August 23, 2010

2 Timothy 3:1-17 (Good News Translation)

Embodying Hope and Encouraging Others in Faith

Introduction

2 Timothy 3:1-17: This passage warns Timothy that some of Christ's followers will be fooled by evil teachers who will be disobedient, sneaky and reckless. In the end, their foolishness will be overcome by God's truth. Timothy is encouraged to be faithful to what he has been taught, remembering that everything in Scripture is useful for helping people know how to live.

Today’s Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:16,17

All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching the truth, rebuking error, correcting faults, and giving instruction for right living, so that the person who serves God may be fully qualified and equipped to do every kind of good deed.

Today’s Reading

¹Remember that there will be difficult times in the last days. ²People will be selfish, greedy, boastful, and conceited; they will be insulting, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, and irreligious; ³they will be unkind, merciless, slanderers, violent, and fierce; they will hate the good; ⁴they will be treacherous, reckless, and swollen with pride; they will love pleasure rather than God; ⁵they will hold to the outward form of our religion, but reject its real power. Keep away from such people. ⁶Some of them go into people's houses and gain control over weak women who are burdened by the guilt of their sins and driven by all kinds of desires, ⁷women who are always trying to learn but who can never come to know the truth. ⁸As Jannes and Jambres were opposed to Moses, so also these people are opposed to the truth—people whose minds do not function and who are failures in the faith. ⁹But they will not get very far, because everyone will see how stupid they are. That is just what happened to Jannes and Jambres. ¹⁰But you have followed my teaching, my conduct, and my purpose in life; you have observed my faith, my patience, my love, my endurance, ¹¹my persecutions, and my sufferings. You know all that happened to me in Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra, the terrible persecutions I endured! But the Lord rescued me from them all. ¹²Everyone who wants to live a godly life in union with Christ Jesus will be persecuted; ¹³and evil persons and impostors will keep on going from bad to worse, deceiving others and being deceived themselves. ¹⁴But as for you, continue in the truths that you were taught and firmly believe. You know who your teachers were, ¹⁵and you remember that ever since you were a child, you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. ¹⁶All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching the truth, rebuking error, correcting faults, and giving instruction for right living, ¹⁷so that the person who serves God may be fully qualified and equipped to do every kind of good deed.

Reflect

In 3:1-5, the author gives Timothy a brief description of how difficult the "last days" will be. What does the author say people will be like at that time? How are the behavior and thoughts of the people described here different from the kinds of behavior and thoughts Christians are to practice?

Pray

Holy God, thank you for the gift of your Scriptures. Help me to read them carefully and interpret them wisely, that I may find the timeless truths in your words. Amen.

Prayer Concern

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