narcissism

¹And know this: that in the last days perilous times will press near. ²Men will be lovers of themselves, greedy, self-exalting, arrogant, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, wicked, ³without affection, without peace, false accusers, unchaste, cruel, without kindness, ⁴traitorous, reckless, self-important, loving pleasure more than God, ⁵even having the appearance of piety while rejecting its virtue. And so, avoid them. ⁶For among these are ones who penetrate houses and lead away, like captives, foolish women burdened with sins, who are led away by means of various desires,

¹⁷But I beg you, brothers, to take note of those who cause dissensions and offenses contrary to the doctrine that you have learned, and to turn away from them. ¹⁸For ones such as these do not serve Christ our Lord, but their inner selves, and, through pleasing words and skillful speaking, they seduce the hearts of the innocent. ¹⁹But your obedience has been made known in every place. And so, I rejoice in you. But I want you to be wise in what is good, and simple in what is evil.

⁵Similarly, young persons, be subject to the elders. And infuse all humility among one another, for God resists the arrogant, but to the humble he gives grace. ⁶And so, be humbled under the powerful hand of God, so that he may exalt you in the time of visitation.

¹⁶For they do not sleep, unless they have done evil. And their sleep is quickly taken away from them, unless they have overthrown.

¹²The heart of a man is exalted before it is crushed and humbled before it is glorified.

¹⁶They claim that they know God. But, by their own works, they deny him, since they are abominable, and unbelieving, and reprobate, toward every good work.

¹⁸Arrogance precedes destruction. And the spirit is exalted before a fall.

¹Therefore, if there is any consolation in Christ, any solace of charity, any fellowship of the Spirit, any feelings of commiseration: ²complete my joy by having the same understanding, holding to the same charity, being of one mind, with the same sentiment. ³Let nothing be done by contention, nor in vain glory. Instead, in humility, let each of you esteem others to be better than himself. ⁴Let each of you not consider anything to be your own, but rather to belong to others. ⁵For this understanding in you was also in Christ Jesus: ⁶who, though he was in the form of God, did not consider equality with God something to be seized.

²⁴Do not be willing to be a friend to an angry man, and do not walk with a furious man, ²⁵lest perhaps you learn his ways, and take up a stumbling block to your soul.

²The unjust one has said within himself that he would commit offenses. There is no fear of God before his eyes. ³For he has acted deceitfully in his sight, such that his iniquity will be found to be hatred. ⁴The words of his mouth are iniquity and deceit. He is unwilling to understand, so that he may act well.

⁴And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but educate them with the discipline and correction of the Lord.

¹“Do not judge, so that you may not be judged. ²For with whatever judgment you judge, so shall you be judged; and with whatever measure you measure out, so shall it be measured back to you. ³And how can you see the splinter in your brother’s eye, and not see the board in your own eye? ⁴Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the splinter from your eye,’ while, behold, a board is in your own eye? ⁵Hypocrite, first remove the board from your own eye, and then you will see clearly enough to remove the splinter from your brother’s eye.

¹⁶You shall know them by their fruits. Can grapes be gathered from thorns, or figs from thistles?

¹⁵But if your brother has sinned against you, go and correct him, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you will have regained your brother. ¹⁶But if he will not listen you, invite with you one or two more, so that every word may stand by the mouth of two or three witnesses. ¹⁷And if he will not listen to them, tell the Church. But if he will not listen to the Church, let him be to you like the pagan and the tax collector.

⁹The heart is depraved above all things, and it is unsearchable, who can know it?