2 Timothy 3
1 Now understand this: In the last days there will be grievous times;
[You need to] realize that during the last days [MTY] [before Christ returns, evil people will make] it difficult [for believers to behave as they should].
2 because people will be self-lovers, money lovers, boasters, arrogant, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy,
This is because [such evil] people will be habitually loving themselves and loving money. They will habitually boast [about themselves], they will be proud, and will often say bad things [about others. They] will disobey [their] parents. They will not be thankful, nor will they respect [anything that is good].
3 without family affection, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good,
They will not [even] love their own family, nor agree with [anybody] (OR, [they never forgive anyone]). They will tell lies about people. They will not control what they say and do, nor allow anyone to control them. They will not love [anything that is] good.
4 betrayers, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God;
They will (betray others/hand others over to their enemies) and act foolishly. They will be overly/very proud of themselves, and they will love to please themselves instead of loving God.
5 wearing a form of godliness while having denied its power! You must avoid such people;
[And, although they will] pretend that they worship God, they will not let [God’s Spirit] work powerfully [in their lives]. Do not associate with such people (OR, Do not let such people join [your congregation]),
6 because they are the sort that press into households and ‘capture’ gullible women loaded down with sins, who are led along by various lusts,
because some such [people, even now], subtly/deceivingly persuade foolish women to let them come into their houses, and then they deceive those women [so that they control what those women think. These women] have been burdened with sins {have sinned very much} and they have been led to do {they do} the many [evil] things that they strongly desire to do.
7 always learning yet never being able to come to a real knowledge of truth.
[Even though] they are always [wanting to] learn new things, they are never able to recognize what is true.
8 Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so also these oppose the truth—men of depraved mind, disqualified as regards the faith—
Just like Jannes and Jambres [long ago] very much opposed Moses, so also some [people] now oppose the true [message. Those] people think only what is evil. God rejects them [because they do not] believe [what is true].
9 but they will not advance any further because, as in the case of the former, their folly will become evident to all.
Nevertheless, they will not continue to succeed, because most [HYP] people will understand clearly that such people are foolish, just like people also realized [clearly that Jannes and Jambres were foolish].
10 You, however, have carefully followed my doctrine, my lifestyle, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance;
But as for yourself, you have fully known what I have taught. You have known [and imitated] the way in which I conducted my life, [and] what I have been trying to do. [You have] trusted [God as] I have. You have been patient as I have been. [You have] loved people [as] I have, and [you have] endured [as you suffered like] I have [suffered].
11 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.
[You know how I endured many times when people] harmed me. [They] caused me to suffer at Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra [cities]. [But although they caused me to suffer], I endured it; and every time [they] did those things to me, the Lord rescued me.
12 In fact, any one who desires to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted;
(Indeed/You know that), for us [(inc)] who want to live (in a [godly manner/] a [manner that pleases God]), we will always be persecuted {there will always be people who will cause us to suffer} because we [have a close relationship with] Christ Jesus.
13 while malignant men and imposters will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.
Evil people (OR, And those) who deceive other people will (get worse/teach things that are more and more wrong). [Specifically, they will] deceive other people, and [those who hear them will] deceive others.
14 But you, continue in the things you have learned and to which you were committed, knowing from whom you learned,
But you, in contrast, must continue [to believe] what you have learned and (been assured of/firmly believe). [I know that you are confident/sure that it is true because] you know that you have learned it from all [of us who taught you] ([God’s truth/what is right]).
15 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.
From [the time when you were] a child you have known the holy writings/Scriptures. [You now know that] they enabled you to become wise so that God saved you because of your believing in Christ Jesus.
16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is valuable for teaching, for reproving, for correcting, for training in righteousness,
God (inspired/put into men’s minds) everything [that is written] in the Scriptures {they [wrote] in the holy writings}, and those writings are all useful to teach [us what is true], to cause us to know [when we are] wrong and then (to correct us/to show us what we have done that is wrong), and to train/teach us to do what is right.
17 so that the man of God may be fully competent, thoroughly equipped for every good work.
What [is written] {they wrote} is useful to help us who [serve] God to be ready/prepared to do all that we should do. By means of it, we are equipped {God gives us what we need} in order to do every [kind of] good deeds.
