2 Timothy Chapter 3
Perilous Times and Precious Truth
2 Timothy 3:1–5 (NKJV)
“But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!”
— 2 Timothy 3:1–5, New King James Version
As Paul awaited execution, imprisoned and forsaken by most, he remained concerned—not for his personal condition—but for the condition of the Church and the integrity of the gospel. The Holy Spirit moved Paul to give Timothy this urgent warning: Perilous times are not just coming—they will characterize the last days.
“In the last days perilous times will come.”
The Greek word for “perilous” is chalepoi, a word also used in Matthew 8:28, which reads:
“When He had come to the other side, to the country of the Gergesenes, there met Him two demon-possessed men, coming out of the tombs, exceedingly fierce, so that no one could pass that way.”
— Matthew 8:28, New King James Version
This shows the word “perilous” describes savage, untamed, spiritually hostile times. Paul is not speaking of external calamities like war or famine but of dangerous people who distort truth and corrupt society from within.
As Calvin noted: “The danger is not famine or plague, but the wickedness of men.”
What Are the “Last Days”?
According to Acts 2:17, Peter says:
“And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, that I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your young men shall see visions, your old men shall dream dreams.”
— Acts 2:17, New King James Version
This shows that the "last days" began with the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. However, in this context, Paul emphasizes the last of the last days, the final apostasy just before Christ’s return. Many today scoff at prophecy and fail to discern the times—just as the Pharisees did.
Jesus rebuked them in Matthew 16:3, saying:
“And in the morning, ‘It will be foul weather today, for the sky is red and threatening.’ Hypocrites! You know how to discern the face of the sky, but you cannot discern the signs of the times.”
— Matthew 16:3, New King James Version
Likewise, many believers today ignore the prophetic markers that indicate we are racing toward the end of the age. Spurgeon rightly warned:
“Apart from the second Advent of our Lord, the world is more likely to sink into a pandemonium than to rise into a millennium.”
A Portrait of the Last Days
Paul offers twenty-one descriptions of end-time humanity. Every one of these terms traces back to a heart centered on self. The first sin in the list shows the root:
“For men will be lovers of themselves…”
This self-centeredness is foundational to all the corruption that follows. Paul wrote in Romans 12:3:
“For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.”
— Romans 12:3, New King James Version
The spirit of our age exalts self-love, but Scripture teaches that self must be crucified—not enthroned. As Luke 9:23 states:
“Then He said to them all, ‘If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.’”
— Luke 9:23, New King James Version
“Lovers of money…”
Materialism drives modern society. People today serve mammon more than God. Yet 1 Timothy 6:10 warns:
“For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.”
— 1 Timothy 6:10, New King James Version
“Boasters, proud, blasphemers…”
This trinity of arrogance reflects a world intoxicated with self-importance. Blasphemy once scandalized—now it entertains.
“Disobedient to parents…”
The decay of the family is a key indicator of a collapsing society. The fifth commandment says in Exodus 20:12:
“Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you.”
— Exodus 20:12, New King James Version
But in the last days, even basic family roles will be disregarded.
“Unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving…”
“Unloving” in Greek is astorgos, meaning “without natural affection”—a hatred even for one’s own family. As Romans 1:31 states:
“Undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful.”
— Romans 1:31, New King James Version
“Slanderers…”
In the digital age, slander is amplified and monetized. God hates it. As stated in Proverbs 6:19:
“A false witness who speaks lies, and one who sows discord among brethren.”
— Proverbs 6:19, New King James Version
“Without self-control…”
Our generation is ruled by passions. Whether it's indulgence in sex, drugs, food, or materialism—discipline is despised. But the fruit of the Spirit includes:
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control…”
— Galatians 5:22–23, New King James Version
“Brutal, despisers of good…”
Violence is glorified. Righteousness is mocked. We kill the unborn and celebrate it as progress. Isaiah 5:20 speaks to our time:
“Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!”
— Isaiah 5:20, New King James Version
“Traitors, headstrong, haughty…”
These are people who betray trust, cannot be reasoned with, and are filled with arrogant pride. They won’t submit to parents, pastors, or God.
“Lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God…”
This does not merely mean they enjoy pleasure—it means they love pleasure more than they love God. Yet Psalm 16:11 says:
“You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”
— Psalm 16:11, New King James Version
God is not against pleasure. He offers eternal joy—but only when He is loved first.
“Having a form of godliness but denying its power.”
They still wear the costume of religion but reject the authority of God’s Word. The “power” they deny is not miracles, but the power of true godliness to transform lives.
Paul spoke of such hypocrites again in Titus 1:16:
“They profess to know God, but in works they deny Him, being abominable, disobedient, and disqualified for every good work.”
— Titus 1:16, New King James Version
They want religion without repentance, spirituality without surrender, blessings without obedience.
“And from such people turn away!”
This is a direct command. Christians are not merely to avoid doing these things—they must also separate from those who do them. As Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 15:33:
“Do not be deceived: ‘Evil company corrupts good habits.’”
— 1 Corinthians 15:33, New King James Version
The end-time Church must not tolerate what God commands us to reject. Even if they have a platform, influence, or charisma—if they are described by these verses, we must turn away.
Paul told Timothy these people already existed in his day. But they would become even more dominant in the final generation—ours.
As Hiebert observed: “Paul did not consider the state of moral depravity just pictured as wholly a matter of the future… the evils were already at work.”
3. The Strategy of the Corrupt in the Last Days
2 Timothy 3:6–7 (NKJV)
“For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts, always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.”
Paul transitions from describing the character of men in the last days to detailing their strategy. The depraved are not content merely to practice wickedness—they aim to invade, to enslave, and to deceive.
“For of this sort are those who creep into households…”
These false teachers and corrupt influencers do not operate openly at first; they creep in. The Greek word translated “creep” (endunoō) carries the idea of sneaking in unnoticed. This invasion is covert, not public. Paul does not describe violent confrontation but subtle infiltration. And worst of all, this happens inside the home—the place that should be the safest from spiritual corruption.
Just as the serpent entered Eden, so too do these agents of apostasy enter households quietly, corrupting from the inside out. In the modern era, this creeping often comes through entertainment, media, false doctrine, and educational influence. What begins with “harmless ideas” eventually becomes strongholds of deception.
“…and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts…”
The word “gullible” implies a lack of discernment—women in this case, who were vulnerable, burdened by unresolved guilt, and spiritually unsettled. Paul is not condemning women in general, but describing a condition prevalent in his day: women more likely to be home, isolated, and targeted by false teachers posing as spiritual authorities.
These corrupt influencers exploit unresolved sin and manipulate felt needs—emotional pain, shame, or unmet desires. They appeal to “various lusts”—not only sexual, but lusts for comfort, significance, attention, or power. As Eve was deceived, so are others drawn away when truth is replaced with emotionally charged falsehoods.
“…always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.”
This tragic phrase perfectly summarizes the intellectual confusion of the last days. Learning abounds. Podcasts, books, seminars, and YouTube teachings are everywhere. But true saving knowledge—epignōsis in the Greek, meaning deep, relational knowledge of truth—is missing.
They may pursue “spirituality,” but they never arrive at truth. That’s because truth requires submission. Jesus said in John 14:6:
“Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.’”
— John 14:6, New King James Version
To reject truth is to reject Christ. These people consume knowledge, but they refuse to yield to its authority. Their hearts are hardened even as their minds are fed.
Paul warned of this earlier in 2 Timothy 3:5:
“Having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!”
— 2 Timothy 3:5, New King James Version
4. Jannes and Jambres: A Case Study in Corruption
2 Timothy 3:8–9 (NKJV)
“Now as Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, disapproved concerning the faith; but they will progress no further, for their folly will be manifest to all, as theirs also was.”
Paul now references a historical example to show that this spirit of resistance is not new. Just as Pharaoh had his magicians, so the Church will have its deceivers.
