2 Timothy 3

1 But this know, that in [the] last days difficult times shall be there;

Now understand this: In the last days there will be grievous times;

2 for men shall be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, evil speakers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, profane,

because people will be self-lovers, money lovers, boasters, arrogant, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy,

3 without natural affection, implacable, slanderers, of unsubdued passions, savage, having no love for what is good,

without family affection, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good,

4 traitors, headlong, of vain pretensions, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God;

betrayers, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God;

5 having a form of piety but denying the power of it: and from these turn away.

wearing a form of godliness while having denied its power! You must avoid such people;

6 For of these are they who are getting into houses, and leading captive silly women, laden with sins, led by various lusts,

because they are the sort that press into households and ‘capture’ gullible women loaded down with sins, who are led along by various lusts,

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

always learning yet never being able to come to a real knowledge of truth.

8 Now in the same manner in which Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, thus these also withstand the truth; men corrupted in mind, found worthless as regards the faith.

Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so also these oppose the truth—men of depraved mind, disqualified as regards the faith—

9 But they shall not advance farther; for their folly shall be completely manifest to all, as that of those also became.

but they will not advance any further because, as in the case of the former, their folly will become evident to all.

10 But thou hast been thoroughly acquainted with my teaching, conduct, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love, endurance,

You, however, have carefully followed my doctrine, my lifestyle, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance;

11 persecutions, sufferings: what [sufferings] happened to me in Antioch, in Iconium, in Lystra; what persecutions I endured; and the Lord delivered me out of all.

the persecutions and sufferings that happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra—what persecutions I endured; yet the Lord delivered me out of them all.

12 And all indeed who desire to live piously in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.

In fact, any one who desires to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted;

13 But wicked men and juggling impostors shall advance in evil, leading and being led astray.

while malignant men and imposters will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.

14 But thou, abide in those things which thou hast learned, and [of which] thou hast been fully persuaded, knowing of whom thou hast learned [them];

But you, continue in the things you have learned and to which you were committed, knowing from whom you learned,

15 and that from a child thou hast known the sacred letters, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation, through faith which [is] in Christ Jesus.

and that from infancy you have known the Sacred Scriptures which are able to make you wise into salvation through the faith that is in Christ Jesus.

16 Every scripture [is] divinely inspired, and profitable for teaching, for conviction, for correction, for instruction in righteousness;

All Scripture is God-breathed and is valuable for teaching, for reproving, for correcting, for training in righteousness,

17 that the man of God may be complete, fully fitted to every good work.

so that the man of God may be fully competent, thoroughly equipped for every good work.