2 Timothy 3–4

DIFFICULT TIMES AHEAD

3But know this: Hard times will come in the last days.^{w 2}For people will be lovers of self,^x lovers of money,^y boastful, proud,^z demeaning, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy,^{aa 3}unloving, irreconcilable, slanderers,^ab without self-control, brutal, without love for what is good,^{ac 4}traitors,^ad reckless,^ae conceited,^af lovers of pleasure^ag rather than lovers of God, ⁵holding to the form of godliness but denying its power.^ah Avoid these people.^ai

⁶For among them are those who worm their way into households and deceive gullible women overwhelmed by sins and led astray by a variety of passions,^{aj 7}always learning and never able to come to a knowledge of the truth.^{ak 8}Just as Jannes and Jambres^al resisted Moses,^am so these also resist the truth. They are men who are corrupt in mind^an and worthless^ao in regard to the faith. ⁹But they will not make further progress, for their foolishness will be clear to all, as was the foolishness of Jannes and Jambres.

STRUGGLES IN THE CHRISTIAN LIFE

¹⁰But you have followed my teaching, conduct, purpose,^ap faith, patience, love,^aq and endurance, ¹¹along with the persecutions and sufferings^ar that came to me in Antioch,^as Iconium,^at and Lystra.^au What persecutions I endured—and yet the Lord rescued me from them all. ¹²In fact, all who want to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.^{av 13}Evil people and impostors will become worse, deceiving^aw and being deceived. ¹⁴But as for you, continue in what you have learned and firmly believed. You know those who taught you,^{ax 15}and you know that from infancy you have known the sacred Scriptures,^ay which are able to give you wisdom for salvation^az through faith in Christ Jesus. ¹⁶All Scripture is inspired by God^Aba and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness, ¹⁷so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.^bb

FULFILL YOUR MINISTRY

4I solemnly charge you before God and Christ Jesus, who is going to judge^bc the living and the dead,^bd and because of his appearing and his kingdom:^{be 2}Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; correct, rebuke, and encourage with great patience and teaching. ³For the time will come when people will not tolerate sound doctrine,^bf but according to their own desires, will multiply teachers for themselves because they have an itch to hear what they want to hear. ⁴They will turn away from hearing the truth and will turn aside to myths.^{a 5}But as for you, exercise self-control in everything, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist,^b fulfill your ministry.

⁶For I am already being poured out as a drink offering,^c and the time for my departure is close. ⁷I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. ⁸There is reserved for me the crown^d of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge,^e will give me on that day, and not only to me, but to all those who have loved his appearing.^Af

FINAL INSTRUCTIONS

⁹Make every effort to come to me soon,^{g 10}because Demas^h has deserted me,ⁱ since he loved this present world, and has gone to Thessalonica.^j Crescens has gone to Galatia,^k Titus^l to Dalmatia. ¹¹Only Luke^m is with me. Bring Markⁿ with you, for he is useful to me in the ministry. ¹²I have sent Tychicus^o to Ephesus. ¹³When you come, bring the cloak I left in Troas^p with Carpus, as well as the scrolls, especially the parchments. ¹⁴Alexander^q the coppersmith did great harm to me. The Lord will repay him according to his works. ¹⁵Watch out^r for him yourself because he strongly opposed our words.

¹⁶At my first defense, no one stood by me, but everyone deserted me.^s May it not be counted against them. ¹⁷But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me, so that I might fully preach the word and all the Gentiles might hear it. So I was rescued from the lion’s mouth. ¹⁸The Lord will rescue me from every evil work and will bring me safely into his heavenly kingdom.^t To him be the glory forever and ever! Amen.

BENEDICTION

¹⁹Greet Prisca and Aquila,^u and the household of Onesiphorus.^{v 20}Erastus^w has remained at Corinth; I left Trophimus^x sick at Miletus.^{y 21}Make every effort to come before winter. Eubulus greets you, as do Pudens, Linus, Claudia, and all the brothers and sisters.

²²The Lord be with your spirit. Grace be with you all.