1 Y ou must understand that in the last days there will come times of much trouble.

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

2 P eople will love themselves and money. They will have pride and tell of all the things they have done. They will speak against God. Children and young people will not obey their parents. People will not be thankful and they will not be holy.

For men shall be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, haughty, railers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,

3 T hey will not love each other. No one can get along with them. They will tell lies about others. They will not be able to keep from doing things they know they should not do. They will be wild and want to beat and hurt those who are good.

without natural affection, implacable, slanderers, without self-control, fierce, no lovers of good,

4 T hey will not stay true to their friends. They will act without thinking. They will think too much of themselves. They will love fun instead of loving God.

traitors, headstrong, puffed up, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God;

5 T hey will do things to make it look as if they are Christians. But they will not receive the power that is for a Christian. Keep away from such people.

holding a form of godliness, but having denied the power therefore. From these also turn away.

6 T hese are the kind of people who go from house to house. They talk to foolish women who are loaded down with sins and all kinds of sinful desires.

For of these are they that creep into houses, and take captive silly women laden with sins, led away by divers lusts,

7 S uch women are always listening to new teaching. But they are never able to understand the truth.

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

8 J annes and Jambres fought against Moses. So do these teachers fight against the truth today. Their minds think only of sinful things. They have turned against the Christian teaching.

And even as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also withstand the truth. Men corrupted in mind, reprobate concerning the faith.

9 T hey will not get very far. Their foolish teaching will be seen by everyone. That was the way it was with the two who worked against Moses. Teach the Truth

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

10 B ut you know what I teach and how I live. You know what I want to do. You know about my faith and my love. You know how long I am willing to wait for something. You know how I keep on working for God even when it is hard for me.

But thou didst follow my teaching, conduct, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love, patience,

11 Y ou know about all the troubles and hard times I have had. You have seen how I suffered in the cities of Antioch and Iconium and Lystra. Yet the Lord brought me out of all those troubles.

persecutions, sufferings. What things befell me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured. And out of them all the Lord delivered me.

12 Y es! All who want to live a God-like life who belong to Christ Jesus will suffer from others.

Yea, and all that would live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.

13 S inful men and false teachers will go from bad to worse. They will lead others the wrong way and will be led the wrong way themselves.

But evil men and impostors shall wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.

14 B ut as for you, hold on to what you have learned and know to be true. Remember where you learned them.

But abide thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them.

15 Y ou have known the Holy Writings since you were a child. They are able to give you wisdom that leads to being saved from the punishment of sin by putting your trust in Christ Jesus.

And that from a babe thou hast known the sacred writings which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

16 A ll the Holy Writings are God-given and are made alive by Him. Man is helped when he is taught God’s Word. It shows what is wrong. It changes the way of a man’s life. It shows him how to be right with God.

Every scripture inspired of God is also profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for instruction which is in righteousness.

17 I t gives the man who belongs to God everything he needs to work well for Him.

That the man of God may be complete, furnished completely unto every good work.