2 Timothy 3 - Perilous Times and the Inspired Scriptures
Paul warns of perilous last days and affirms that all scripture is given by inspiration of God.
After teaching Timothy to rightly divide the word of truth in 2 Timothy 2, Paul now describes the perilous character of the last days, listing traits like selfishness, pride, and having a form of godliness while denying its power. He points to Jannes and Jambres, who withstood Moses, as an example of minds corrupted and resisting the truth.
But know this, that in the last days, grievous times will come.
For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
without natural affection, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, fierce, no lovers of good,
traitors, headstrong, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God;
holding a form of godliness, but having denied the power thereof. Turn away from these, also.
For of these are those who creep into houses, and take captive gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts,
always learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
Even as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so do these also oppose the truth; men corrupted in mind, reprobate concerning the faith.
But they will proceed no further. For their folly will be evident to all men, as theirs also came to be.
But you did follow my teaching, conduct, purpose, faith, patience, love, steadfastness,
persecutions, and sufferings: those things that happened to me at Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra. I endured those persecutions. Out of them all the Lord delivered me.
Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.
But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.
But you remain in the things which you have learned and have been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them.
From infancy, you have known the sacred writings which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith, which is in Christ Jesus.
Every writing inspired by God{literally, God-breathed} is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction which is in righteousness,
that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.