Albert Barnes Commentary 2 Timothy 3:2

"For men shall be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, haughty, railers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy," — 2 Timothy 3:2 (ASV)

For men shall be lovers of their own selves. It will be one of the characteristics of those times that men will be eminently selfish, evidently under the garb of religion (2 Timothy 3:5).

The word used here, filautov—does not occur elsewhere in the New Testament. It means a lover of one's self, selfish.

Such a love of self as to lead us to secure our salvation is proper. But this interferes with the rights and happiness of no other persons.

The selfishness which is condemned is that regard for our own interests which interferes with the rights and comforts of others, which makes self the central and leading object of living, and which tramples on all that would interfere with that.

As such, it is a base and hateful and narrow passion; but it has been so common in the world that no one can doubt the correctness of the apostle's prophecy that it would exist in the last times.

• Covetous. Greek: Lovers of silver; that is, of money . See the commentary on 1 Timothy 6:10.
• Boasters. See the commentary on Romans 1:30.
• Proud. See the commentary on Romans 1:30.
• Blasphemers. See the commentary on Matthew 9:3.
• Disobedient to parents. See the commentary on Romans 1:30.
• Unthankful. . The word used here occurs in the New Testament only in these two places. Ingratitude has always been regarded as one of the worst crimes. It is said here that it would characterize that wicked age of which the apostle speaks, and its prevalence would, as it always does, indicate a decline of religion. Religion makes us grateful to every benefactor—to God, and to man.
• Unholy. See the commentary on 1 Timothy 1:9.