“Now as Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses…”
Though unnamed in the Book of Exodus, Jewish tradition and extra-biblical sources identify these men as the magicians who opposed Moses before Pharaoh. Their confrontation is recorded in Exodus 7:10–12:
“So Moses and Aaron went in to Pharaoh, and they did so, just as the Lord commanded. And Aaron cast down his rod before Pharaoh and before his servants, and it became a serpent. But Pharaoh also called the wise men and the sorcerers; so the magicians of Egypt, they also did in like manner with their enchantments. For every man threw down his rod, and they became serpents. But Aaron’s rod swallowed up their rods.”
— Exodus 7:10–12, New King James Version
Jannes and Jambres were not performing mere illusions—they were using real supernatural power, but it was demonic. They could replicate some miracles by satanic power, but they were eventually exposed. As seen in Exodus 8:18–19:
“Now the magicians so worked with their enchantments to bring forth lice, but they could not. So there were lice on man and beast. Then the magicians said to Pharaoh, ‘This is the finger of God.’ But Pharaoh’s heart grew hard, and he did not heed them, just as the Lord had said.”
— Exodus 8:18–19, New King James Version
These magicians represent those in every age who use signs, charisma, and counterfeit spirituality to resist the truth of God’s Word.
“So do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, disapproved concerning the faith.”
This is the key parallel. Like the magicians of Egypt, these false teachers oppose truth with deception. They are corrupt in mind—the Greek word implies moral decay—and they are disapproved or literally tested and found counterfeit in the faith.
Paul uses the same word in Romans 1:28:
“And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting.”
— Romans 1:28, New King James Version
They may appear religious, but they are spiritually reprobate, disqualified in doctrine and conduct.
“But they will progress no further, for their folly will be manifest to all, as theirs also was.”
This is the divine guarantee. God’s truth cannot be overcome. Though deception may gain traction for a season, its end is humiliation. Just as Pharaoh’s magicians were exposed and forced to acknowledge God’s hand, so too will the deceivers of the last days be revealed.
This is echoed in 2 Thessalonians 2:8–9:
“And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming. The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders…”
— 2 Thessalonians 2:8–9, New King James Version
And in Revelation 13:13–14:
“He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men. And he deceives those who dwell on the earth by those signs…”
— Revelation 13:13–14, New King James Version
Satan’s signs are real—but they are lying signs, leading men into ruin. Yet they are no match for Christ, and they will be judged.
Hope in the Midst of Apostasy
This section ends not only with a warning—but a promise. Deception will not win. The corrupt will be exposed. The truth will triumph. And the faithful—like Moses—must stand firm, even as the magicians rage.
As Jesus said in John 8:31–32:
“Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, ‘If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.’”
— John 8:31–32, New King James Version
We are not victims of the last days. We are victors through Jesus Christ, who calls us to stand in truth, walk in holiness, and reject the counterfeit power of this fallen age.
B. Faithfulness to God in Difficulty and Opposition
1. Persecution and Following Jesus
2 Timothy 3:10–12 (NKJV)
“But you have carefully followed my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love, perseverance, persecutions, afflictions, which happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra—what persecutions I endured. And out of them all the Lord delivered me. Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.”
After describing the godlessness of the last days, Paul shifts focus with the emphatic phrase: “But you.” He draws a clear line between Timothy and the world. Where others fall into deception and depravity, Timothy stands as a contrast—a man who carefully followed Paul’s life and teaching.
“But you have carefully followed…”
The phrase “carefully followed” (parēkolouthēkas) implies close, intentional imitation. Timothy didn’t merely sit under Paul's teaching; he walked with him, studied his conduct, absorbed his mindset, and shaped his own life accordingly. Paul’s discipleship was holistic—truth taught and modeled.
Paul lists eight aspects of his life that Timothy followed:
Doctrine: Timothy adopted Paul’s teaching of the gospel rooted in grace, not law.
Manner of life: Paul’s behavior matched his beliefs.
Purpose: Paul’s aim was the glory of Christ and the spread of His kingdom.
Faith: Paul’s trust in Christ remained steadfast even in danger.
Longsuffering: He endured provocation and delay with patience.
