⁶ But ^(A)godliness ^(B)with contentment is great gain, ⁷ for ^(C)we brought nothing into the world, and^[a] we cannot take anything out of the world. ⁸ But ^(D)if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. ⁹ But ^(E)those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, ^(F)into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that ^(G)plunge people into ruin and destruction. ¹⁰ For the love of money is a root of ^(H)all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.

Fight the Good Fight of Faith

¹¹ But as for you, ^(I)O man of God, ^(J)flee these things. ^(K)Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness. ^12 (L)Fight the good fight of the faith. ^(M)Take hold of the eternal life ^(N)to which you were called and about which you made ^(O)the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. ^13 (P)I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, ^(Q)who in his testimony before^[b] Pontius Pilate made ^(R)the good confession, ¹⁴ to keep the commandment unstained and free from reproach until ^(S)the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, ¹⁵ which he will display ^(T)at the proper time—he who is ^(U)the blessed and only Sovereign, ^(V)the King of kings and Lord of lords, ^16 (W)who alone has immortality, ^(X)who dwells in ^(Y)unapproachable light, ^(Z)whom no one has ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen.

¹⁷ As for the rich in ^(AA)this present age, charge them ^(AB)not to be haughty, nor ^(AC)to set their hopes on ^(AD)the uncertainty of riches, but on God, ^(AE)who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. ¹⁸ They are to do good, ^(AF)to be rich in good works, to be generous and ^(AG)ready to share, ¹⁹ thus ^(AH)storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may ^(AI)take hold of ^(AJ)that which is truly life.

³ But ^(A)sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness ^(B)must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints. ⁴ Let there be ^(C)no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, ^(D)which are out of place, but instead ^(E)let there be thanksgiving. ⁵ For you may be sure of this, that ^(F)everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (^(G)that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.

^5 (A)Put to death therefore ^(B)what is earthly in you:^{[a] (C)}sexual immorality, impurity, ^(D)passion, evil desire, and covetousness, ^(E)which is idolatry.

A Living Sacrifice

12 ^(A)I appeal to you therefore, brothers,^[a] by the mercies of God, ^(B)to present your bodies ^(C)as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.^{[b] 2 (D)}Do not be conformed to this world,^[c] but be transformed by ^(E)the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may ^(F)discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.^[d]

¹⁹ And my God ^(A)will supply every need of yours ^(B)according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

Blessed Is the One Who Finds Wisdom

3 ^(A)“Behold, I send ^(B)my messenger, and ^(C)he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord ^(D)whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and ^(E)the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts. ² But ^(F)who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? For ^(G)he is like a refiner's fire and like fullers' soap. ³ He will sit ^(H)as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, and they will bring ^(I)offerings in righteousness to the Lord.^{[a] 4 (J)}Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the Lord as in the days of old and as in former years.

⁵ “Then I will draw near to you for judgment. I will be ^(K)a swift witness against the sorcerers, against the adulterers, against those who swear falsely, against those ^(L)who oppress the hired worker in his wages, ^(M)the widow and the fatherless, against those who thrust aside the sojourner, and do not fear me, says the Lord of hosts.

Robbing God

⁶ “For ^(N)I the Lord do not change; ^(O)therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed. ^7 (P)From the days of your fathers you have turned aside from my statutes and have not kept them. ^(Q)Return to me, and I will return to you, says the Lord of hosts. ^(R)But you say, ‘How shall we return?’ ⁸ Will man rob God? Yet you are robbing me. ^(S)But you say, ‘How have we robbed you?’ ^(T)In your tithes and contributions. ^9 (U)You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing me, the whole nation of you. ^10 (V)Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby ^(W)put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open ^(X)the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need. ¹¹ I will rebuke ^(Y)the devourer^[b] for you, so that it will not destroy the fruits of your soil, and your vine in the field shall not fail to bear, says the Lord of hosts. ¹² Then ^(Z)all nations will call you blessed, for you will be ^(AA)a land of delight, says the Lord of hosts.

^13 (AB)“Your words have been hard against me, says the Lord. ^(AC)But you say, ‘How have we spoken against you?’ ¹⁴ You have said, ^(AD)‘It is vain to serve God. ^(AE)What is the profit of our keeping his charge or of walking as in mourning before the Lord of hosts? ¹⁵ And now we call ^(AF)the arrogant blessed. ^(AG)Evildoers not only prosper but ^(AH)they put God to the test and they escape.’”

The Book of Remembrance

¹⁶ Then those who feared the Lord ^(AI)spoke with one another. The Lord paid attention and heard them, and ^(AJ)a book of remembrance was written before him of those who feared the Lord and esteemed his name. ¹⁷ “They shall be mine, says the Lord of hosts, ^(AK)in the day when I make up ^(AL)my treasured possession, and I will spare them as a man spares his son who serves him. ¹⁸ Then once more you shall ^(AM)see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve him.

^23 (A)“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For ^(B)you tithe mint and dill and ^(C)cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: ^(D)justice and mercy and faithfulness. ^(E)These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others.