2 Timothy — Chapter 3
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1But understand this: In the last days terrible times will come.
2For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy,
3unloving, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, without love of good,
4traitorous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,
5having a form of godliness but denying its power. Turn away from such as these!
6They are the kind who worm their way into households and captivate vulnerable women who are weighed down with sins and led astray by various passions,
7who are always learning but never able to come to a knowledge of the truth.
8Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so also these men oppose the truth. They are depraved in mind and disqualified from the faith.
9But they will not advance much further. For just like Jannes and Jambres, their folly will be plain to everyone.
10You, however, have observed my teaching, my conduct, my purpose, my faith, my patience, my love, my perseverance,
11my persecutions, and the sufferings that came upon me in Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra. What persecutions I endured! Yet the Lord rescued me from all of them.
12Indeed, all who desire to live godly lives in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,
13while evil men and imposters go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.
14But as for you, continue in the things you have learned and firmly believed, since you know from whom you have learned them.
15From infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.
16All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for instruction, for conviction, for correction, and for training in righteousness,
17so that the man of God may be complete, fully equipped for every good work.
1This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
2For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
3Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
4Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
5Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
6For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts,
7Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
8Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith.
9But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as theirs also was.
10But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience,
11Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me.
12Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.
13But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.
14But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;
15And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
16All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
17That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
1But know this, that in the last days grievous times shall come.
2For men shall be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, haughty, railers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
3without natural affection, implacable, slanderers, without self-control, fierce, no lovers of good,
4traitors, headstrong, puffed up, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God;
5holding a form of godliness, but having denied the power therefore. From these also turn away.
6For of these are they that creep into houses, and take captive silly women laden with sins, led away by divers lusts,
7ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
8And even as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also withstand the truth. Men corrupted in mind, reprobate concerning the faith.
9But they shall proceed no further. For their folly shall be evident unto all men, as theirs also came to be.
10But thou didst follow my teaching, conduct, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love, patience,
11persecutions, sufferings. What things befell me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured. And out of them all the Lord delivered me.
12Yea, and all that would live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.
13But evil men and impostors shall wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.
14But abide thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them.
15And that from a babe thou hast known the sacred writings which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
16Every scripture inspired of God [is] also profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for instruction which is in righteousness.
17That the man of God may be complete, furnished completely unto every good work.
1But understand this, that in the last days difficult times will come.
2For people will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy,
3unloving, irreconcilable, slanderers, without self-control, savage, opposed to what is good,
4treacherous, reckless, conceited, loving pleasure rather than loving God.
5They will maintain the outward appearance of religion but will have repudiated its power. So avoid people like these.
6For some of these insinuate themselves into households and captivate weak women who are overwhelmed with sins and led along by various passions.
7Such women are always seeking instruction, yet never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth.
8And just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these people—who have warped minds and are disqualified in the faith—also oppose the truth.
9But they will not go much further, for their foolishness will be obvious to everyone, just like it was with Jannes and Jambres.
10You, however, have followed my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, my faith, my patience, my love, my endurance,
11as well as the persecutions and sufferings that happened to me in Antioch, in Iconium, and in Lystra. I endured these persecutions, and the Lord delivered me from them all.
12Now in fact all who want to live godly lives in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.
13But evil people and charlatans will go from bad to worse, deceiving others and being deceived themselves.
14You, however, must continue in the things you have learned and are confident about. You know who taught you
15and how from infancy you have known the holy writings, which are able to give you wisdom for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.
16Every scripture is inspired by God and useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,
17that the person dedicated to God may be capable and equipped for every good work.
1But know this, that in the last days, grievous times will come.
2For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
3without natural affection, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, fierce, not lovers of good,
4traitors, headstrong, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God;
5holding a form of godliness, but having denied its power. Turn away from these, also.
6For some of these are people who creep into houses, and take captive gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts,
7always learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
8Even as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so do these also oppose the truth; men corrupted in mind, who concerning the faith are rejected.
