*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.
3:1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
3:2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3:3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, 3:4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; 3:5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
3:6 For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, 3:7 Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
3:8 Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith.
3:9 But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as theirs also was.
3:10 But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience, 3:11 Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me.
3:12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.
3:13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.
3:14 But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; 3:15 And 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.
3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 3:17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.