2 Timothy 3:3 (DRB)

Passage

Without affection, without peace, slanderers, incontinent, unmerciful, without kindness,

Nearby Context

2 Timothy 3:1 Know also this, that in the last days shall come dangerous times.

2 Timothy 3:2 Men shall be lovers of themselves, covetous, haughty, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, wicked,

2 Timothy 3:3 Without affection, without peace, slanderers, incontinent, unmerciful, without kindness,

2 Timothy 3:4 Traitors, stubborn, puffed up, and lovers of pleasure more than of God:

2 Timothy 3:5 Having an appearance indeed of godliness but denying the power thereof. Now these avoid.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "without", "affection", "peace", "slanderers", "incontinent", and "unmerciful". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "without" and "affection", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 2's "Men shall be lovers of themselves covetous..." into verse 4's "Traitors stubborn puffed up and lovers of...", so "without" and "affection" belong inside that flow. In 2 Timothy context, the local focus is Christ, faith, and discipleship.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "without" and "affection" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.