Serving with Honor 1Let as many seruauntes as are vnder the yocke, counte their masters worthy of all honoure, that the name of God and his doctrine be not euell spoken of. 2Se that they which haue beleuynge masters, despyse them not because they are brethre, but rather do seruyce, for so moch as they are beleuynge, and beloued, and partakers of the benefite. Reject False Doctrines 3These thinges teach and exhorte. Yf eny ma teach otherwyse, and agreeth not vnto the wholsome wordes of oure LORDE Iesus Christ, and to the doctryne of godlynes, 4he is puft vp, and knoweth nothinge, but waysteth his brayne aboute questions and stryuynges of wordes: wherof sprynge envye, stryfe, raylinges, euell surmysinges, 5vayne disputacios of soch men as haue corrupte myndes, and are robbed of the trueth, which thynke that godlynes is lucre: From soch separate thy selfe. Godliness with Contentment 6Howbeit it is greate avautage, who so is godly, and holdeth him content with that he hath. 7For we broughte nothinge in to the worlde, therfore is it a playne case yt we can cary nothinge out. 8Whan we haue fode and rayment, let vs therwith be content. 9For they that wylbe riche, fall in to the teptacion and snare, and in to many folisshe & noysome lustes, which drowne men in destruccion and damnacion. 10For Couetousnes is the rote of all euell, which whyle some lusted after, they erred from the faith, and tangled them selues with many sorowes. Fight the Good Fight 11But thou man of God, flye soche thinges: folowe righteousnes, godlynes, faith, loue, pacience, mekenes: 12fighte a good fighte of faith: laye honde on eternall life, where vnto thou art called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses. 13I geue the charge before God, which quyckeneth all thinges, & before Iesu Christ, which vnder Pontius Pilate witnessed a good witnessynge, 14that thou kepe the commaundement, without spot, vnreproueable, vntyll the appearynge of oure LORDE Iesus Christ, 15which appearynge (at his tyme) he shal shewe that is blessed, and mightie onely, the kynge of all kynges, and LORDE of all lordes: 16which onely hath immortalite, and dwelleth in a lighte, that no man can attayne: whom no man hath sene, nether can se. Vnto whom be honoure and empyre euerlastinge, Amen. A Charge to the Rich 17Charge the which are riche in this worlde, that they be not proude, ner trust in the vncertayne riches, but in the lyuynge God (which geueth vs abundauntly all thinges to enioye them:) 18That they do good: that they be rich in good workes: that they geue and distribute with a good wyll: 19gatherynge vp treasure for them selues, a good foundacion, agaynst ye tyme to come, that they maye laye honde on eternall life. Guard the Faith 20O Timothy, kepe that which is committed vnto the, and avoyde vngoostly vayne wordes, and opposicions of science falsly so called, 21which whyle some professed, they haue erred as concernynge the faith. Grace be with the, Amen. |