*2 Timothy 3:1-17
Paul warns Timothy of perilous times characterized by wickedness, encourages him to remain faithful to the Scriptures, and emphasizes the importance of Scripture for teaching, reproof, correction, and training in righteousness.
- Description of the Last Days:
- Paul warns Timothy about the difficult times that will come in the last days, characterized by people being lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, and having a form of godliness but denying its power.
- He advises Timothy to avoid such people.
- Continued Exhortation:
- Paul highlights that among these people are those who worm their way into households and gain control over gullible women, who are loaded down with sins and swayed by various passions.
- These individuals are always learning but never able to come to a knowledge of the truth, just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses. They have depraved minds and are rejected in regard to the faith.
- Perseverance and Scripture:
- Paul reminds Timothy of his own example, his teaching, his way of life, his purpose, his faith, his patience, his love, his endurance, and the persecutions and sufferings he endured.
- He encourages Timothy to continue in what he has learned and become convinced of, knowing from whom he learned it, and how from infancy he has known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make him wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.
- All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
2 Timothy 3:1-17 reminds us that tough times will come, but we should stay faithful to God’s truth. Paul warns about people who live selfishly and turn away from what is right. He encourages us to hold on to God’s Word, which teaches us how to live wisely and prepares us for every good work. We can apply this by staying close to God, following His teachings, and using the Bible as our guide in making choices, even when the world around us is challenging.
2 Timothy 3:1-17 (WEB)
3:1 But know this: that in the last days, grievous times will come. 2 For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 without natural affection, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, fierce, not lovers of good, 4 traitors, headstrong, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 holding a form of godliness but having denied its power. Turn away from these, also. 6 For some of these are people who creep into houses and take captive gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts, 7 always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. 8 Even as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these also oppose the truth, men corrupted in mind, who concerning the faith are rejected. 9 But they will proceed no further. For their folly will be evident to all men, as theirs also came to be.10 But you followed my teaching, conduct, purpose, faith, patience, love, steadfastness, 11 persecutions, 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. 12 Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. 13 But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. 14 But you remain in the things which you have learned and have been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them. 15 From infancy, you have known the holy Scriptures which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 16 Every Scripture is God-breathed and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness, 17 that each person who belongs to God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.