II Timothy 3-4

II Timothy 3

¹But be certain of this, that in the last days times of trouble will come.

²For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, uplifted in pride, given to bitter words, going against the authority of their fathers, never giving praise, having no religion,

³Without natural love, bitter haters, saying evil of others, violent and uncontrolled, hating all good,

⁴False to their friends, acting without thought, lifted up in mind, loving pleasure more than God;

⁵Having a form of religion, but turning their backs on the power of it: go not with these.

⁶For these are they who go secretly into houses, making prisoners of foolish women, weighted down with sin, turned from the way by their evil desires,

⁷Ever learning, and never coming to the knowledge of what is true.

⁸And as James and Jambres went against Moses, so do these go against what is true: men of evil minds, who, tested by faith, are seen to be false.

⁹But they will go no farther: for their foolish behaviour will be clear to all men, as theirs was in the end.

¹⁰But you took as your example my teaching, behaviour, purpose, and faith; my long waiting, my love, my quiet undergoing of trouble;

¹¹My punishments and pain; the things which came to me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; the cruel attacks made on me: and the Lord made me free from them all.

¹²Yes, and all whose purpose is to be living in the knowledge of God in Christ Jesus, will be cruelly attacked.

¹³Evil and false men will become worse and worse, using deceit and themselves overcome by deceit.

¹⁴But see that you keep to the teaching you have been given and the things of which you are certain, conscious of who has been your teacher;

¹⁵And that from the time when you were a child, you have had knowledge of the holy Writings, which are able to make you wise to salvation, through faith in Christ Jesus.

¹⁶Every holy Writing which comes from God is of profit for teaching, for training, for guiding, for education in righteousness:

¹⁷So that the man of God may be complete, trained and made ready for every good work.

II Timothy 4

¹I give you orders, before God and Christ Jesus, who will be the judge of the living and the dead, and by his revelation and his kingdom;

²Be preaching the word at all times, in every place; make protests, say sharp words, give comfort, with long waiting and teaching;

³For the time will come when they will not take the true teaching; but, moved by their desires, they will get for themselves a great number of teachers for the pleasure of hearing them;

⁴And shutting their ears to what is true, will be turned away to belief in foolish stories.

⁵But be self-controlled in all things, do without comfort, go on preaching the good news, completing the work which has been given you to do.

⁶For I am even now being offered, and my end is near.

⁷I have made a good fight, I have come to the end of my journey, I have kept the faith:

⁸From now on, the crown of righteousness is made ready for me, which the Lord, the upright judge, Will give to me at that day: and not only to me, but to all those who have had love for his revelation.

⁹Do your best to come to me before long:

¹⁰For Demas has gone away from me, for love of this present life, and has gone to Thessalonica: Crescens has gone to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia.

¹¹Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and take him with you; for he is of use to me in the work.

¹²Tychicus I sent to Ephesus.

¹³The coat which I did not take from Troas and which is with Carpus, get when you come, and the books, specially the papers.

¹⁴Alexander the copper-worker did me much wrong: the Lord will give him the reward of his works:

¹⁵But be on the watch for him, for he was violent in his attacks on our teaching.

¹⁶At my first meeting with my judges, no one took my part, but all went away from me. May it not be put to their account.

¹⁷But the Lord was by my side and gave me strength; so that through me the news might be given out in full measure, and all the Gentiles might give ear: and I was taken out of the mouth of the lion.

¹⁸The Lord will keep me safe from every evil work and will give me salvation in his kingdom in heaven: to whom be glory for ever and ever. So be it.

¹⁹Give my love to Prisca and Aquila and those of the house of Onesiphorus.

²⁰Erastus was stopping at Corinth; but Trophimus, when I last saw him was at Miletus, ill.

²¹Do your best to come before the winter. Eubulus sends you his love, and Pudens and Linus and Claudia, and all the brothers.

²²The Lord be with your spirit. Grace be with you.