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, no lovers of good, 4traitors, headstrong, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God; 5holding a form of godliness, but having denied the power thereof. Turn away from these, also. 6For of these are those 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, reprobate concerning the faith. 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. Out of them all the Lord delivered me. 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 sacred writings which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith, which is in Christ Jesus. 16Every writing inspired by God {literally, God-breathed} is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction which is in righteousness, 17that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. ⇒