Love: Paul ministered in selfless, sacrificial love.
Perseverance: He never quit, regardless of pain or rejection.
Persecutions and afflictions: Paul’s life bore the scars of gospel faithfulness.
Paul then highlights three specific cities:
“At Antioch” – where Paul was driven out by persecution:
“But the Jews stirred up the devout and prominent women and the chief men of the city, raised up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them from their region.”
— Acts 13:50, New King James Version“At Iconium” – where his life was threatened by mob violence:
“And when a violent attempt was made by both the Gentiles and Jews, with their rulers, to abuse and stone them, they became aware of it and fled to Lystra and Derbe…”
— Acts 14:5–6, New King James Version“At Lystra” – where Paul was stoned and left for dead:
“Then Jews from Antioch and Iconium came there; and having persuaded the multitudes, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing him to be dead.”
— Acts 14:19, New King James Version
Paul reminds Timothy of all these experiences, not to complain, but to point to the faithfulness of God:
“And out of them all the Lord delivered me.”
Paul does not claim invincibility—he simply testifies to God’s sovereign protection and sustaining grace. God delivered Paul not always from persecution, but through it.
This leads to a universal statement:
“Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.”
Persecution is not an exception but an expectation for the faithful. It may be physical, legal, economic, or social—but if we live godly, we will face pushback from a world that hates the light.
As Jesus said:
“If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you.”
— John 15:18, New King James Version
And as John wrote:
“And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.”
— John 3:19, New King James Version
Peter also affirms:
“In regard to these, they think it strange that you do not run with them in the same flood of dissipation, speaking evil of you.”
— 1 Peter 4:4, New King James Version
If the world never thinks we are strange, we must ask: Are we truly following Christ?
2. The Course of Evil Men and the Course of the Godly
2 Timothy 3:13–15 (NKJV)
“But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.”
Paul again contrasts Timothy with the growing apostasy of the age. Where deceivers are progressing in evil, Timothy is called to stand firm in truth.
“But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.”
These are not just secular persecutors; they include religious frauds—wolves in sheep’s clothing. “Impostors” (goētes) literally means sorcerers or seducers, spiritual con men. And note the irony: they deceive others while being deceived themselves.
Paul had warned of this in his first letter:
“Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons.”
— 1 Timothy 4:1, New King James Version
“But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of…”
Timothy is to abide, remain, stand firm in what he has been taught. The Greek word is menō—to stay, dwell, or remain. This is the same word used in 1 John 2:24:
“Therefore let that abide in you which you heard from the beginning. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, you also will abide in the Son and in the Father.”
— 1 John 2:24, New King James Version
Paul urges Timothy to hold firm because truth never goes out of season.
“…knowing from whom you have learned them…”
Though Paul humbly refrains from naming himself, the implication is clear: Timothy is to remember not only the truth, but the life and testimony of the one who taught him. Paul’s character, consistency, and sacrifice validate his doctrine.
Yet Paul’s not the only influence:
“And that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures…”
Timothy’s spiritual heritage began with his mother Eunice and grandmother Lois. Paul earlier wrote:
“When I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also.”
— 2 Timothy 1:5, New King James Version
Timothy didn’t start with nothing—he inherited a legacy of truth. The term “Holy Scriptures” (ta hiera grammata) refers to the Old Testament, which Timothy had learned from his earliest days.
“…which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.”
Scripture is not just moral instruction or religious history—it is the source of saving wisdom. But that wisdom is not automatic. It must be combined with faith in Christ. Bible knowledge alone cannot save. But the Scriptures, when received in faith, lead one to the Savior.
As Paul said:
“So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”
— Romans 10:17, New King James Version
And as Jesus Himself said:
“You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me.”
— John 5:39, New King James Version
3. Timothy Must Continue with Confidence in the Holy Scriptures
2 Timothy 3:16–17 (NKJV)
“All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
After instructing Timothy to continue in the Scriptures he had known since childhood, Paul now elevates the authority and divine origin of those Scriptures. He affirms not only their value but their inspiration—God-breathed origin—and their sufficiency for equipping a servant of God for every aspect of ministry.
