Difficult Times Will Come
1 But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. 2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, slanderers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, 3:3 Lit not loving goodhaters of good, 4 treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 holding to a form of 3:5 Or religiongodliness although they have denied its power; avoid such people as these. 6 For among them are those who 3:6 Or creep intoslip into households and captivate 3:6 Or idleweak women weighed down with sins, led on by various impulses, 7 always learning and never able to come to the 3:7 Or recognitionknowledge of the truth. 8 Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men of depraved mind, 3:8 Or unfitworthless in regard to the faith. 9 But they will not make further progress; for their foolishness will be obvious to all, just as was that also of 3:9 Lit thoseJannes and Jambres.
10 Now you followed my teaching, conduct, purpose, faith, patience, love, 3:10 Or steadfastnessperseverance, 11 persecutions, and sufferings, such as happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, and at Lystra; what persecutions I endured, and out of them all the Lord rescued me! 12 Indeed, all who want to live in a godly way in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. 13 But evil people and impostors will proceed from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. 14 You, however, continue in the things you have learned and become convinced of, knowing from whom you have learned them,15 and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is 3:16 Lit God-breathedinspired by God and beneficial for teaching, for 3:16 Or reprimandrebuke, for correction, for training in righteousness; 17 so that the man or woman of God may be 3:17 Or proficientfully capable, equipped for every good work.