New Living Translation | International Standard Version |
1All slaves should show full respect for their masters so they will not bring shame on the name of God and his teaching. | 1All who are under the yoke of slavery should regard their own masters as deserving of the highest respect, so that the name of God and our teaching may not be discredited. |
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. | 2Moreover, those who have believing masters should be respectful to them, because they are fellow believers. In fact, they must serve them even better, because those who benefit from their service are believers and dear to them. These are the things you must teach and exhort. |
3Some people may contradict our teaching, but these are the wholesome teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ. These teachings promote a godly life. | 3If anyone teaches false doctrine and refuses to agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus, the Messiah, and godly teaching, |
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. | 4he is a conceited person and does not understand anything. He has an unhealthy craving for arguments and debates. This produces jealousy, rivalry, slander, evil suspicions, |
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. | 5and incessant conflict between people who are depraved in mind and deprived of truth. They think that godliness is a way to make a profit. |
6Yet true godliness with contentment is itself great wealth. | 6Of course, godliness with contentment does bring a great profit. |
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. | 7Nothing to this world we bring; from it take we nothing. |
8So if we have enough food and clothing, let us be content. | 8With food to eat and clothes to wear; content we are in everything. |
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. | 9But people who want to get rich keep toppling into temptation and are trapped by many stupid and harmful desires that plunge them into destruction and ruin. |
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 | 10For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, in their eagerness to get rich, have wandered away from the faith and caused themselves a lot of pain. |
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. | 11But you, man of God, must flee from all these things. Instead, you must pursue righteousness, godliness, faithfulness, love, endurance, and gentleness. |
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. | 12Fight the good fight for the faith. Keep holding on to eternal life, to which you were called and about which you gave a good testimony in front of many witnesses. |
13And I charge you before God, who gives life to all, and before Christ Jesus, who gave a good testimony before Pontius Pilate, | 13Since you are in the presence of God, who gives life to everything, and in the presence of the Messiah Jesus, who gave a good testimony before Pontius Pilate, I solemnly charge you |
14that you obey this command without wavering. Then no one can find fault with you from now until our Lord Jesus Christ comes again. | 14to keep these commands stainlessly and blamelessly until the appearance of our Lord Jesus, the Messiah. |
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. | 15At the right time, he will make him known. God is the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords. |
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. | 16He alone has endless life and lives in inaccessible light. No one has ever seen him, nor can anyone see him. Honor and eternal power belong to him! Amen. |
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. | 17Tell those who are rich in this age not to be arrogant and not to place their confidence in anything as uncertain as riches. Instead, let them place their confidence in God, who lavishly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. |
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. | 18They are to do good, to be rich in good actions, to be generous, and to share. |
19By doing this they will be storing up their treasure as a good foundation for the future so that they may experience true life. | 19By doing this they store up a treasure for themselves that is a good foundation for the future, so that they can keep their hold on the life that is real. |
20Timothy, guard what God has entrusted to you. Avoid godless, foolish discussions with those who oppose you with their so-called knowledge. | 20Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to you. Avoid the pointless discussions and contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge. |
21Some people have wandered from the faith by following such foolishness. May God’s grace be with you all. | 21Although some claim to have it, they have abandoned the faith. May grace be with all of you! |
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. | The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY. |
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