“All Scripture is given by inspiration of God…”
The phrase “inspiration of God” translates the Greek word theopneustos, meaning “God-breathed.” It indicates not merely that the writers were inspired, but that the very words of Scripture are the breath of God, exhaled by Him through chosen men.
This same truth is echoed in 2 Peter 1:20–21, which says:
“Knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.”
— 2 Peter 1:20–21, New King James Version
Paul does not say, “All inspired Scripture is profitable,” which would allow some to claim parts of the Bible are uninspired. No—he clearly affirms that all Scripture is both inspired and profitable. This includes the Old Testament and, by implication, the New Testament writings being produced by the apostles under divine authority.
Paul treated his own writings as Scripture. In 1 Thessalonians 2:13, he says:
“For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe.”
— 1 Thessalonians 2:13, New King James Version
Peter also affirms this view in 2 Peter 3:15–16, saying:
“...as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you, as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures.”
— 2 Peter 3:15–16, New King James Version
The early Church understood the apostolic writings as part of the unfolding canon of Scripture—equal in authority to the Law and the Prophets.
“…and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness…”
God’s Word is not merely inspired; it is also profitable. It benefits the believer in multiple ways:
Doctrine: Tells us what is right. Scripture reveals the truths about God, man, sin, salvation, creation, judgment, and eternity. It is the authoritative source of divine truth.
Reproof: Tells us what is not right. Scripture exposes error in our thinking and conduct. It serves as the light that reveals sin, as David wrote in Psalm 119:105:
“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”
— Psalm 119:105, New King James VersionCorrection: Tells us how to get right. The word implies a restoration to an upright state. It doesn’t just point out sin—it shows the way back to righteousness.
Instruction in righteousness: Tells us how to stay right. It trains and disciplines the believer in the habits and pathways of a godly life.
This sequence forms the full cycle of sanctification: doctrine → reproof → correction → instruction.
It is the divine mechanism for discipleship, not man’s ideas, not cultural consensus, but Scripture alone (Sola Scriptura).
“That the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
This phrase defines the sufficiency of Scripture. It makes the “man of God” (a phrase used for prophets like Moses, Elijah, and Timothy himself) complete (artios)—meaning mature, whole, fully developed—and thoroughly equipped (exērtismenos)—meaning fully supplied, like a soldier ready for battle.
As Paul also says in Ephesians 6:17:
“And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”
— Ephesians 6:17, New King James Version
The Bible is both a sword for defense and a toolkit for service. It is the divine equipment manual for every believer. If a man of God submits to Scripture, he lacks nothing essential for faithful living and fruitful ministry.
Jesus affirmed the sanctifying power of Scripture in His high priestly prayer:
“Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.”
— John 17:17, New King James Version
The Word of God: Tested, Proven, and Indestructible
Paul’s confidence in Scripture rests not merely on internal claims, but also on fulfilled prophecy, historical accuracy, moral coherence, transformational power, and its supernatural preservation across the centuries. As Isaiah 40:8 declares:
“The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever.”
— Isaiah 40:8, New King James Version
And as Jeremiah wrote:
“Is not My word like a fire?” says the Lord, “And like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?”
— Jeremiah 23:29, New King James Version
Satan hates it. Culture mocks it. Critics attack it. Yet the Bible remains unbroken and undefeated. As Jesus said:
“Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.”
— Matthew 24:35, New King James Version
Conclusion: Timothy’s Mandate and Ours
In a world of deception, Timothy is called to continue, to abide in the Word of God that saved him, shaped him, and will sustain him. That call is no less urgent today.
As Paul has now thoroughly shown in 2 Timothy 3:
The world is growing darker (verses 1–5),
False teachers are becoming bolder (verses 6–9),
Persecution is inevitable for the godly (verses 10–12),
Evil men will increase in deception (verse 13),
But the Scriptures will never fail (verses 14–17).
Let us take the same charge. Let us stand in the Word, suffer for it if necessary, and be thoroughly equipped for every good work until we see our Savior face to face.
