The Last Days

3 ·Remember [Know] this! In the last days there will be ·many troubles [^Ldifficult/terrible times], ² because people will love themselves, love money, ·brag [boast], and be ·proud [arrogant]. They will ·say evil things against others [speak abusively; or blaspheme] and will not obey their parents or be ·thankful [grateful] or be ·the kind of people God wants [holy; pious]. ³ They will not love others, will refuse to ·forgive [reconcile], will ·gossip [slander], and will not control themselves. They will be ·cruel [brutal], will ·hate [^Lnot love] what is good, ⁴ will ·turn against their friends [be treacherous/traitors], and will ·do foolish things without thinking [be reckless]. They will be conceited, will love pleasure instead of God, ⁵ ·and will act as if they serve God [^Lhaving a form/appearance of godliness/piety] but will ·not have his [or deny his/its] power. ·Stay away from [Avoid] those people. ⁶ [^LFor] Some of them ·go [sneak; worm their way; talk their way] into homes and ·get control of [captivate; gain influence over] ·silly [vulnerable; or idle] women who are ·full of [or burdened with (the guilt of)] sin and are ·led [swayed; controlled] by ·many [all kinds of] evil desires. ⁷ These women are always ·learning [or seeking out] new teachings, but they are never able to ·understand [arrive at] the truth fully. ⁸ Just as Jannes and Jambres were against Moses [^Cthe traditional names (not found in the OT) of the Egyptian magicians who opposed Moses; Ex. 7:11], these people are against the truth. Their ·thinking has been ruined [minds/thoughts are corrupted/depraved], and they ·have failed in trying to follow the faith [or are teaching a counterfeit faith]. ⁹ But they will not ·be successful in what they do [or get much further], because as with Jannes and Jambres, everyone will see ·that they are foolish [their folly/ignorance].

Obey the Teachings

¹⁰ But you have followed what I teach, the way I live, my ·goal [purpose/aim (in life)], faith, patience, and love. ·You know I never give up [^L…my endurance]. ¹¹ ·You know how I have been hurt and have suffered […my persecution and suffering], as in Antioch [Acts 13:14–52], Iconium [Acts 14:1–5], and Lystra [Acts 14:6–20]. I have ·suffered [^Lendured such persecutions], but the Lord ·saved [rescued; delivered] me from all those troubles. ¹² [^LIndeed; In fact] Everyone who wants to live ·as God desires [in a godly manner], in Christ Jesus, will be persecuted. ¹³ But people who are evil and ·cheat others [impostors; charlatans] will go from bad to worse. ·They will fool others, but they will also be fooling themselves [^L…deceiving and being deceived].

¹⁴ But you should continue following the teachings you learned. You ·know [are confident] they are true, ·because you trust those who taught you [^Lknowing from whom you learned them]. ¹⁵ Since you were a ·child [infant] you have known the ·Holy Scriptures [or sacred writings] which are able to make you wise. And that wisdom leads to salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. ¹⁶ All Scripture is ·inspired by God [breathed out by God; ^LGod-breathed] and is useful for teaching, for ·showing people what is wrong in their lives [refuting error; rebuking], for correcting faults, and for ·teaching how to live right [training in righteousness]. ¹⁷ ·Using the Scriptures, [^L…so that] ·the person who serves God [^LGod’s person] will be ·capable [competent], ·having all that is needed [fully equipped] to do every good work.