Every verse here opens — tap a number for what that one means.
1But understand this: In the last days terrible times will come.
2For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy,
3unloving, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, without love of good,
4traitorous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,
5having a form of godliness but denying its power. Turn away from such as these!
6They are the kind who worm their way into households and captivate vulnerable women who are weighed down with sins and led astray by various passions,
7who are always learning but never able to come to a knowledge of the truth.
8Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so also these men oppose the truth. They are depraved in mind and disqualified from the faith.
9But they will not advance much further. For just like Jannes and Jambres, their folly will be plain to everyone.
10You, however, have observed my teaching, my conduct, my purpose, my faith, my patience, my love, my perseverance,
11my persecutions, and the sufferings that came upon me in Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra. What persecutions I endured! Yet the Lord rescued me from all of them.
12Indeed, all who desire to live godly lives in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,
13while evil men and imposters go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.
14But as for you, continue in the things you have learned and firmly believed, since you know from whom you have learned them.
15From infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.
16All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for instruction, for conviction, for correction, and for training in righteousness,
17so that the man of God may be complete, fully equipped for every good work.
Commentary
2 Timothy 3, explained
What 2 Timothy 3 is saying
Paul describes the moral landscape of ‘the last days’ with a vice list of eighteen characteristics: lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, and others. These people maintain a form of godliness (morphōsin eusebeias) while denying its power. Paul warns against those who infiltrate households and captivate vulnerable people. He contrasts Timothy’s faithful following of Paul’s teaching, conduct, and suffering—noting persecutions endured in Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra—and declares that all who desire to live godly lives will be persecuted. The chapter culminates in the famous affirmation of Scripture’s inspiration: all Scripture is God-breathed (theopneustos) and profitable for teaching, reproof, correction, and training in righteousness.
The background behind it
The persecutions in Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra (Acts 13–14) were among Paul’s earliest and most dramatic sufferings, occurring near Timothy’s home region. Timothy may have witnessed or heard firsthand accounts of these events, making Paul’s appeal particularly personal.
Themes running underneath
The concept of theopneustos (God-breathed) has been foundational for Christian doctrines of biblical inspiration. Paul’s concern is not merely theoretical but functional: Scripture equips the person of God for every good work. The contrast between outward religious form and inner spiritual power addresses a perennial danger in organized religion.
Why it still matters
The theopneustos declaration establishes Scripture’s authority as rooted in its divine origin, not human opinion. The warning against religious form without power challenges every tradition to evaluate whether institutional maintenance has replaced transformative encounter with God.
Scripture text: Berean Standard Bible — used by permission, Bible Hub.