Perilous Times and the Rise of False Teachers
2 Timothy 3:1-9
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2Tim.3.1 - Details
Translation
Original Text
Morphology
- Τουτο: PRON,nom,sg,n
- δε: CONJ
- γινωσκε: VERB,pres,act,imp,2,sg
- οτι: CONJ
- εν: PREP
- εσχαταις: ADJ,dat,pl,f
- ημεραις: NOUN,dat,pl,f
- ενστησονται: VERB,fut,mid/pass,ind,3,pl
- καιροι: NOUN,nom,pl,m
- χαλεποι·: ADJ,nom,pl,m
Parallels
- 1 Timothy 4:1 (verbal): Both speak of 'later/latter times' (eschatai/hemerai) and warn of spiritual deterioration—departure from the faith in the last days.
- 2 Timothy 3:13 (structural): Immediate context: continues the description of the 'hard times' by naming the moral and deceptive behaviors that will characterize those days.
- 2 Peter 3:3 (thematic): Peter likewise warns that in the last days scoffers and mockers will come, reflecting a similar eschatological expectation of moral decline.
- Jude 18 (verbal): Uses the phrase 'in the last time' and predicts mockers coming, paralleling the temporal frame and tone of warning about the last days.
- Matthew 24:3-8 (thematic): Jesus' eschatological discourse describes signs and 'tribulations' in the end times—comparable to Paul's warning of difficult/terrible times in the last days.
Alternative generated candidates
- But know this: in the last days there will come perilous times.
- But know this: in the last days difficult times will come.
2Tim.3.2 - Details
Translation
Original Text
Morphology
- εσονται: VERB,fut,act,ind,3,pl
- γαρ: PART
- οι: ART,nom,pl,m
- ανθρωποι: NOUN,nom,pl,m
- φιλαυτοι: ADJ,nom,pl,m
- φιλαργυροι: ADJ,nom,pl,m
- αλαζονες: ADJ,nom,pl,m
- υπερηφανοι: ADJ,nom,pl,m
- βλασφημοι: ADJ,nom,pl,m
- γονευσιν: NOUN,dat,pl,m
- απειθεις: ADJ,nom,pl,m
- αχαριστοι: ADJ,nom,pl,m
- ανοσιοι: ADJ,nom,pl,m
Parallels
- Romans 1:29-31 (thematic): Paul lists a catalogue of vices in fallen humanity (envy, murderers, boastful, proud, etc.), paralleling the moral portrait of people 'lovers of selves…ungrateful, unholy' in 2 Tim 3:2.
- 1 Timothy 6:10 (verbal): Declares that the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, directly paralleling 2 Tim 3:2's 'lovers of money' (φιλάργυροι).
- Exodus 20:12 (structural): The fifth commandment requires honor toward parents; 2 Tim 3:2's 'disobedient to parents' stands in explicit opposition to this command.
- Jude 16 (thematic): Jude describes ungodly people as 'grumblers, faultfinders, boasters, and loud-mouthed'—language and character traits that echo 2 Tim 3:2's 'boastful, proud, blasphemers'.
Alternative generated candidates
- For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy,
- People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, slanderous, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy,
2Tim.3.3 - Details
Translation
Original Text
Morphology
- αστοργοι: ADJ,nom,pl,m
- ασπονδοι: ADJ,nom,pl,m
- διαβολοι: NOUN,nom,pl,m
- ακρατεις: ADJ,nom,pl,m
- ανημεροι: ADJ,nom,pl,m
- αφιλαγαθοι: ADJ,nom,pl,m
Parallels
- Romans 1:30-31 (verbal): A similar catalogue of depravity that includes the phrase “without natural affection” (Greek usage) and related terms; strong verbal and thematic overlap with 2 Tim 3:3.
- Galatians 5:19-21 (thematic): Paul’s list of the “works of the flesh” (e.g., sensuality, fits of anger, jealousy, drunkenness) parallels the moral vices in 2 Tim 3:3—especially lack of self‑control (ἀκρατεία).
- Titus 3:3 (thematic): Paul’s description of former moral condition (foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to passions and pleasures, hating one another) mirrors the same catalogue of vice and human depravity.
- 2 Timothy 3:2-5 (structural): Immediate context: the broader list of wicked traits in which v.3 appears (lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, proud, etc.), showing this verse as part of a single descriptive catalogue of last‑day moral corruption.
Alternative generated candidates
- without natural affection, without self-control, slanderers, fierce, despisers of good,
- unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of good,
2Tim.3.4 - Details
Translation
Original Text
Morphology
- προδοται: NOUN,nom,pl,m
- προπετεις: ADJ,nom,pl,m
- τετυφωμενοι: VERB,perf,pass,part,nom,pl,m
- φιληδονοι: ADJ,nom,pl,m
- μαλλον: ADV
- η: ART,nom,sg,f
- φιλοθεοι: ADJ,nom,pl,m
Parallels
- Romans 1:29-32 (thematic): Paul’s catalogue of vices describing societal moral decay (including sensuality, malignity and godlessness) functions like 2 Tim 3:2–4 as a broad indictment of people who live contrary to God’s ways.
