1But of this be sure. In the last days grievous times will come. 2For men will be selfish, mercenary, boastful, haughty, blasphemous, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, irreligious, 3without natural affection, merciless, slanderous, dissolute, and brutal. 4They will hate goodness, they will be treacherous, reckless, blinded with pride, lovers of pleasure, rather than lovers of God. 5For although they keep up the outward form of religion, they deny its power. 6Turn away from all such. Some of them creep into private houses and lead captive silly women who, laden with sins, 7and led captive by ever-changing impulses, are always learning but never able to arrive at knowledge of truth. 8As Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so also do these men withstand the truth; being corrupt in mind and worthless in all that concerns the faith. 9But they will not get on; for their folly will be made as openly manifest to all as was that of Jannes and Jambres.¶ 10But you, Timothy, have followed my teaching, my conduct, my aims, my faith, patience, love, endurance, 11as well as the persecutions and sufferings which befell me at Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra. You know all the persecutions I endured, and how the Lord delivered me out of them all! 12Yes, and all who purpose to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. 13But wicked men and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving others, and being themselves deceived. 14But do you hold fast what you have learned and have held to be true. You know those from whom you have learned it, 15and how from a child you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise unto salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16Every Scripture, seeing that it is God-breathed, is also profitable for teaching, for refutation, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17so that the man of God may himself be complete, and completely equipped for every good work.¶