1But know this: that in the last days, grievous times will come. 2For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3without natural affection, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, fierce, not lovers of good, 4traitors, headstrong, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5holding a form of godliness but having denied its power. Turn away from these, also. 6For some of these are people who creep into houses and take captive gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts, 7always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. 8Even as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these also oppose the truth, men corrupted in mind, who concerning the faith are rejected. 9But they will proceed no further. For their folly will be evident to all men, as theirs also came to be.
10But you followed my teaching, conduct, purpose, faith, patience, love, steadfastness, 11persecutions, and sufferings—those things that happened to me at Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra. I endured those persecutions. The Lord delivered me out of them all. 12Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. 13But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. 14But you remain in the things which you have learned and have been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them. 15From infancy, you have known the holy Scriptures which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 16Every Scripture is God-breathed and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness, 17that each person who belongs to God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.
Paul's farewell letter in Second Timothy represents Paul's final letter written just before his death during the apostle's second Roman imprisonment. The apostle had no hope of release since his departure was imminent (4:6). The letter is deeply personal. Paul desires to impart some final instructions to Timothy. Moreover, although Paul is courageous in the face of his coming death, it is clear that he is lonely and longs to see Timothy one last time.
Unfortunately, Timothy, Paul's protégé and pastor at Ephesus, had become passive in his ministerial calling. Several reasons account for Timothy's non-assertiveness including his youthfulness (1 Tim 4:12), sickliness (1 Tim 5:23), and natural timidity (1:7). The Neronian persecution as well as Paul's recent arrest also played a role in Timothy's intimidation (1:8). As the baton of spiritual truth was being passed from the apostolic generation, the Church was in a precarious position. Christian truth ran the risk of succumbing to error and false teaching, had Timothy's generation not aggressively pursued their spiritual roles. Thus, for the sake of his spiritual heirs, Paul wrote 2 Tim for the purpose of encouraging Timothy not to shy away from fulfilling his calling.
First, Paul calls Timothy to courage (1:6), to use his spiritual gift (1:7), and to not be ashamed of the gospel (1:8-14). Paul even uses Timothy's heritage (1:1-5) as well as various personal examples (1:15-18) to motivate Timothy. In chapter two, Paul provides ten metaphors describing faithful endurance. Next, Paul warns of the coming apostasy (3:1‒4:8). After giving the general characteristics of apostasy (3:1-9, 12-13), the apostle then instructs Timothy regarding how to cope in the midst of it. Timothy must imitate Paul's endurance (3:10-11) and preach Scripture (3:14‒4:8). Paul concludes by noting the times that God had met the deepest needs in his own life (4:9-22). If God had helped Paul in this way, He would do the same for Timothy. Thus, Timothy can boldly go forward in doing what God has called him to do.