- Jude 1:16-19 (thematic): Jude condemns scoffers who follow their own desires and live for pleasure rather than God—echoing the characterization of people as lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God.
- 2 Peter 2:18-19 (thematic): False teachers ‘promise them freedom’ yet are slaves of corruption and give themselves to pleasures; the contrast between pursuing pleasure and true devotion to God parallels 2 Tim 3:4.
- Galatians 5:19-21 (thematic): Paul’s list of the works of the flesh (sensuality, drunkenness, etc.) functions like 2 Tim 3:2–4 as a catalogue of behaviors stemming from love of pleasure and opposition to God’s rule.
Alternative generated candidates
- treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,
- treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,
2Tim.3.5 - Details
Translation
Original Text
Morphology
- εχοντες: VERB,pres,act,part,nom,pl,m
- μορφωσιν: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- ευσεβειας: NOUN,gen,sg,f
- την: ART,acc,sg,f
- δε: CONJ
- δυναμιν: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- αυτης: PRO,gen,sg,f
- ηρνημενοι·και: VERB,perf,pass,part,nom,pl,m
- τουτους: PRON,acc,pl,m
- αποτρεπου: VERB,pres,act,imp,2,sg
Parallels
- Titus 1:16 (verbal): Both describe people who claim or profess godliness/knowledge of God yet in practice deny or contradict its power (professing vs denying God).
- Matthew 23:27-28 (thematic): Jesus condemns outward religiosity that hides inner corruption—appearance of righteousness but inwardly full of hypocrisy, echoing 'form of godliness' without its power.
- Matthew 7:21-23 (thematic): Warnings about persons who perform religious activity yet are not truly known by God—external profession without saving power/relationship.
- James 2:14-17 (thematic): Argues that mere profession of faith without corresponding works is dead—contrast between an outward/formal claim and the living power of genuine faith.
- 2 Corinthians 11:13-15 (thematic): Paul warns of false apostles who appear as servants of righteousness—an example of deceptive outward appearance of godliness that lacks true divine power.
Alternative generated candidates
- holding to a form of godliness while denying its power—turn away from such people.
- holding to a form of godliness while denying its power—turn away from such people.
2Tim.3.6 - Details
Translation
Original Text
Morphology
- εκ: PREP
- τουτων: PRON,gen,pl,m
- γαρ: PART
- εισιν: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,pl
- οι: ART,nom,pl,m
- ενδυνοντες: VERB,pres,act,part,nom,pl,m
- εις: PREP
- τας: ART,acc,pl,f
- οικιας: NOUN,acc,pl,f
- και: CONJ
- αιχμαλωτιζοντες: VERB,pres,act,part,nom,pl,m
- γυναικαρια: NOUN,acc,pl,n
- σεσωρευμενα: VERB,perf,pass,part,acc,pl,n
- αμαρτιαις: NOUN,dat,pl,f
- αγομενα: VERB,pres,pass,part,acc,pl,n
- επιθυμιαις: NOUN,dat,pl,f
- ποικιλαις: ADJ,dat,pl,f
Parallels
- 2 Timothy 3:13 (structural): Same context—Paul warns that evil men and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived, continuing the theme of false teachers and deception begun in v.6.
- 2 Peter 2:1-3 (thematic): Peter describes false teachers who secretly introduce destructive heresies and exploit the vulnerable for gain—parallel in motive and method to those who 'enter households' and take captive the weak.
- 2 Peter 2:18-19 (verbal): Speaks of those who 'entice by fleshly desires' and promise freedom while themselves being slaves of corruption—language and idea closely echo 'led away by various passions' and exploitation of victims.
- Jude 4 (thematic): Jude warns of men who pervert the grace of God into license and deny Christ—similar concern about corrupt leaders who mislead and morally exploit others.
- Acts 20:29-30 (thematic): Paul tells the Ephesian elders that 'savage wolves' will enter among them and draw away disciples—parallel imagery of intruders who infiltrate communities/households to mislead and capture the vulnerable.
Alternative generated candidates
- For among them are those who creep into households and seize weak women burdened with sins and led astray by various desires,
- For among them are those who creep into households and take captive weak women burdened with sins, led away by various passions,
2Tim.3.7 - Details
Translation
Original Text
Morphology
- παντοτε: ADV
- μανθανοντα: VERB,pres,act,part
- και: CONJ
- μηδεποτε: ADV
- εις: PREP
- επιγνωσιν: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- αληθειας: NOUN,gen,sg,f
- ελθειν: VERB,pres,act,inf
- δυναμενα: VERB,pres,mp,part
Parallels
- 2 Timothy 3:5 (structural): Immediate context: describes people with a form of godliness who are always learning but lacking the power—ties directly to inability to arrive at true knowledge.
