2 Timothy 3 (NET)

Ministry in the Last Days

1 But understand this, that in the last days difficult1 times will come. 2 For people2 will be lovers of themselves,3 lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 unloving, irreconcilable, slanderers, without self-control, savage, opposed to what is good, 4 treacherous, reckless, conceited, loving pleasure rather than loving God. 5 They will maintain the outward appearance4 of religion but will have repudiated its power. So avoid people like these.5 6 For some of these insinuate themselves6 into households and captivate weak women7 who are overwhelmed with sins and led along by various passions. 7 Such women are always seeking instruction,8 yet never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth. 8 And just as Jannes and Jambres9 opposed Moses, so these people – who have warped minds and are disqualified in the faith10 – also oppose the truth. 9 But they will not go much further,11 for their foolishness will be obvious to everyone, just like it was with Jannes and Jambres.12

Continue in What You Have Learned

10 You, however,13 have followed my teaching, my14 way of life, my purpose, my faith, my patience, my love, my endurance, 11 as well as the persecutions and sufferings15 that happened to me in Antioch,16 in Iconium, and in Lystra.17 I endured these persecutions and the Lord delivered me from them all. 12 Now in fact all who want to live godly lives in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. 13 But evil people and charlatans will go from bad to worse,18 deceiving others and being deceived themselves.19 14 You, however, must continue20 in the things you have learned and are confident about. You know21 who taught you22 15 and how from infancy you have known the holy writings, which are able to give you wisdom for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16 Every scripture23 is inspired by God24 and useful for teaching, for reproof,25 for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the person dedicated to God26 may be capable27 and equipped for every good work.

1tn Or perhaps, “dangerous,” “fierce.” 2tn Grk “men”; but here ἄνθρωποι (anqrwpoi) is generic, referring to both men and women. 3tn Or “self-centered.” The first two traits in 2 Tim 3:2 and the last two in 3:4 are Greek words beginning with the root “lovers of,” and so bracket the list at beginning and end. 4tn Or “form.”sn Outward appearance. Paul’s contrast with power in 3:5b shows that he regards this “form” to be outward, one of appearance rather than reality (cf. 1 Cor 4:19-20; 1 Thess 1:5). 5tn Grk “and avoid these,” with the word “people” implied. 6tn Grk “For from these are those who sneak.” 7tn Or “silly women.” 8tn Grk “always learning,” continuing the description of the women from v. 6. Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation. 9sn Jannes and Jambres were the traditional names of two of Pharaoh’s magicians who opposed Moses at the time of the Exodus. 10tn Grk “disapproved concerning the faith.” 11tn Grk “for they will not progress any more.” 12tn Grk “as theirs came to be,” referring to the foolishness of Jannes and Jambres. The referent of “theirs” (Jannes and Jambres) has been specified in the translation for clarity. 13sn There is a strong emphasis on the pronoun you in contrast to the people described in vv. 2-9. 14tn The possessive “my” occurs only at the beginning of the list but is positioned in Greek to apply to each of the words in the series. 15tn Grk “persecutions, sufferings,” as a continuation of the series from v. 10. 16map For location see JP1-E2; JP2-E2; JP3-E2; JP4-E2. 17sn In Antioch, in Iconium, and in Lystra. See Acts 13-14 for the account of these persecutions.map For location see JP1-E2; JP2-E2; JP3-E2 18tn Grk “will advance to the worse.” 19tn Grk “deceiving and being deceived.” 20tn Grk “but you, continue,” a command. 21tn Grk “knowing,” giving the reasons for continuing as v. 14 calls for. 22tn Grk “those from whom you learned.” 23tn Or “All scripture.”sn There is very little difference in sense between every scripture (emphasizing the individual portions) and “all scripture” (emphasizing the composite whole). The former option is preferred, because it fits the normal use of the word “all/every” in Greek (πᾶς, pas) as well as Paul’s normal sense for the word “scripture” in the singular without the article, as here. So every scripture means “every individual portion of scripture.” 24sn Inspired by God. Some have connected this adjective in a different way and translated it as “every inspired scripture is also useful.” But this violates the parallelism of the two adjectives in the sentence, and the arrangement of words makes clear that both should be taken as predicate adjectives: “every scripture is inspired…and useful.” 25tn Or “rebuke,” “censure.” The Greek word implies exposing someone’s sin in order to bring correction. 26tn Grk “the man of God,” but ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpos) is most likely used here in a generic sense, referring to both men and women. 27tn This word is positioned for special emphasis; it carries the sense of “complete, competent, able to meet all demands.”