2nd Timothy Chapter 3
From The Open Bible Project
3:1 But know this, that in the last days, grievous times will come.
- (1) The seventh admonition: we may not hope for a Church in this world without corruption: but there will be rather great abundance of most wicked men even in the very bosom of the Church, who will nonetheless make a show and countenance of great holiness, and charity.
3:2 For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
- (a) Who make no account, either of right or honesty.
3:3 without natural affection, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, fierce, no lovers of good,
3:4 traitors, headstrong, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God;
3:5 holding a form of godliness, but having denied its power. Turn away from these, also.
- (2) We must not tarry with those men who resist the truth not from simple ignorance, but from a perverse mind, (which thing appears by their fruits which he graphically displays here); rather, we must turn away from them.
3:6 For some of these are people who creep into houses, and take captive gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts,
3:7 always learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
3:8 Even as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so do these also oppose the truth; men corrupted in mind, who concerning the faith, are rejected.
3:9 But they will proceed no further. For their folly will be evident to all men, as theirs also came to be.
- (3) He adds a comfort: the Lord will at length take off all their masks.
3:10 But you did follow my teaching, conduct, purpose, faith, patience, love, steadfastness,
- (4) So that we are not deceived by such hypocrites, we must set before us the virtues of the holy servants of God, and we must not be afraid of persecution which they suffered willingly, and which always follows true godliness. But we must especially hold fast the doctrine of the apostles, the sum of which is this, that we are saved through faith in Christ Jesus.
- (b) You thoroughly know not only what I taught and did, but also how I thought and was inclined.
3:11 persecutions, and sufferings: those things that happened to me at Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra. I endured those persecutions. Out of them all the Lord delivered me.
- (c) Which is in Pisidia.
3:12 Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.
3:13 But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.
- (d) Their wickedness will daily increase.
3:14 But you remain in the things which you have learned and have been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them.
3:15 From infancy, you have known the holy Scriptures which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith, which is in Christ Jesus.
3:16 [3] Every Scripture is God-breathed and [See 2nd Timothy Footnotes 3] profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness,
- (5) The eighth admonition which is most precious: a pastor must be wise by the word of God alone: in which we have perfectly delivered to us, whatever pertains to discerning, knowing and establishing true opinions, and to prove which opinions are false: and furthermore, to correct evil manners, and to establish good.
3:17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.
- (e) The Prophets and expounders of God’s will are properly and distinctly called, men of God.
