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.
False teachers and the love of money
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[1] of their slaves. These are the things you are to teach and insist on.3If anyone teaches otherwise and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching,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 suspicions5and 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.6But godliness with contentment is great gain.7For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it.8But if we have food and clothing, we will be content 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.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.
Final charge to Timothy
11But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, 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.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 you14to keep this command without spot or blame 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,16who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no-one has seen or can see. To him be honour and might for ever. 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.18Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share.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.20Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to your care. Turn away from godless chatter and the opposing ideas of what is falsely called knowledge,21which some have professed and in so doing have departed from the faith. Grace be with you all.
1 Timothy 6
English Standard Version
1Let all who are under a yoke as bondservants[1] regard their own masters as worthy of all honor, so that the name of God and the teaching may not be reviled. (Isa 52:5; Ro 2:24; Tit 2:5; 1Pe 2:18)
False Teachers and True Contentment
2Those who have believing masters must not be disrespectful on the ground that they are brothers; rather they must serve all the better since those who benefit by their good service are believers and beloved. Teach and urge these things. (1Ti 4:11; 1Ti 4:13; 1Ti 5:7; Phm 1:16)3If anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound[2] words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness, (1Ti 1:3; 1Ti 1:10; Tit 1:1)4he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions, (Ac 18:15; 1Co 8:2; 1Ti 1:4; 1Ti 1:7; 1Ti 3:6; 2Ti 2:14; 2Ti 2:23; 2Ti 3:4; Tit 3:9)5and constant friction among people who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain. (Eph 4:22; 2Ti 3:8; Tit 1:11; Tit 1:15; 2Pe 2:3)6But godliness with contentment is great gain, (Ps 37:16; Pr 15:16; Pr 16:8; Php 4:11; 1Ti 4:8; Heb 13:5)7for we brought nothing into the world, and[3] we cannot take anything out of the world. (Job 1:21; Ps 49:17; Ec 5:15)8But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. (Ge 28:20; Pr 30:8)9But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. (Pr 15:27; Pr 23:4; Pr 28:20; Mt 13:22; 1Ti 1:19; 1Ti 3:7)10For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs. (Ex 23:8; De 16:19)
Fight the Good Fight of Faith
11But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness. (Pr 15:9; 2Ti 2:22; 2Ti 3:17)12Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. (1Co 9:25; 2Co 9:13; Php 3:12; 1Ti 1:18; 1Pe 5:10)13I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who in his testimony before[4] Pontius Pilate made the good confession, (Mt 27:11; Joh 18:37; 1Ti 5:21; 1Ti 6:12; Re 1:5; Re 3:14)14to keep the commandment unstained and free from reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, (2Th 2:8)15which he will display at the proper time—he who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, (1Ti 1:11; 1Ti 2:6; Re 17:14)16who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen. (Job 37:23; Ps 104:2; Joh 1:18; 1Ti 1:17)17As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. (Pr 23:5; Mt 13:22; Mr 10:24; Ac 14:17; Ro 11:20; Ro 12:3; Ro 12:16; 2Ti 4:10; Tit 2:12)18They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, (Lu 12:21; Ro 12:13; Tit 3:8; Tit 3:14)19thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life. (Mt 6:19; 1Ti 6:12; 2Ti 1:1)20O Timothy, guard the deposit entrusted to you. Avoid the irreverent babble and contradictions of what is falsely called “knowledge,” (Col 2:8; 2Ti 2:16; 2Ti 3:5; 2Ti 4:4; Tit 1:14)21for by professing it some have swerved from the faith. Grace be with you.[5] (Col 4:18)