| New International Version | NET Bible |
| 1All who are under the yoke of slavery should consider their masters worthy of full respect, so that God's name and our teaching may not be slandered. | 1Those who are under the yoke as slaves must regard their own masters as deserving of full respect. This will prevent the name of God and Christian teaching from being discredited. |
| 2Those who have believing masters should not show them disrespect just because they are fellow believers. Instead, they should serve them even better because their masters are dear to them as fellow believers and are devoted to the welfare of their slaves. These are the things you are to teach and insist on. | 2But those who have believing masters must not show them less respect because they are brothers. Instead they are to serve all the more, because those who benefit from their service are believers and dearly loved. Summary of Timothy's Duties Teach them and exhort them about these things. |
| 3If anyone teaches otherwise and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, | 3If someone spreads false teachings and does not agree with sound words (that is, those of our Lord Jesus Christ) and with the teaching that accords with godliness, |
| 4they are conceited and understand nothing. They have an unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels about words that result in envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions | 4he is conceited and understands nothing, but has an unhealthy interest in controversies and verbal disputes. This gives rise to envy, dissension, slanders, evil suspicions, |
| 5and constant friction between people of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain. | 5and constant bickering by people corrupted in their minds and deprived of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a way of making a profit. |
| 6But godliness with contentment is great gain. | 6Now godliness combined with contentment brings great profit. |
| 7For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. | 7For we have brought nothing into this world and so we cannot take a single thing out either. |
| 8But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. | 8But if we have food and shelter, we will be satisfied with that. |
| 9Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. | 9Those who long to be rich, however, stumble into temptation and a trap and many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. |
| 10For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. | 10For the love of money is the root of all evils. Some people in reaching for it have strayed from the faith and stabbed themselves with many pains. |
| 11But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. | 11But you, as a person dedicated to God, keep away from all that. Instead pursue righteousness, godliness, faithfulness, love, endurance, and gentleness. |
| 12Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses. | 12Compete well for the faith and lay hold of that eternal life you were called for and made your good confession for in the presence of many witnesses. |
| 13In the sight of God, who gives life to everything, and of Christ Jesus, who while testifying before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you | 13I charge you before God who gives life to all things and Christ Jesus who made his good confession before Pontius Pilate, |
| 14to keep this command without spot or blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, | 14to obey this command without fault or failure until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ |
| 15which God will bring about in his own time--God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, | 15 --whose appearing the blessed and only Sovereign, the king of kings and Lord of lords, will reveal at the right time. |
| 16who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honor and might forever. Amen. | 16He alone possesses immortality and lives in unapproachable light, whom no human has ever seen or is able to see. To him be honor and eternal power! Amen. |
| 17Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. | 17Command those who are rich in this world's goods not to be haughty or to set their hope on riches, which are uncertain, but on God who richly provides us with all things for our enjoyment. |
| 18Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. | 18Tell them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, to be generous givers, sharing with others. |
| 19In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life. | 19In this way they will save up a treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the future and so lay hold of what is truly life. |
| 20Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to your care. Turn away from godless chatter and the opposing ideas of what is falsely called knowledge, | 20O Timothy, protect what has been entrusted to you. Avoid the profane chatter and absurdities of so-called "knowledge." |
| 21which some have professed and in so doing have departed from the faith. Grace be with you all. | 21By professing it, some have strayed from the faith. Grace be with you all. |
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