English Standard Version ESV
New Living Translation NLT
1 But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty.
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You should know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times.
2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy,
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For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred.
3 heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good,
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They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good.
4 treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,
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They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God.
5 having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.
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They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that!
6 For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions,
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They are the kind who work their way into people’s homes and win the confidence of vulnerable women who are burdened with the guilt of sin and controlled by various desires.
7 always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth.
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(Such women are forever following new teachings, but they are never able to understand 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.
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These teachers oppose the truth just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses. They have depraved minds and a counterfeit faith.
9 But they will not get very far, for their folly will be plain to all, as was that of those two men.
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But they won’t get away with this for long. Someday everyone will recognize what fools they are, just as with Jannes and Jambres.
10 You, however, have followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness,
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But you, Timothy, certainly know what I teach, and how I live, and what my purpose in life is. You know my faith, my patience, my love, and my 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.
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You know how much persecution and suffering I have endured. You know all about how I was persecuted in Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra—but the Lord rescued me from all of it.
12 Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,
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Yes, and everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.
13 while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.
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But evil people and impostors will flourish. They will deceive others and will themselves be deceived.
14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it
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But you must remain faithful to the things you have been taught. You know they are true, for you know you can trust those who taught you.
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.
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You have been taught the holy Scriptures from childhood, and they have given you the wisdom to receive the salvation that comes by trusting in Christ Jesus.
16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,
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All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.
17 that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.
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God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by
Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.