Believers Who Are Masters and Slaves

¹Those who are under the yoke as slaves should consider their masters as worthy of all honor, so that the name of God and our teaching will not be blasphemed.

²Those who have believing masters should not be disrespectful because they are siblings, but rather they should serve them, because those who partake of the benefit of their work are believers and beloved.

Teach and preach these things.

Warn Lovers of Money

³If anyone spreads false teaching and doesn’t agree with sound instruction (that is, from our Lord Jesus Christ) and with godly teaching,

⁴they are conceited and know nothing. They are obsessed with arguments, disputes, and word combat, from which come envy, infighting, blasphemy, evil suspicions,

⁵and constant friction between humans with corrupt minds who are destitute of the truth and suppose that godliness is a means of gain.

⁶But godliness with contentment is great gain.

⁷For we brought nothing into the world, and we can’t carry anything out.

⁸But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.

⁹Those who are determined to get rich fall into a temptation, a snare, and many foolish and harmful desires that drown humans into ruin and destruction.

¹⁰For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some have been led astray from the faith in their greed, and have pierced themselves with many sorrows.

Closing Words to Timothy

¹¹But you, as a human of God, flee from these things, and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness.

¹²You must compete in the excellent competition, and take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made the excellent confession in the sight of many witnesses.

¹³I charge you before God who gives life to all things, and before Christ Jesus who before Pontius Pilate testified the excellent confession,

¹⁴that you keep the commandment without spot or blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ,

¹⁵which he will bring about at the right time, he who is the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords.

¹⁶He alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light, whom no human has seen nor can see, to whom be honor and eternal power. Amen.

¹⁷Charge those who are rich in this present age not to be arrogant or have their hope set on the uncertainty of riches, but on the living God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy.

¹⁸Instruct them to do good, to be rich in excellent works, and to be generous, and willing to share;

¹⁹storing up for themselves an excellent foundation against the time to come, that they may take hold of eternal life.

²⁰Timothy, you must guard what has been entrusted to you, turning away from empty chitchat and opposing what is falsely called “knowledge,”

²¹which some profess, and thus have wandered from the faith.

Grace be with y’all.