Paul, an apostle (special messenger, personally chosen representative) of Christ Jesus (the Messiah, the Anointed) by the will of God, according to the promise of life that is in Christ Jesus,

The things [the doctrine, the precepts, the admonitions, the sum of my ministry] which you have heard me teach in the presence of many witnesses, entrust [as a treasure] to reliable and faithful men who will also be capable and qualified to teach others.

Think over the things I am saying [grasp their application], for the Lord will grant you insight and understanding in everything.

If we endure, we will also reign with Him;
If we deny Him, He will also deny us;

But avoid all irreverent babble and godless chatter [with its profane, empty words], for it will lead to further ungodliness,

and their teaching will spread like gangrene. So it is with Hymenaeus and Philetus,

Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from these things [which are dishonorable—disobedient, sinful], he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified [set apart for a special purpose and], useful to the Master, prepared for every good work.

Run away from youthful lusts—pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace with those [believers] who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

He must correct those who are in opposition with courtesy and gentleness in the hope that God may grant that they will repent and be led to the knowledge of the truth [accurately understanding and welcoming it],

and that they may come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will.

But understand this, that in the last days dangerous times [of great stress and trouble] will come [difficult days that will be hard to bear].

For people will be lovers of self [narcissistic, self-focused], lovers of money [impelled by greed], boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy and profane,

[and they will be] unloving [devoid of natural human affection, calloused and inhumane], irreconcilable, malicious gossips, devoid of self-control [intemperate, immoral], brutal, haters of good,

traitors, reckless, conceited, lovers of [sensual] pleasure rather than lovers of God,

always learning and listening to anybody who will teach them, but never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.

But they will not get very far, for their meaningless nonsense and ignorance will become obvious to everyone, as was that of Jannes and Jambres.

Indeed, all who delight in pursuing righteousness and are determined to live godly lives in Christ Jesus will be hunted and persecuted [because of their faith].

But evil men and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.

All Scripture is God-breathed [given by divine inspiration] and is profitable for instruction, for conviction [of sin], for correction [of error and restoration to obedience], for training in righteousness [learning to live in conformity to God’s will, both publicly and privately—behaving honorably with personal integrity and moral courage];

For the time will come when people will not tolerate sound doctrine and accurate instruction [that challenges them with God’s truth]; but wanting to have their ears tickled [with something pleasing], they will accumulate for themselves [many] teachers [one after another, chosen] to satisfy their own desires and to support the errors they hold,

and will turn their ears away from the truth and will wander off into myths and man-made fictions [and will accept the unacceptable].

For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure [from this world] is at hand and I will soon go free.

In the future there is reserved for me the [victor’s] crown of righteousness [for being right with God and doing right], which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that [great] day—and not to me only, but also to all those who have loved and longed for and welcomed His appearing.

Alexander the coppersmith did me great harm; [but that is no concern of mine, for] the Lord will repay him according to his actions.

The Lord will rescue me from every evil assault, and He will bring me safely into His heavenly kingdom; to Him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.