2 Timothy 3

1 But be certain of this, that in the last days times of trouble will come.

But of this be assured: in the last days grievous times will set in.

2 For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, uplifted in pride, given to bitter words, going against the authority of their fathers, never giving praise, having no religion,

For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, haughty, profane. They will be disobedient to parents, thankless, irreligious,

3 Without natural love, bitter haters, saying evil of others, violent and uncontrolled, hating all good,

destitute of natural affection, unforgiving, slanderers. They will have no self-control, but will be brutal, opposed to goodness,

4 False to their friends, acting without thought, lifted up in mind, loving pleasure more than God;

treacherous, headstrong, self-important. They will love pleasure instead of loving God,

5 Having a form of religion, but turning their backs on the power of it: go not with these.

and will keep up a make-believe of piety and yet live in defiance of its power. Turn away from people of this sort.

6 For these are they who go secretly into houses, making prisoners of foolish women, weighted down with sin, turned from the way by their evil desires,

Among them are included the men who make their way into private houses and carry off weak women as their prisoners--women who, weighed down by the burden of their sins, are led by ever-changing caprice,

7 Ever learning, and never coming to the knowledge of what is true.

and are always learning something new, and yet are never able to arrive at real knowledge of the truth.

8 And as James and Jambres went against Moses, so do these go against what is true: men of evil minds, who, tested by faith, are seen to be false.

And just as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so also these false teachers withstand the truth--being, as they are, men of debased intellects, and of no real worth so far as faith is concerned.

9 But they will go no farther: for their foolish behaviour will be clear to all men, as theirs was in the end.

But they will have no further success; for their folly will be as clearly manifest to all men, as that of the opponents of Moses came to be.

10 But you took as your example my teaching, behaviour, purpose, and faith; my long waiting, my love, my quiet undergoing of trouble;

But you have intimately known my teaching, life, aims, faith, patience, love, resignation,

11 My punishments and pain; the things which came to me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; the cruel attacks made on me: and the Lord made me free from them all.

and the persecutions and sufferings which I have endured; the things which happened to me in Antioch, Iconium and Lystra. You know the persecutions I endured, and how the Lord delivered me out of them all.

12 Yes, and all whose purpose is to be living in the knowledge of God in Christ Jesus, will be cruelly attacked.

And indeed every one who is determined to live a godly life as a follower of Christ Jesus will be persecuted.

13 Evil and false men will become worse and worse, using deceit and themselves overcome by deceit.

But bad men and impostors will go on from bad to worse, misleading and being misled.

14 But see that you keep to the teaching you have been given and the things of which you are certain, conscious of who has been your teacher;

But you must cling to the things which you have learnt and have been taught to believe, knowing who your teachers were,

15 And that from the time when you were a child, you have had knowledge of the holy Writings, which are able to make you wise to salvation, through faith in Christ Jesus.

and that from infancy you have known the sacred writings which are able to make you wise to obtain salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.

16 Every holy Writing which comes from God is of profit for teaching, for training, for guiding, for education in righteousness:

Every Scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for convincing, for correction of error, and for instruction in right doing;

17 So that the man of God may be complete, trained and made ready for every good work.

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