2 Timothy 3:1-9 (NKJV) But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: 2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, 4 traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! 6 For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts, 7 always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. 8 Now as Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, disapproved concerning the faith; 9 but they will progress no further, for their folly will be manifest to all, as theirs also was.
V1 “But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come…” The term “last days” refers to any time period of God’s special dealing with a group of people. The “Last Days” for Israel is the 7 year Tribulation when the final week of Daniel’s prophecy happens (Daniel 9:24-27). The church is not mentioned in the Old Testament, so terms as last days, end of the age, etc. do not refer to the church. Dr Tommy Ice writes (https://www.pre-trib.org/pretribfiles/pdfs/Ice-TheEnd-TimeApostasy.pdf ): “Sometimes Christians read in the Bible about the “last days,” “end times,” etc., and tend to think that all of these phrases all of the time refer to the same thing. This is not the case. Just as in our own lives, there are many endings. There is the end of the work day, the end of the day according to the clock, the end of the week, the end of the month, and the end of the year. Just because the word “end” is used does not mean that it always refers to the same time. “End” is restricted and precisely defined when it is modified by “day,” “week,” etc.
“The Bible teaches that this present age will end with the rapture, followed by the tribulation which will end with the second coming of Messiah to the earth. Thus, we must distinguish between the “last days” of the church age and the “last days” of Israel’s tribulation. The following passages refer to the end of the church age: 1 Timothy 4:1; 2 Timothy 3:1; Hebrews 1:2; James 5:3; 1 Peter 1:5, 20; 2 Peter 3:3; 1 John 2:18; Jude 1:18.”
The Greek word for “perilous” is (G5467) χαλεπός chalepós, which means dangerous and perilous. Compare Matthew 8:28.
V2 “…For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy…” This and the following few verses describe the characteristics of those days. The will be lovers of themselves (narcissists), lover of money (covetous and greedy), boasters (braggarts), proud, blasphemers (of God, His kingdom, ways, lifestyle, rules, and character traits), disobedient to parents (younger children still at home), unthankful, and unholy (everything God terms “good,” they term “evil”).
V3 “…unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good…” Unloving (because they love themselves and no one else), unforgiving, slanderers (especially against God, Christians, Jews, and anyone who wants to do what is right in God’s eyes), without self-control, brutal (abusive in every form possible), despisers of good.
V4 “…traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God…” traitors (do not keep secrets, serve whomever they wish instead of any constant loyalty), lovers of pleasures rather than lovers of God (one of the two reasons people refuse to believe the Gospel).
V5 “…having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!” Having a form of godliness (religious and use Christian lingo but don’t believe or live it) and denying its power (the good for society of those who live God’s way).
V6 “For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts…” Creep (looking for easy marks to deceive and taken advantage of), households (by social media, etc.), make slaves of gullible women who love to sin. These “creeps” love the pleasure of sin. Compare Moses Hebrews 11:23-27. Men can be gullible, too. The devil always has plenty of willingly agents to destroy the faith of believers. They probably don’t realize that they are but what they do and say is of the devil. See John 8:44.
V7 “…always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.” These are great students and scholars in theology, philosophy, etc. They do not, however, believe anything they read, nor does the words of Scripture have any effect on(because their conscience is seared–1 Timothy 4:2 and Ephesians 4:19. They do not interpret the Bible in its plain, normal sense; thus, twisting the plain meaning into one that they, in their opinions, believe.
V8 “Now as Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, disapproved concerning the faith…” Jannes and Jambres did lying, false miracles due to the power of satan (Exodus 7:11). They accept lying wonders, real “miracles” done by satan, instead of the real miracles of the Lord Jesus. The Greek word for “resist” is (G436) ἀνθίστημι anthístēmi, which means to take a stand against something and oppose. These teachers have rejected truth–by suppressing it (Romans 1:18 (TCENT) For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth by their unrighteousness). The truth is inconvenient to their fleshly mind, so they work to change it, twist it, suppress it.Compare John 3:19-21.
The Greek word for “corrupt” is (G2704) καταφθείρω kataphtheírō, which means rotten as in rotting food, etc. This is God’s opinion of them. The mind is the soul and spirit; it is their thinking ability and what they think about. Concerning Christianity? They are rejected and worthless for being citizens of the Kingdom of God (heaven or any reign of God).
V9 “…but they will progress no further, for their folly will be manifest to all, as theirs also was.” There is a limit to what they can do. The Greek word for “folly” is (G454) ἄνοια ánoia, which not having any intellect. This is because they have rejected the truth. Compare Luke 6:11 (same word). The folly of these people is God’s opinion of them. The ultimate lie is those who believe in the anti-Christ. See 2 Thessalonians 2;11.