2 Timothy 3

Godlessness in the Last Days

¹But know this: that in the last days, grievous times will come.

²For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,

³without natural affection, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, fierce, not lovers of good,

⁴traitors, headstrong, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,

⁵holding a form of godliness but having denied its power. Turn away from these, also.

⁶For some of these are people who creep into houses and take captive gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts,

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

⁸Even as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these also oppose the truth, men corrupted in mind, who concerning the faith are rejected.

⁹But they will proceed no further. For their folly will be evident to all men, as theirs also came to be.

Paul's Example and Scripture's Authority

¹⁰But you followed my teaching, conduct, purpose, faith, patience, love, steadfastness,

¹¹persecutions, and sufferings—those things that happened to me at Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra. I endured those persecutions. The Lord delivered me out of them all.

¹²Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.

¹³But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.

¹⁴But you remain in the things which you have learned and have been assured of, knowing 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 which is in Christ Jesus.

¹⁶Every Scripture is God-breathed and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness,

¹⁷that each person who belongs to God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Previous 2 Timothy 2

Next 2 Timothy 4

Paul warns Timothy about the moral decay and false teaching that will characterize the last days, describing people who appear religious but lack true godliness. He contrasts this with his own example of faithful endurance through persecution and points Timothy to Scripture as the ultimate authority. The chapter emphasizes that while evil will increase, God's Word remains the reliable foundation for teaching, correction, and equipping believers for good works.

Context

This chapter continues Paul's urgent instructions to Timothy from chapter 2, building toward the final charge in chapter 4 by establishing Scripture's authority as the foundation for faithful ministry.

Key Themes

Outline

1-5
Characteristics of Last Days Godlessness Paul lists the moral failures and false religiosity that will mark difficult times.
6-9
False Teachers and Their Deception Description of how these corrupt individuals operate and their ultimate failure, like Jannes and Jambres who opposed Moses.
10-13
Paul's Example of Faithful Endurance Paul reminds Timothy of his own suffering and perseverance, warning that godly living brings persecution.
14-17
Scripture's Authority and Sufficiency Timothy is urged to remain grounded in Scripture, which is God-breathed and sufficient for spiritual formation.

Godlessness in the Last Days

3:1–3:9

epistle instruction warning

Paul warns Timothy about the moral decay and false teachers that will characterize the last days, comparing them to those who opposed Moses.

person_contrast

Moses, typically associated with divine law and obedience, appears here uniquely linked to opposition and end-times deception, creating an ironic parallel between ancient rebellion and eschatological apostasy.

Paul's Example and Scripture's Authority

3:10–3:17

epistle instruction hopeful

Paul points to his own example of faithful endurance through persecution and emphasizes the divine authority and sufficiency of Scripture for salvation and righteous living.

person_contrast

Paul's typical emphasis on grace and fellowship gives way here to authoritative teaching language, making this one of only four passages where he directly commands Scripture's sufficiency for salvation.