| Christian Standard Bible | New Living Translation |
| 1All who are under the yoke as slaves should regard their own masters as worthy of all respect, so that God's name and his teaching will not be blasphemed. | 1All slaves should show full respect for their masters so they will not bring shame on the name of God and his teaching. |
| 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. Teach and encourage these things. | 2If the masters are believers, that is no excuse for being disrespectful. Those slaves should work all the harder because their efforts are helping other believers who are well loved. False Teaching and True Riches Teach these things, Timothy, and encourage everyone to obey them. |
| 3If anyone teaches false doctrine and does not agree with the sound teaching of our Lord Jesus Christ and with the teaching that promotes godliness, | 3Some people may contradict our teaching, but these are the wholesome teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ. These teachings promote a godly life. |
| 4he is conceited and understands nothing, but has an unhealthy interest in disputes and arguments over words. From these come envy, quarreling, slander, evil suspicions, | 4Anyone who teaches something different is arrogant and lacks understanding. Such a person has an unhealthy desire to quibble over the meaning of words. This stirs up arguments ending in jealousy, division, slander, and 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. | 5These people always cause trouble. Their minds are corrupt, and they have turned their backs on the truth. To them, a show of godliness is just a way to become wealthy. |
| 6But godliness with contentment is great gain. | 6Yet true godliness with contentment is itself great wealth. |
| 7For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out. | 7After all, we brought nothing with us when we came into the world, and we can’t take anything with us when we leave it. |
| 8If we have food and clothing, we will be content with these. | 8So if we have enough food and clothing, let us be content. |
| 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. | 9But people who long to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction. |
| 10For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, and by craving it, some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. | 10For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows. Paul’s Final Instructions |
| 11But you, man of God, flee from these things, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, and gentleness. | 11But you, Timothy, are a man of God; so run from all these evil things. Pursue righteousness and a godly life, along with faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness. |
| 12Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of eternal life to which you were called and about which you have made a good confession in the presence of many witnesses. | 12Fight the good fight for the true faith. Hold tightly to the eternal life to which God has called you, which you have declared so well before many witnesses. |
| 13In the presence of God, who gives life to all, and of Christ Jesus, who gave a good confession before Pontius Pilate, I charge you | 13And I charge you before God, who gives life to all, and before Christ Jesus, who gave a good testimony before Pontius Pilate, |
| 14to keep this command without fault or failure until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ. | 14that you obey this command without wavering. Then no one can find fault with you from now until our Lord Jesus Christ comes again. |
| 15God will bring this about in his own time. He is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings, and the Lord of lords, | 15For, At just the right time Christ will be revealed from heaven by the blessed and only almighty God, the King of all kings and Lord of all lords. |
| 16who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see, to him be honor and eternal power. Amen. | 16He alone can never die, and he lives in light so brilliant that no human can approach him. No human eye has ever seen him, nor ever will. All honor and power to him forever! Amen. |
| 17Instruct those who are rich in the present age not to be arrogant or to set their hope on the uncertainty of wealth, but on God, who richly provides us with all things to enjoy. | 17Teach those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which is so unreliable. Their trust should be in God, who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment. |
| 18Instruct them to do what is good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and willing to share, | 18Tell them to use their money to do good. They should be rich in good works and generous to those in need, always being ready to share with others. |
| 19storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of what is truly life. | 19By doing this they will be storing up their treasure as a good foundation for the future so that they may experience true life. |
| 20Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to you, avoiding irreverent and empty speech and contradictions from what is falsely called knowledge. | 20Timothy, guard what God has entrusted to you. Avoid godless, foolish discussions with those who oppose you with their so-called knowledge. |
| 21By professing it, some people have departed from the faith. Grace be with you all. | 21Some people have wandered from the faith by following such foolishness. May God’s grace be with you all. |
| The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. | Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. |
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