud, speak abusively, disobey their parents, show no gratitude, and have no respect for what is sacred.
3They will have no natural affection, refuse to make peace, slander others, lack self-control, act brutally, and hate what is good.
4They will betray others, act recklessly, become swollen with pride, and love pleasure instead of loving God.
5They will maintain an outward appearance of devotion to God while rejecting its power. Stay away from such people.
6Some of them slip into homes and gain control over vulnerable women who are weighed down by sins and driven by all kinds of desires.
7These women are always learning but are never able to come to a true understanding of the truth.
8Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, these people oppose the truth. Their minds are corrupted, and when it comes to faith, they have failed the test.
9But they will not get much farther, because their foolishness will become obvious to everyone, just as the foolishness of Jannes and Jambres did.
10You, however, have closely followed my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, my faith, my patience, my love, and my endurance.
11You know about my persecutions and sufferings—what happened to me in Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra, and the persecutions I endured. Yet the Lord rescued me from them all.
12In fact, everyone who wants to live with devotion to God in union with Jesus the Messiah will be persecuted.
13But evil people and impostors will go from bad to worse. They will deceive others and will themselves be deceived.
14You, however, must remain committed to what you learned and came to trust, remembering the people from whom you learned it.
15From infancy you have known the sacred writings. They can give you the wisdom that leads to God’s rescue through trust in Jesus the Messiah.
16Every sacred writing is breathed out by God and is useful for teaching, showing people where they are wrong, correcting them, and training them to live rightly.
17In this way, the person who belongs to God can be fully capable and equipped for every good work.