1 But understand this, thatySee 1 Tim. 4:1 in the last days there will come times of difficulty. 2 For people will bez[Phil. 2:21] lovers of self,aLuke 16:14; [1 Tim. 6:10] lovers of money,bRom. 1:30 proud,bRom. 1:30 arrogant, abusive,bRom. 1:30 disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 cRom. 1:31 heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal,d[Titus 1:8] not loving good, 4 treacherous, reckless,e1 Tim. 3:6; 6:4 swollen with conceit,fPhil. 3:19 lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having the appearance of godliness, butgSee 1 Tim. 5:8 denying its power.h1 Tim. 6:20; [Titus 1:14] Avoid such people. 6 For among them arei[Titus 1:11] those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions, 7 always learning and never able toj1 Tim. 2:4 arrive at a knowledge of the truth. 8 Just askEx. 7:11 Jannes and Jambresl[Acts 13:8] opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth,mSee 1 Tim. 6:5 men corrupted in mind andnTitus 1:16 disqualified regarding the faith. 9 But they will not get very far, for their folly will be plain to all,oEx. 7:12; 8:18; 9:11 as was that of those two men.
10 p[Phil. 2:22] You, however, have followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness, 11 my persecutions and sufferings that happened to meqActs 13:14, 45, 50 at Antioch,rActs 14:1, 2, 5 at Iconium, andsActs 14:6, 19 at Lystra—which persecutions I endured; yettPs. 34:19 from them alluch. 4:17; [2 Cor. 1:10] the Lord rescued me. 12 Indeed, all who desire tovTitus 2:12 live a godly life in Christ JesuswSee Acts 14:22 will be persecuted, 13 whilex[Rev. 22:11] evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving andyTitus 3:3 being deceived. 14 But as for you,z[1 Tim. 4:6] continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it 15 and howa[Eph. 6:4]; See ch. 1:5 from childhood you have been acquainted withb[John 5:39] the sacred writings,cPs. 119:99 which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16 dRom. 15:4; 2 Pet. 1:20, 21 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 thateSee 1 Tim. 6:11 the man of God may be competent,f[Luke 6:40] equippedgSee ch. 2:21 for every good work.