Slaves, Masters and Sound Teaching
6 All who live as slaves, ‘under the yoke’ so to speak, should consider their own masters as worthy of all respect, so that people may not say wicked things against the name of God and the teaching. 2 Those who have masters who are also believers should not look down on them because they are brothers, but rather give them service, since those who receive the benefit of their work are beloved fellow-believers.
Teach these things, and exhort people to do them. 3 Some people teach other things, and don’t hold firmly to the healthy words of our Lord King Jesus, and the teaching which goes with piety; 4 people like that are conceited and have no understanding. They have a diseased craving for disputes and arguments about words. That just leads to envy, jealousy, evil speaking, wicked suspicions 5 and irritating arguments among people with depraved minds who have lost their grip on the truth and imagine that godliness is a means of gain.
Godliness and Contentment
6 If it’s gain you want, though, there is plenty to be had in godliness – if it’s combined with contentment. 7 We brought nothing into the world, after all, and we certainly can’t take anything out. 8 If we have food and clothing, we should be satisfied with it. 9 People who want to be rich, by contrast, fall into temptation and a trap, into many foolish and dangerous lusts which drown people in devastation and destruction. 10 The love of money, you see, is the root of all evil. Some people have been so eager to get rich that they have wandered away from the faith and have impaled themselves painfully in several ways.
The King’s Royal Appearing
11 But you, man of God – you must run away from all this. Instead, chase after justice, godliness, faith, love, patience and gentleness. 12 Fight the noble fight of the faith, get a firm grasp on the life of the coming age, the life you were called to when you made the noble public profession before many witnesses. 13 I give you this charge before God, who gives life to all things, and King Jesus, who made the noble profession before Pontius Pilate: 14 be undefiled and blameless as you keep the commandment, until the royal appearing of our Lord King Jesus, 15 which the blessed and only Sovereign One, the King of kings and Lord of lords, will reveal at its proper time. 16 He is the only one who possesses immortality; he lives in unapproachable light; no human being has seen him, or can see him. To him be eternal honour and power, Amen!
What to Do with Money
17 What about people who are rich in this present world? Tell them not to think of themselves too highly, and to set their hopes, not on something so uncertain as riches, but on the God who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. 18 They are to do good, to be rich in good works, generous and eager to share. 19 That way, they will treasure up for themselves a good foundation for the future, and thereby come to possess the life which really is life.
20 Well then, Timothy: keep guard over what has been entrusted to you. Turn away from the pointless and empty talk and contradictions of what is wrongly called ‘knowledge’. 21 Some have claimed to be experts in it, but have missed the target when it comes to the faith.
Grace be with you all.