Honoring Masters

1All who are under the yoke as slaves should regard their own mastersA as worthy of all respect, so that God’s namea and his teaching will not be blasphemed. 2Let those who have believing masters not be disrespectful to them because they are brothers, but serve them even better, since those who benefit from their service are believers and dearly loved.a a

False Doctrine and Human Greed

Teach and encourage these things. 3If anyone teaches false doctrine and does not agree with the sound teaching of our Lorda Jesus Christ and with the teaching that promotes godliness,b 4he is conceited and understands nothing, but has an unhealthy interest in disputes and arguments over words.a From these come envy,b quarreling,c slander,d evil suspicions, 5and constant disagreement among people whose minds are depraved and deprived of the truth, who imagine that godliness is a way to material gain.a a 6But godliness with contentment is great gain.a 7For we brought nothing into the world, andA we can take nothing out.a 8If we have food and clothing,A we will be content with these. 9But those who want to be rich fall into temptation, a trap, and many foolish and harmful desires, which plunge people into ruin and destruction. 10For the love of money is a rootA of all kinds of evil, and by craving it, some have wandered away from the faitha and pierced themselves with many griefs.

Fight the Good Fight

11But you, man of God, flee from these things, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love,a endurance,b and gentleness. 12Fight the good fighta of the faith. Take hold of eternal lifeb to which you were called and about which you have made a good confession in the presence of many witnesses. 13In the presence of God, who gives life to all,a and of Christ Jesus, who gave a good confession before Pontius Pilate,b I charge you 14to keep this command without fault or failure until the appearinga of our Lordb Jesus Christ. 15God will bring this about in his own time.a He is the blessed and onlyb Sovereign, the King of kings,c and the Lord of lords,d 16who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light,a whom no one has seen or can see,b to him be honor and eternal power.c Amen.d

Instructions to the Rich

17Instruct those who are rich in the present age not to be arroganta or to set their hope on the uncertainty of wealth, but on God,A who richly provides us with all thingsb to enjoy. 18Instruct them to do what is good, to be rich in good works,a to be generous and willing to share,b 19storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the coming age,a so that they may take hold of what is truly life.

Guard the Heritage

20Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to you,a avoidingb irreverent and empty speech and contradictions from what is falsely called knowledge.c 21By professing it, somea people have departed from the faith.b

Grace be with you all.