2 Timothy 3:1–13

Difficult Times Ahead

3But know this: Difficult times will come in the last days. ^e2For people will be lovers of self, ^flovers of money, ^gboastful, proud, ^hblasphemers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, ⁱ³unloving, irreconcilable, slanderers, ^jwithout self-control, brutal, without love for what is good, ^k4traitors, ^lreckless, ^mconceited, ⁿlovers of pleasure ^orather than lovers of God, ⁵holding to the form of godliness but denying its power. ^pAvoid these people! ^q

⁶For among them are those who worm their way into households and capture idle women burdened down with sins, led along by a variety of passions, ^r7always learning and never able to come to a knowledge of the truth. ^s8Just as Jannes and Jambres ^tresisted Moses, ^uso these also resist the truth, men who are corrupt in mind, ^vworthless ^win regard to the faith. ⁹But they will not make further progress, for their lack of understanding will be clear to all, as theirs ^xwas also.

Struggles in the Christian Life

¹⁰But you have followed my teaching, conduct, purpose, ^yfaith, patience, love, ^zand endurance, ¹¹along with the persecutions and sufferings ^athat came to me in Antioch, ^bIconium, ^cand Lystra. ^dWhat persecutions I endured! Yet the Lord rescued me from them all. ¹²In fact, all those who want to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. ^e13Evil people and impostors will become worse, deceiving ^fand being deceived.