But you should know this: There will be terrible times in the last days [of the Christian age]. For people will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, abusive talkers, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, read more. lacking in natural affection, unwilling to be reconciled [to their enemies], slanderers, lacking self-control, brutal, haters of what is good, treacherous [i.e., betrayers], reckless, conceited, [and] lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God. [These people] maintain an appearance of being godly, but they have denied its power; [you should] turn away from such people. They are the kind of people who enter homes and influence [morally] weak-willed women, loaded down with sins, [and] led on by all kinds of evil desires. They are constantly learning and [yet] never able to arrive at a [full] knowledge of the truth. These people oppose the truth just like Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses. They have corrupt minds and are worthless as far as the faith is concerned. But they will not advance any farther [in their sin] because their foolish ways will become obvious to everyone, just as those of Jannes and Jambres were. But you have followed [Note: These words mean "to observe closely, have a keen interest in"] my teaching, conduct, purpose, faith, patience, love, perseverance, persecutions and sufferings. You know what kind of things happened to me at Antioch, Iconium and Lystra [See Acts 13:13-14:23], and what [severe] persecutions I experienced [there]. But the Lord rescued me from all of them. In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in [the service of] Christ will be persecuted. But evil people and impostors will go from bad to worse [in their behavior], deceiving people and being deceived by them.