In II Timothy 3, Paul warns that perilous times will come because people will possess a form of godliness while denying its power, displaying the corrupt character traits he lists. He compares such people directly to two figures named Jannes and Jambres, stating that just as these two resisted Moses, so will corrupt-minded people resist the truth in the last days. Though these names appear nowhere else in Scripture, Paul mentions them as though the account were common knowledge, indicating a tradition well understood in his time. Jewish tradition, later supplemented by fragments of an ancient fictionalized work known as The Book of Jannes and Jambres, identifies them as magicians in Pharaoh's court, sons of Balaam and grandsons of an Egyptian priest of Apis. Though this book is uninspired and reflects Hellenistic errors such as belief in the immortality of the soul, it likely preserves a germ of truth about their character: obstinate, willful defiance of God despite full knowledge of Him. According to the narrative, Jannes received repeated warnings, dreams, omens, and direct evidence of divine power, yet he refused every opportunity to repent. He built a wall to shield himself from God's judgment, was struck with leprosy without softening, acknowledged Moses as God's servant yet still tried to kill him, and even understood impending disaster at the Red Sea without changing course. On his deathbed, still unrepentant, he appointed his brother Jambres to continue the rebellion. Jambres, whose name is linguistically tied to a root meaning "to rebel," proved equally hardened, refusing to abandon magic even after witnessing the plagues and the violent deaths of his mother and brother. He is portrayed as calling up Jannes' spirit from the dead for guidance, and though warned by that spirit to repent, the narrative gives no indication that he ever did. Paul's grouping of them together ("as theirs also was") suggests neither brother repented, both meeting the same fate. This account illustrates the point Paul makes about the wicked in the last days: their efforts to resist and deny God will ultimately prove futile, just as the Egyptian magicians and Pharaoh's entire military might were powerless to stop God's judgment on Egypt. Paul also draws a second parallel—just as Egypt's total destruction publicly demonstrated God's power to all nations, so will the collapse of the present evil age expose the total inadequacy of humanity's self-centered way of life for producing peace and prosperity. Though Jannes and Jambres died long ago, their example still testifies as a warning: some people, even knowing the truth, will deliberately and resolutely set themselves against God. Their obstinate resistance leads not to freedom, but ultimately to complete ruin, illustrating that sin will always be exposed, and that resisting divine truth accomplishes nothing but self-destruction.