9But they will proceed no further. For their folly will be evident to all men, as theirs also came to be.
10But you did follow my teaching, conduct, purpose, faith, patience, love, steadfastness,
11persecutions, and sufferings: those things that happened to me at Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra. I endured those persecutions. The Lord delivered me out of them all.
12Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.
13But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.
14But you remain in the things which you have learned and have been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them.
15From infancy, you have known the holy Scriptures which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith, which is in Christ Jesus.
16Every Scripture is God-breathed and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness,
17that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.
Summary
Paul warns that the last days will bring difficult times marked by people who are self-centered, greedy, boastful, disobedient, unloving, and lovers of pleasure rather than of God, holding to outward religion while denying its power, and he tells Timothy to avoid them (vv. 1-5). He describes false teachers who exploit vulnerable people, comparing them to Jannes and Jambres who opposed Moses, though their folly will eventually be exposed (vv. 6-9). By contrast, Paul points to his own teaching, conduct, and suffering, which Timothy has closely observed, noting that all who live godly lives in Christ will face persecution while evil people grow worse (vv. 10-13). He reminds Timothy of the sacred writings he has known from childhood, able to give wisdom for salvation through faith in Christ, and declares that all Scripture is inspired by God and useful for teaching, rebuke, correction, and training in righteousness, equipping God's people for every good work (vv. 14-17).
Authorship & Background
Map & Geography
- Antioch (v.11): City in Syria where believers were first called Christians.
Places on this map
- AntiochAntakya, TurkeyOn the Orontes about 300 miles north of Jerusalem, with a port at the river mouth, the third city of the Roman empire. Disciples were first called Christians here, and it was the base every one of Paul's journeys started from. Wikipedia
- AramSyriaThe Syrian interior north-east of Israel, a set of city-states rather than one kingdom, with Damascus the strongest. Aramaic, its language, became the everyday speech of the whole region including Judea. Wikipedia
Towns sit on their excavated or traditional site. Regions, rivers and seas are ringed rather than dotted, because for those a single point is only an anchor. Coastlines from Natural Earth.
Commentary
- Enduring Word (David Guzik): enduringword.com Guzik covers the last days' character, Paul's example, persecution, and the inspiration and sufficiency of Scripture.
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown (1871): blueletterbible.org A critical and explanatory commentary on the whole Bible, more concise than Matthew Henry and closer to the Hebrew and Greek, with attention to historical and geographical detail. Public domain.
- Matthew Henry's Exposition (1710): blueletterbible.org A devotional verse-by-verse commentary in the Puritan tradition, still among the most widely read three centuries on. Public domain.
Videos
Articles
- GotQuestions.org: gotquestions.org On the whole book: an overview of the book of 2 Timothy -- who wrote it, when, why, and how it fits the rest of Scripture.
Links open on the publisher's own site. Nothing here is reproduced on this page.
Reflection
- A Culture of Self-Love (vv.2-4) — Paul lists traits that will mark the last days: people loving themselves, money, and pleasure more than God. How many of those traits do you recognize creeping into your own habits, not just the culture around you?
- Form Without Power (v.5) — Paul warns about people who keep the outward appearance of faith while denying the reality that should transform them. Is your own faith producing real change, or just familiar routines?
- The Cost of Living Godly (v.12) — Paul states plainly that anyone who genuinely lives for Christ will face some kind of opposition. If your faith isn't costing you anything, what might that reveal about how boldly you're actually living it?
- Scripture That Makes You Wise (v.15) — Paul reminds Timothy that the Scriptures he's known since childhood are able to make him wise for salvation. How present has Scripture been in shaping you over the course of your life, not just in a single season?
- Fully Equipped by God's Word (vv.16-17) — Paul describes Scripture as God-breathed and sufficient to teach, correct, and train a person for every good work. Are you actually using the Bible for correction and training, or mainly for comfort and information?