2 Timothy 3:1-9

Difficult Times Ahead in the Last Days

1 But know this, that in the last days difficult times will come,

2 for people will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, arrogant, slanderers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy,

3 hardhearted, irreconcilable, slanderous, without self-control, savage, with no interest for what is good,

4 traitors, reckless, conceited, loving pleasure rather than loving God,

5 maintaining a form of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid these [people].

6 For from these are those who slip into houses and captivate foolish women loaded down with sins, led by various kinds of desires,

7 always learning and never able to come to a knowledge of the truth.

8 And {just as} Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so also these oppose the truth, people corrupted in mind, disqualified concerning the faith.

9 But they will not progress to a greater extent, for their folly will be quite evident to everyone, as also the [folly] of those [two] was.

2 Timothy 3:1-9 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO 2 TIMOTHY 3

In this chapter the apostle delivers out a prophecy of the last days, showing how perilous the times will be, describing the persons that will live in them, and what will be their end; and in opposition to these men, proposes himself an example in doctrine and sufferings; and encourages Timothy to persevere, and highly commends the sacred writings. The prophecy begins 2Ti 3:1 the description it gives of hypocrites, formal professors, and false teachers, that should rise up in the last days, and perilous times spoken of, is in 2Ti 3:2-7. And these are compared to the magicians of Egypt for the corruption of their minds, the badness of their principles, and their opposition to truth, and for their exit, and the issue of things; they will be stopped in their progress, and their folly exposed, 2Ti 3:8,9 and as the reverse of these men, the apostle gives an account of his own doctrine, conversation, and sufferings; which he proposes to Timothy for imitation, as being well known to him, and as also the common state of all godly persons in this life, being a suffering one, 2Ti 3:10-12 nor can it be expected that it should be otherwise, since false teachers, who are wicked and deceitful men, grow worse and worse, 2Ti 3:13. And then the apostle exhorts Timothy to abide by, and continue in the doctrines of the Gospel, from the assurance he had of the truth of them, from the consideration of his having learned them of the apostle, and especially from their agreement with the holy Scriptures, which he had knowledge of from a child, 2Ti 3:14,15 which Scriptures are commended, partly from the useful effect of them, making men wise unto salvation; and chiefly from the author of them, being by the inspiration of God; and also from the profitableness of them, both for doctrine and manners, and especially to furnish a Gospel minister for the work he is called unto, 2Ti 3:15-17.

Footnotes

• [a] Literally "in the manner in which"