2 Timothy 3:13

‘But evil men and impostors will wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.’

In contrast with the ‘persecuted godly’ are evil men and ‘religious impostors’, that is those who make out that they are what they are not (like the Egyptian magicians) They will get worse and worse, and will continue both deceiving others, and being deceived about themselves. But they will not affect the growth of the Kingly Rule of God, for the Lord knows those who are His, and the foundation is solid (2 Timothy 2:19).