The character of heretics of latter days. He exhorts Timothy to constancy. Of the great profit of the knowledge of the scriptures.

¹ And know this: that in the last days perilous times will press near.

² Men will be lovers of themselves, greedy, self-exalting, arrogant, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, wicked,

³ without affection, without peace, false accusers, unchaste, cruel, without kindness,

⁴ traitorous, reckless, self-important, loving pleasure more than God,

⁵ even having the appearance of piety while rejecting its virtue. And so, avoid them.

⁶ For among these are ones who penetrate houses and lead away, like captives, foolish women burdened with sins, who are led away by means of various desires,

⁷ always learning, yet never achieving knowledge of the truth.

⁸ And in the same manner that Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses, so also will these resist the truth, men corrupted in mind, reprobates from the faith.¹

1. 3:8Jannes and Mambres: The magicians of king Pharao.(Challoner)

⁹ But they will not advance beyond a certain point. For the folly of the latter shall be made manifest to all, just as that of the former.

¹⁰ But you have fully comprehended my doctrine, instruction, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love, patience,

¹¹ persecutions, afflictions; such things as happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, and at Lystra; how I endured persecutions, and how the Lord rescued me from everything.

¹² And all those who willingly live the piety in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.

¹³ But evil men and deceivers will advance in evil, erring and sending into error.

¹⁴ Yet truly, you should remain in those things which you have learned and which have been entrusted to you. For you know from whom you have learned them.

¹⁵ And, from your infancy, you have known the Sacred Scriptures, which are able to instruct you toward salvation, through the faith which is in Christ Jesus.

¹⁶ All Scripture, having been divinely inspired, is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in justice,¹

1. 3:16All scripture,: Every part of divine scripture is certainly profitable for all these ends. But, if we would have the whole rule of Christian faith and practice, we must not be content with those Scriptures, which Timothy knew from his infancy, that is, with the Old Testament alone: nor yet with the New Testament, without taking along with it the traditions of the apostles, and the interpretation of the church, to which the apostles delivered both the book, and the true meaning of it.(Challoner)

¹⁷ so that the man of God may be perfect, having been trained for every good work.