Chapter III.
(Vers. 1-5.)
(Versions 1-5) But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, without self-control, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, headstrong, arrogant, lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away. This is a prophecy of the holy Apostle, in which he foresaw the great evils that would come from heretics and Jews; for in these things, all those that are hostile to the faith are indicated. For the Apostle himself said: For what have I to do to judge them also that are without?(I Cor. V 12). For those who think badly of God and do not fear what pertains to His injury, how can they be benevolent in human conversation? Therefore he said: Having the form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: have thou nothing to do with men of such sort. For they are among them who creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers desires: Ever learning, and never attaining to the knowledge of the truth.
(Vers. 6, 7.)
(vv. 6, 7) For out of these are they who creep into houses and take captive silly women laden with sins, led away by divers lusts, ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. Although this applies to all heretics, that they enter into houses and deceive men through cunning and deceitful words, just as the devil deceived Adam through Eve, it particularly applies to the Manichaeans. For there are none so importunate, so deceitful, so crafty, as those themselves who are known to worship one thing and profess another; to conduct themselves one way in private and claim something different in public. For they defend sanctimony, and with the support of their own laws, live shamefully. They praise mercy, while being found unjust amongst themselves. They assert that the world must be scorned, yet always proceed with meticulousness; boastfully proclaiming their dedication to fasting, though they all appear to be well-fed; the only thing they are able to hide with certainty is their pale complexion, in order to deceive. Therefore, the Apostle especially prophesied about those who are known not to have existed during the time of the apostles, just like the Arians; for Emperor Diocletian, in his constitution, designates this as a filthy and impure heresy, which recently, he says, emerged from Persia (See Collection of Mosaic and Roman Laws). These [heretics] find women who, out of vanity, desire to hear something new and through these [desires] they are pleased; they persuade them of disgusting and unlawful things; for they are eager to learn, although they lack judgment for proving [the truth]. This is to always be learning and not to have knowledge of the truth.
(Vers. 8, 9.)
(Ver. 8, 9.) But as Jannes and Mambres resisted Moses, so these also resist the truth, men corrupted in mind, reprobate concerning the faith. But they shall proceed no further; for their folly shall be manifest to all men, as theirs also was. This example is from the apocrypha (Exod. VII, 1 et seq.); for Jannes and Mambres were brothers who were magicians or sorcerers of the Egyptians, and by the power of their magic they falsely thought they could resist the miracles of God that were performed through Moses. But when the virtue of Moses grew in his works, they became humble and confessed with sorrow the God who worked in Moses' wounds. Therefore, in the same way, he says that these people will no longer make progress in the wickedness of their assertion; for their lack of skill will be made clear and their deception. And though unwillingly, they will confess their lack of skill in the end.
(Vers. 10, 11.)
(Verses 10, 11.) But you have followed my teaching, my conduct, my purpose, my faith, my patience, my love, my endurance, my persecutions, my sufferings. They want to imitate the things that he enumerates; for these things will lead not to repentance, but to joy in the end.
(Vers. 12, 13.)
(Verses 12, 13.) These are the things that happened to me in Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra, the persecutions I endured. Yet the Lord rescued me from all of them. Indeed, all who want to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. But evil people and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. Therefore, he recounts what he has suffered, to show the help of God, by which he defends and protects his faithful servants from the audacity of Satan, to make them secure and upright, so that they do not fear what may be inflicted by the unfaithful, but in persecution they may be cheerful, knowing that all who live rightly in Christ are hated even by their own bodies. But evil men, on the other hand, make progress for the worse, while they see many giving their assent to them, so that they lead others into error. For while they are known to be evil and deceivers, and nevertheless to flourish and prosper in the world, they attract certain individuals, in order that they may become imitators of them, not only to be punished for their own errors, but also for those of others, whom they ruin by their example.
(Vers. 14, 15.)
(Verse 14, 15.) But you, continue in what you have learned and have been entrusted with, knowing from whom you learned it, and because from childhood you have known the sacred writings, which can make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. It is highly beneficial to possess knowledge of the Old Testament; for it is referring to the sacred writings themselves, which allude to the person of Christ and declare his incarnation for the redemption of mankind. He encourages him to advance in these matters; for this antiquity is the strength of novelty, knowing that the authority is firm from whom he learned; for he saw signs and miracles performed by him, before which every conversation becomes silent.
(Vers. 16, 17.)
(Verse 16, 17.) All Scripture is divinely inspired and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that the person of God may be fully capable and equipped for every good work. It is clear that all Scripture, whose author is shown to be God, is useful. It is given for this purpose, so that it may benefit the unlearned and restore the disfigured, attracting the wicked to righteousness, so that the person of God may be complete in every good work. For in the new man progressing step by step, God establishes that person.