Godliness in the Last Days
3:1But know this, that in the last days grievous times shall come. 3:2For men shall be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, haughty, railers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3:3without natural affection, implacable, slanderers, without self-control, fierce, no lovers of good, 3:4traitors, headstrong, puffed up, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God; 3:5holding a form of godliness, but having denied the power therefore. From these also turn away. 3:6For of these are they that creep into houses, and take captive silly women laden with sins, led away by divers lusts, 3:7ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. 3:8And even as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also withstand the truth. Men corrupted in mind, reprobate concerning the faith. 3:9But they shall proceed no further. For their folly shall be evident unto all men, as theirs also came to be.
Paul's Charge to Timothy
3:10But thou didst follow my teaching, conduct, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love, patience, 3:11persecutions, sufferings. What things befell me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured. And out of them all the Lord delivered me. 3:12Yea, and all that would live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. 3:13But evil men and impostors shall wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. 3:14But abide thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them. 3:15And 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. 3:16Every scripture inspired of God1 is also profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for instruction which is in righteousness. 3:17That the man of God may be complete, furnished completely unto every good work.
Notes:
- Every scripture inspired of God. The ASV is a better translation than its successors—the RSV and the NRSV. The NRSV has a note that verse 16 may be translated "Every scripture inspired by God is..." It does not claim that all the Bible is inspired by God, but rather that there is some scripture which is inspired by God. This is important for at least two reasons: It does not equate the Bible as being all scripture and, second, it implies that there is inspired scripture which is not in the Bible. See p.2256 in the Interpreter's NRSV, Inspiration of Scripture, for more.