- Isaiah 6:9-10 (allusion): Prophetic motif of hearing without understanding and seeing without perceiving parallels the spiritual incapacity to come to knowledge of truth.
- Hebrews 5:11-14 (thematic): Criticizes believers who remain immature and unskilled in teaching—similar idea of perpetual learners who do not attain full knowledge.
- 1 Timothy 6:20-21 (thematic): Warnings against 'what is falsely called knowledge' and arguments that lead people away from the faith echo the danger of endless learning without true understanding.
- Colossians 2:8 (thematic): Paul warns against deceptive philosophy and human tradition that can seduce learners—connects to being 'always learning' yet not grounded in the truth of Christ.
Alternative generated candidates
- always learning and never able to come to a knowledge of the truth.
- always learning and never able to come to a knowledge of the truth.
2Tim.3.8 - Details
Translation
Original Text
Morphology
- ον: PART,pres,act,nom,sg,m
- τροπον: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- δε: CONJ
- Ιαννης: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- και: CONJ
- Ιαμβρης: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- αντεστησαν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,pl
- Μωυσει: NOUN,dat,sg,m
- ουτως: ADV
- και: CONJ
- ουτοι: PRO,nom,pl,m
- ανθιστανται: VERB,pres,mid,ind,3,pl
- τη: ART,dat,sg,f
- αληθεια: NOUN,dat,sg,f
- ανθρωποι: NOUN,nom,pl,m
- κατεφθαρμενοι: VERB,perf,pass,ptc,masc,pl,nom
- τον: ART,acc,sg,m
- νουν: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- αδοκιμοι: ADJ,nom,pl,m
- περι: PREP
- την: ART,acc,sg,f
- πιστιν: NOUN,acc,sg,f
Parallels
- Exodus 7:11-12 (allusion): Egyptian magicians oppose Moses and reproduce his signs — the likely OT backdrop for Paul’s reference to Jannes and Jambres as resistors of Moses.
- Exodus 8:7 (structural): The Egyptian magicians ‘did the same’ with their enchantments, paralleling the description of opponents who resist God’s works and truth.
- Acts 7:51 (thematic): Stephen charges his hearers with always resisting the Holy Spirit — conceptually parallel to those who ‘resist the truth’ in 2 Tim 3:8.
- Romans 1:28 (verbal): Paul speaks of people given over to a ‘debased/reprobate mind,’ echoing 2 Tim 3:8’s language of minds corrupted and reprobate regarding the faith.
- 2 Peter 2:1 (thematic): Peter’s warning about false teachers who introduce destructive heresies and deny the Master parallels Paul’s depiction of corrupt, faith-undermining opponents.
Alternative generated candidates
- Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these also resist the truth—men corrupted in mind and reprobate with respect to the faith.
- Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also resist the truth—men of depraved minds, rejected as to the faith.
2Tim.3.9 - Details
Translation
Original Text
Morphology
- αλλ᾽ου: CONJ
- προκοψουσιν: VERB,fut,act,ind,3,pl
- επι: PREP
- πλειον: ADV,comp
- η: ART,nom,sg,f
- γαρ: PART
- ανοια: NOUN,nom,sg,f
- αυτων: PRON,gen,pl,m
- εκδηλος: ADJ,nom,sg,f
- εσται: VERB,fut,mid,ind,3,sg
- πασιν: ADJ,dat,pl,m
- ως: ADV
- και: CONJ
- η: ART,nom,sg,f
- εκεινων: PRON,gen,pl,m
- εγενετο: VERB,aor,mid,ind,3,sg
Parallels
- Romans 1:22 (verbal): ‘Professing to be wise, they became fools’ parallels 2 Tim.’s assertion that their folly will be made manifest.
- Exodus 8:18-19 (allusion): The Egyptian magicians could not reproduce the plague of gnats and their impotence was exposed—background for Paul’s reference to Jannes and Jambres and the statement that their folly became plain.
- 1 Corinthians 3:19 (thematic): ‘For the wisdom of this world is folly with God’ echoes the theme that apparent wisdom/power is actually foolishness and will be revealed as such.
- Titus 1:16 (thematic): Those who ‘profess to know God but deny him’ are shown by their deeds to be shameful/foolish, a parallel claim that the true character of false teachers becomes evident.
Alternative generated candidates
- But they will not advance farther; for their folly will be plain to all, as theirs was.
- But they will not go far, for their folly will be plain to all, as also was that of those two.
But know this: in the last days perilous times will come.
For people will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, and unholy.
Heartless, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of good,
treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,
holding the outward form of godliness, yet denying its power. Avoid such people.
For among them are those who creep into households and take captive weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions,
always learning and never able to come to a knowledge of the truth.
Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these also resist the truth—men corrupted in mind and disqualified regarding the faith. But they will not advance far, for their folly will be plain to all, as was that of those men.