| English Standard Version (ESV) | New International Version (NIV) |
| 1 But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. | 1 But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. |
| 2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, | 2 People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, |
| 3 heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, | 3 without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, |
| 4 treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, | 4 treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God-- |
| 5 having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people. | 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them. |
| 6 For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions, | 6 They are the kind who worm their way into homes and gain control over weak-willed women, who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires, |
| 7 always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth. | 7 always learning but never able to acknowledge the truth. |
| 8 Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men corrupted in mind and disqualified regarding the faith. | 8 Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so also these men oppose the truth--men of depraved minds, who, as far as the faith is concerned, are rejected. |
| 9 But they will not get very far, for their folly will be plain to all, as was that of those two men. | 9 But they will not get very far because, as in the case of those men, their folly will be clear to everyone. |
| 10 You, however, have followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness, | 10 You, however, know all about my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, |
| 11 my persecutions and sufferings that happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, and at Lystra--which persecutions I endured; yet from them all the Lord rescued me. | 11 persecutions, sufferings--what kinds of things happened to me in Antioch, Iconium and Lystra, the persecutions I endured. Yet the Lord rescued me from all of them. |
| 12 Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, | 12 In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, |
| 13 while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. | 13 while evil men and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. |
| 14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it | 14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, |
| 15 and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. | 15 and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. |
| 16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, | 16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, |
| 17 that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work. | 17 so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. |
| The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers. (English Standard Version - The Holy Bible Online) | Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide. (New International Version Bible Online) |