from Biblica1Here is what I want you to know. There will be terrible times in the last days.2People will love themselves. They will love money. They will boast and be proud. They will tear others down. They will not obey their parents. They won’t be thankful or holy.3They won’t love others. They won’t forgive others. They will tell lies about people. They will be out of control. They will be wild. They will hate what is good.4They will turn against their friends. They will act without thinking. They will think they are better than others. They will love what pleases them instead of loving God.5They will act as if they were serving God. But what they do will show that they have turned their backs on God’s power. Have nothing to do with these people.6They are the kind who trick their way into the homes of some women. These women are ready to believe anything. And they take control over these women. These women are loaded down with sins. They give in to all kinds of evil desires.7They are always learning. But they are never able to come to know the truth.8Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses. In the same way, the teachers I’m talking about oppose the truth. Their minds are twisted. As far as the faith is concerned, God doesn’t accept them.9They won’t get very far. Just like Jannes and Jambres, their foolish ways will be clear to everyone.
Paul gives a final command to Timothy
10But you know all about my teaching. You know how I live and what I live for. You know about my faith and love. You know how patient I am. You know I haven’t given up.11You know that I was treated badly. You know that I suffered greatly. You know what kinds of things happened to me in Antioch, Iconium and Lystra. You know how badly I have been treated. But the Lord saved me from all my troubles.12In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be treated badly.13Evil people and pretenders will go from bad to worse. They will fool others, and others will fool them.14But I want you to continue to follow what you have learned and are sure about. You know the people you learned it from.15You have known the Holy Scriptures ever since you were a little child. They are able to teach you how to be saved by believing in Christ Jesus.16God has breathed life into all Scripture. It is useful for teaching us what is true. It is useful for correcting our mistakes. It is useful for making our lives whole again. It is useful for training us to do what is right.17By using Scripture, the servant of God can be completely prepared to do every good thing.
2 Timothy 3
Nuova Riveduta 2006
from Società Biblica di Ginevra
Corruzione estrema degli ultimi tempi
1Or sappi questo: negli ultimi giorni verranno tempi difficili;2perché gli uomini saranno egoisti, amanti del denaro, vanagloriosi, superbi, bestemmiatori, ribelli ai genitori, ingrati, irreligiosi,3insensibili, sleali, calunniatori, intemperanti, spietati, senza amore per il bene,4traditori, sconsiderati, orgogliosi, amanti del piacere anziché di Dio,5aventi l’apparenza della pietà, mentre ne hanno rinnegato la potenza. Anche da costoro allontànati!6Poiché nel numero di costoro ci sono quelli che si insinuano nelle case e circuiscono donnette cariche di peccati, agitate da varie passioni,7le quali cercano sempre di imparare e non possono mai giungere alla conoscenza della verità.8E come Iannè e Iambrè si opposero a Mosè, così anche costoro si oppongono alla verità: uomini dalla mente corrotta, che non hanno dato buona prova quanto alla fede.9Ma non andranno più oltre, perché la loro stoltezza sarà manifesta a tutti, come fu quella di quegli uomini.
Esortazioni varie rivolte a Timoteo
10Tu invece hai seguito da vicino il mio insegnamento, la mia condotta, i miei propositi, la mia fede, la mia pazienza, il mio amore, la mia costanza,11le mie persecuzioni, le mie sofferenze, quello che mi accadde ad Antiochia, a Iconio e a Listra. Sai quali persecuzioni ho sopportato, e il Signore mi ha liberato da tutte.12Del resto, tutti quelli che vogliono vivere piamente in Cristo Gesù saranno perseguitati.13Ma gli uomini malvagi e gli impostori andranno di male in peggio, ingannando gli altri ed essendo ingannati.14Tu, invece, persevera nelle cose che hai imparate e di cui hai acquistato la certezza, sapendo da chi le hai imparate,15e che fin da bambino hai avuto conoscenza delle sacre Scritture, le quali possono darti la sapienza che conduce alla salvezza mediante la fede in Cristo Gesù.16Ogni Scrittura è ispirata da Dio e utile a insegnare, a riprendere, a correggere, a educare alla giustizia,17perché l’uomo di Dio sia completo e ben preparato per ogni opera buona.