1 B ut understand this, that in the last days will come (set in) perilous times of great stress and trouble.

But know this, that in the last days, grievous times will come.

2 F or people will be lovers of self and self-centered, lovers of money and aroused by an inordinate desire for wealth, proud and arrogant and contemptuous boasters. They will be abusive (blasphemous, scoffing), disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy and profane.

For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,

3 w ithout natural affection (callous and inhuman), relentless (admitting of no truce or appeasement); slanderers (false accusers, troublemakers), intemperate and loose in morals and conduct, uncontrolled and fierce, haters of good.

without natural affection, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, fierce, not lovers of good,

4 t reacherous, rash, inflated with self-conceit. lovers of sensual pleasures and vain amusements more than and rather than lovers of God.

traitors, headstrong, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God;

5 F or they hold a form of piety (true religion), they deny and reject and are strangers to the power of it. Avoid such people.

holding a form of godliness, but having denied its power. Turn away from these, also.

6 F or among them are those who worm their way into homes and captivate silly and weak-natured and spiritually dwarfed women, loaded down with sins swayed and led away by various evil desires and seductive impulses.

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 t hey are forever inquiring and getting information, but are never able to arrive at a recognition and knowledge of the Truth.

always learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.

8 N ow just as Jannes and Jambres were hostile to and resisted Moses, so these men also are hostile to and oppose the Truth. They have depraved and distorted minds, and are reprobate and counterfeit and to be rejected as far as the faith is concerned.

Even as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so do these also oppose the truth; men corrupted in mind, who concerning the faith, are rejected.

9 B ut they will not get very far, for their rash folly will become obvious to everybody, as was that of those.

But they will proceed no further. For their folly will be evident to all men, as theirs also came to be.

10 N ow you have closely observed and diligently followed my teaching, conduct, purpose in life, faith, patience, love, steadfastness,

But you did follow my teaching, conduct, purpose, faith, patience, love, steadfastness,

11 P ersecutions, sufferings—such as occurred to me at Antioch, at Iconium, and at Lystra, persecutions I endured, but out of them all the Lord delivered me.

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 I ndeed all who delight in piety and are determined to live a devoted and godly life in Christ Jesus will meet with persecution.

Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.

13 B ut wicked men and imposters will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and leading astray others and being deceived and led astray themselves.

But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.

14 B ut as for you, continue to hold to the things that you have learned and of which you are convinced, knowing from whom you learned,

But you remain in the things which you have learned and have been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them.

15 A nd how from your childhood you have had a knowledge of and been acquainted with the sacred Writings, which are able to instruct you and give you the understanding for salvation which comes through faith in Christ Jesus '> leaning of the entire human personality on God in Christ Jesus in absolute trust and confidence in His power, wisdom, and goodness].

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 E very Scripture is God-breathed (given by His inspiration) and profitable for instruction, for reproof and conviction of sin, for correction of error and discipline in obedience, for training in righteousness (in holy living, in conformity to God’s will in thought, purpose, and action),

Every Scripture is God-breathed and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness,

17 S o that the man of God may be complete and proficient, well fitted and thoroughly equipped for every good work.

that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.