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2 Timothy 3:1-9
New Catholic Bible
2 Timothy 3:1-9
New Catholic Bible
The Tasks of a Man of God[a]
Chapter 3
Repulse the Onslaughts of False Teachers. 1 You must realize that there will be great distress in the last days. 2 People will love nothing but themselves and money. They will be boastful, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, irreligious, 3 and devoid of natural affection. They will be implacable, slanderous, licentious, brutal, and haters of everything that is good. 4 They will be treacherous, reckless, conceited, and lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God 5 as they maintain the appearance of godliness[b] but deny its power. Avoid persons like that!
6 They are the type who insinuate themselves into households and gain control of the women there who are burdened by their sins and obsessed with their desires, 7 and who are always seeking to be taught but unable to ever arrive at a knowledge of the truth.
8 Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men, with their depraved minds and their deceitful pretense of faith, also oppose the truth. 9 But they will not succeed in their efforts. As was the case with those men, their folly will become obvious to everyone.
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- 2 Timothy 3:1 For the last times, Jesus had already announced somber perspectives: false messiahs would be preached to mislead people into doctrines of perversion (see Mt 24:4-5, 24). For his part, Paul, too, has evoked this revival of evil for the end of history (see 2 Thes 2:3-12; see also 1 Jn 2:18-24; 4:3; 2 Jn 7). Undoubtedly, magicians practiced their wiles at Ephesus; in fact, according to Jewish legend, Jannes and Jambres were leading sorcerers who opposed Moses before Pharaoh (see Ex 7:8ff). Like Paul, everyone who announces the Gospel must accept persecution (see Mt 5:10-11; 10:22; Jn 15:19-20; Acts 13:1—14:28). It is a call for strength and firmness.
The important thing for the envoy of God and the Church is to remain faithful to the word of God as reported in Scripture. He is assured of finding therein nourishment for his faith and help for his ministry. This text is often referred to as bearing witness to the inspiration of Scripture. - 2 Timothy 3:5 Godliness: i.e., true religion (see 1 Tim 4:7).
2 Timothy 3:1-9
New International Version
2 Timothy 3:1-9
New International Version
3 But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days.(A) 2 People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money,(B) boastful, proud,(C) abusive,(D) disobedient to their parents,(E) ungrateful, unholy, 3 without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4 treacherous,(F) rash, conceited,(G) lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— 5 having a form of godliness(H) but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.(I)
6 They are the kind who worm their way(J) into homes and gain control over gullible women, who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires, 7 always learning but never able to come to a knowledge of the truth.(K) 8 Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses,(L) so also these teachers oppose(M) the truth. They are men of depraved minds,(N) who, as far as the faith is concerned, are rejected. 9 But they will not get very far because, as in the case of those men,(O) their folly will be clear to everyone.
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