Chapter 3

¹But this know, that in [the] last days difficult times shall be there; ²for men shall be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, evil speakers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, profane, ³without natural affection, implacable, slanderers, of unsubdued passions, savage, having no love for what is good, ⁴traitors, headlong, of vain pretensions, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God; ⁵having a form of piety but denying the power of it: and from these turn away. ⁶For of these are they who are getting into houses, and leading captive silly women, laden with sins, led by various lusts, ⁷always learning, and never able to come to [the] knowledge of [the] truth. ⁸Now in the same manner in which Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, thus these also withstand the truth; men corrupted in mind, found worthless as regards the faith. ⁹But they shall not advance farther; for their folly shall be completely manifest to all, as that of those also became. ¹⁰But thou hast been thoroughly acquainted with my teaching, conduct, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love, endurance, ¹¹persecutions, sufferings: what [sufferings] happened to me in Antioch, in Iconium, in Lystra; what persecutions I endured; and the Lord delivered me out of all. ¹²And all indeed who desire to live piously in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. ¹³But wicked men and juggling impostors shall advance in evil, leading and being led astray. ¹⁴But thou, abide in those things which thou hast learned, and [of which] thou hast been fully persuaded, knowing of whom thou hast learned [them]; ¹⁵and that from a child thou hast known the sacred letters, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation, through faith which [is] in Christ Jesus. ¹⁶Every scripture [is] divinely inspired, and profitable for teaching, for conviction, for correction, for instruction in righteousness; ¹⁷that the man of God may be complete, fully fitted to every good work.