1 But of this be sure. In the last days grievous times will come.

2 For men will be selfish, mercenary, boastful, haughty, blasphemous, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, irreligious,

3 without natural affection, merciless, slanderous, dissolute, and brutal.

4 They will hate goodness, they will be treacherous, reckless, blinded with pride, lovers of pleasure, rather than lovers of God.

5 For although they keep up the outward form of religion, they deny its power.

6 Turn away from all such. Some of them creep into private houses and lead captive silly women who, laden with sins,

7 and led captive by ever-changing impulses, are always learning but never able to arrive at knowledge of truth.

8 As Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so also do these men withstand the truth; being corrupt in mind and worthless in all that concerns the faith.

9 But they will not get on; for their folly will be made as openly manifest to all as was that of Jannes and Jambres.

10 But you, Timothy, have followed my teaching, my conduct, my aims, my faith, patience, love, endurance,

11 as well as the persecutions and sufferings which befell me at Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra. You know all the persecutions I endured, and how the Lord delivered me out of them all!

12 Yes, and all who purpose to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.

13 But wicked men and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving others, and being themselves deceived.

14 But do you hold fast what you have learned and have held to be true. You know those from whom you have learned it,

15 and how from a child you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise unto salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.

16 Every Scripture, seeing that it is God-breathed, is also profitable for teaching, for refutation, for correction, and for training in righteousness,

17 so that the man of God may himself be complete, and completely equipped for every good work.