1 Timothy 6:1–21

¹Let as many as are slaves under a yoke keep on considering their owners worthy of full honor, that the name of God and the teaching may never be spoken of injuriously.²Moreover, let those having believing owners not look down on them, because they are brothers. On the contrary, let them the more readily be slaves, because those receiving the benefit of their good service are believers and beloved.

Keep on teaching these things and giving these exhortations.³If any man teaches other doctrine and does not assent to healthful words, those of our Lord Jesus Christ, nor to the teaching that accords with godly devotion,⁴he is puffed up [with pride], not understanding anything, but being mentally diseased over questionings and debates about words. From these things spring envy, strife, abusive speeches, wicked suspicions,⁵violent disputes about trifles on the part of men corrupted in mind and despoiled of the truth, thinking that godly devotion is a means of gain.⁶To be sure, it is a means of great gain, [this] godly devotion along with self‐sufficiency.⁷For we have brought nothing into the world, and neither can we carry anything out.⁸So, having sustenance and covering, we shall be content with these things.

⁹However, those who are determined to be rich fall into temptation and a snare and many senseless and hurtful desires, which plunge men into destruction and ruin.¹⁰For the love of money is a root of all sorts of injurious things, and by reaching out for this love some have been led astray from the faith and have stabbed themselves all over with many pains.

¹¹However, you, O man of God, flee from these things. But pursue righteousness, godly devotion, faith, love, endurance, mildness of temper.¹²Fight the fine fight of the faith, get a firm hold on the everlasting life for which you were called and you offered the fine public declaration in front of many witnesses.

¹³In the sight of God, who preserves all things alive, and of Christ Jesus, who as a witness made the fine public declaration before Pontius Pilate, I give you orders¹⁴that you observe the commandment in a spotless and irreprehensible way until the manifestation of our Lord Jesus Christ.¹⁵This [manifestation] the happy and only Potentate will show in its own appointed times, [he] the King of those who rule as kings and Lord of those who rule as lords,¹⁶the one alone having immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom not one of men has seen or can see. To him be honor and might everlasting. Amen.

¹⁷Give orders to those who are rich in the present system of things not to be high‐minded, and to rest their hope, not on uncertain riches, but on God, who furnishes us all things richly for our enjoyment;¹⁸to work at good, to be rich in fine works, to be liberal, ready to share,¹⁹safely treasuring up for themselves a fine foundation for the future, in order that they may get a firm hold on the real life.

²⁰O Timothy, guard what is laid up in trust with you, turning away from the empty speeches that violate what is holy and from the contradictions of the falsely called “knowledge.”²¹For making a show of such [knowledge] some have deviated from the faith.

May the undeserved kindness be with ​YOU​ people.