Question 1

What are the “perilous times” in the last days that Paul talks about?

Accepted Answer

When Paul speaks of “perilous times” in the last days, he is not mainly talking about wars or natural disasters. He is warning about hard spiritual times when people’s hearts are twisted. He lists many traits: people will love themselves and money, be proud, disobedient, unthankful, unholy, and without natural love. They will enjoy pleasure more than God and may still look religious. The danger is that this moral decay makes it hard to live a godly life and tempts believers to compromise or lose heart.

Question 2

What does it mean to have a form of godliness but deny its power?

Accepted Answer

Having a form of godliness means someone looks religious on the outside. They may talk about God, join worship, or hold the right words. But denying its power means their heart is not changed by God. They do not submit to the truth, turn from sin, or depend on the Spirit’s work. Paul warns that such people can be very dangerous, because they appear safe while leading others away from real faith. He tells Timothy not to follow or rely on people whose lives contradict the faith they claim.

Question 3

Who are the people that “creep into houses” and lead others astray?

Accepted Answer

Paul is talking about false teachers who work in sneaky and hidden ways. They do not confront openly, but “creep into houses,” slipping into homes and private spaces. They take advantage of people who are already weighed down by sins and confused desires. These victims are described as always picking up new ideas but never reaching a settled knowledge of the truth. The picture is of teachers who use charm and craft instead of honest teaching, and of hearers who are swayed but never really turn to God.

Question 4

Why does Paul mention Jannes and Jambres resisting Moses?

Accepted Answer

Jannes and Jambres are remembered as magicians who stood against Moses when God was working through him. Paul uses them as an example of how some people always resist the truth. Just as those men copied some signs but could not truly match God’s power, so false teachers may impress for a while but do not have real faith. Their minds are corrupt and they are unfit regarding the faith. Paul adds that, like those magicians, their progress will be limited and their foolishness will eventually become clear to everyone.

Question 5

What does this passage teach about suffering for those who live godly lives?

Accepted Answer

Paul says plainly that everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus “shall suffer persecution.” He reminds Timothy of his own persecutions and troubles at Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra, and how the Lord rescued him from them. The point is not that believers will avoid pain, but that hardship is part of following Christ in a world that opposes truth. At the same time, God does not abandon his people. Paul’s story shows that while persecution is real, so is the Lord’s care and deliverance, in his own way and time.

Question 6

What does it mean that the holy Scriptures make a person wise unto salvation?

Accepted Answer

Paul tells Timothy that from childhood he has known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make him “wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.” This means the writings Timothy learned point clearly to God’s way of saving people. They show God’s character, expose sin, and point to the need for a Savior, leading a person to trust in Christ. The Scriptures do not save by bare knowledge, but they give the wisdom and understanding that, joined with faith in Jesus, leads to a real and lasting salvation.

Question 7

What does “all Scripture is given by inspiration of God” mean?

Accepted Answer

When Paul says all Scripture is given by inspiration of God, he is saying that these writings come from God’s own breath. God used human writers, but the message is truly his. Because of this, Scripture is reliable and has real authority. It is useful to teach what is true, to show us where we are wrong, to correct our path, and to train us in right living. The goal is that the servant of God is complete and fully equipped for every good work that God calls them to do.

Question 8

How should believers respond when evil people and deceivers grow worse?

Accepted Answer

Paul says that evil people and deceivers will go from bad to worse, fooling others and being fooled themselves. Instead of panicking or joining in, Timothy is told to continue in what he has learned and firmly believed, remembering who taught him and the Scriptures he has known since childhood. Believers today are called to the same thing: do not chase new teachings that pull away from Christ. Hold fast to God’s Word, follow the example of faithful lives, and expect that God’s truth will outlast every deceit.

Question 9

Why is Paul’s own example important in this chapter?

Accepted Answer

Paul reminds Timothy that he has fully known Paul’s teaching, way of life, purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, and the persecutions he faced. This is meant to steady Timothy. In contrast to the hypocritical teachers Paul just described, his own life matches his message. Timothy is to remember not only Paul’s words but also how he lived and suffered, and how the Lord rescued him. Paul’s example shows that real faith holds on in hardship and that God’s help is real, giving Timothy a pattern to follow.

2 Timothy 3:1

This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.

Evil in the Last Days

All Scripture Is God-Breathed

Evil in the Last Days

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2 Timothy 3:1

This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.

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Evil in the Last Days

All Scripture Is God-Breathed

Evil in the Last Days

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