2 Timothy 3

1 But of this be assured: in the last days grievous times will set in.

[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 For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, haughty, profane. They will be disobedient to parents, thankless, irreligious,

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 destitute of natural affection, unforgiving, slanderers. They will have no self-control, but will be brutal, opposed to goodness,

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 treacherous, headstrong, self-important. They will love pleasure instead of loving 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 and will keep up a make-believe of piety and yet live in defiance of its power. Turn away from people of this sort.

[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 Among them are included the men who make their way into private houses and carry off weak women as their prisoners--women who, weighed down by the burden of their sins, are led by ever-changing caprice,

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 and are always learning something new, and yet are never able to arrive at real knowledge of the truth.

[Even though] they are always [wanting to] learn new things, they are never able to recognize what is true.

8 And just as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so also these false teachers withstand the truth--being, as they are, men of debased intellects, and of no real worth so far as faith is concerned.

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 have no further success; for their folly will be as clearly manifest to all men, as that of the opponents of Moses came to be.

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 But you have intimately known my teaching, life, aims, faith, patience, love, resignation,

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 and the persecutions and sufferings which I have endured; the things which happened to me in Antioch, Iconium and Lystra. You know the persecutions I endured, and how 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 And indeed every one who is determined to live a godly life as a follower of 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 But bad men and impostors will go on from bad to worse, misleading and being misled.

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 must cling to the things which you have learnt and have been taught to believe, knowing who your teachers were,

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 writings which are able to make you wise to obtain salvation through faith 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 Every Scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for convincing, for correction of error, and for instruction in right doing;

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 himself be complete and may be perfectly 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.