1 Timothy 6:2 - 2 Timothy 1:18

English Standard Version

² Those who have believing masters must not be disrespectful on the ground that they are ^(A)brothers; rather they must serve all the better since those who benefit by their good service are believers and beloved.

False Teachers and True Contentment

^(B)Teach and urge these things. ³ If anyone ^(C)teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with ^(D)the sound^[a] words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching ^(E)that accords with godliness, ^4 (F)he is puffed up with conceit and ^(G)understands nothing. He has an unhealthy craving for ^(H)controversy and for ^(I)quarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions, ⁵ and constant friction among people ^(J)who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth, ^(K)imagining that godliness is a means of gain. ⁶ But ^(L)godliness ^(M)with contentment is great gain, ⁷ for ^(N)we brought nothing into the world, and^[b] we cannot take anything out of the world. ⁸ But ^(O)if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. ⁹ But ^(P)those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, ^(Q)into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that ^(R)plunge people into ruin and destruction. ¹⁰ For the love of money is a root of ^(S)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, ^(T)O man of God, ^(U)flee these things. ^(V)Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness. ^12 (W)Fight the good fight of the faith. ^(X)Take hold of the eternal life ^(Y)to which you were called and about which you made ^(Z)the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. ^13 (AA)I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, ^(AB)who in his testimony before^[c] Pontius Pilate made ^(AC)the good confession, ¹⁴ to keep the commandment unstained and free from reproach until ^(AD)the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, ¹⁵ which he will display ^(AE)at the proper time—he who is ^(AF)the blessed and only Sovereign, ^(AG)the King of kings and Lord of lords, ^16 (AH)who alone has immortality, ^(AI)who dwells in ^(AJ)unapproachable light, ^(AK)whom no one has ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen.

¹⁷ As for the rich in ^(AL)this present age, charge them ^(AM)not to be haughty, nor ^(AN)to set their hopes on ^(AO)the uncertainty of riches, but on God, ^(AP)who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. ¹⁸ They are to do good, ^(AQ)to be rich in good works, to be generous and ^(AR)ready to share, ¹⁹ thus ^(AS)storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may ^(AT)take hold of ^(AU)that which is truly life.

²⁰ O Timothy, guard the deposit entrusted to you. ^(AV)Avoid the ^(AW)irreverent babble and contradictions of what is falsely called “knowledge,” ²¹ for by professing it some have swerved from the faith.

^(AX)Grace be with you.^[d]

Greeting

1 Paul, ^(AY)an apostle of Christ Jesus ^(AZ)by the will of God according to ^(BA)the promise of the life that is in Christ Jesus,

² To Timothy, ^(BB)my beloved child:

^(BC)Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

Guard the Deposit Entrusted to You

^3 (BD)I thank God ^(BE)whom I serve, as did my ancestors, ^(BF)with a clear conscience, as I remember you ^(BG)constantly in my prayers night and day. ^4 (BH)As I remember your tears, ^(BI)I long to see you, that I may be filled with joy. ⁵ I am reminded of ^(BJ)your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and ^(BK)your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well. ⁶ For this reason I remind you ^(BL)to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, ⁷ for God gave us ^(BM)a spirit not of fear but ^(BN)of power and love and self-control.

⁸ Therefore ^(BO)do not be ashamed of ^(BP)the testimony about our Lord, nor of ^(BQ)me his prisoner, but ^(BR)share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God, ^9 (BS)who saved us and ^(BT)called us to^[e] a holy calling, ^(BU)not because of our works but because of ^(BV)his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus ^(BW)before the ages began,^{[f] 10} and which now has ^(BX)been manifested through ^(BY)the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, ^(BZ)who abolished death and ^(CA)brought life and ^(CB)immortality to light through the gospel, ^11 (CC)for which I was appointed a preacher and apostle and teacher, ^12 (CD)which is why I suffer as I do. But ^(CE)I am not ashamed, for ^(CF)I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until ^(CG)that day ^(CH)what has been entrusted to me.^{[g] 13 (CI)}Follow ^(CJ)the pattern of ^(CK)the sound^[h] words ^(CL)that you have heard from me, in ^(CM)the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. ¹⁴ By the Holy Spirit ^(CN)who dwells within us, guard ^(CO)the good deposit entrusted to you.

¹⁵ You are aware that ^(CP)all who are in Asia turned away from me, among whom are Phygelus and Hermogenes. ¹⁶ May the Lord grant mercy to ^(CQ)the household of Onesiphorus, for he often ^(CR)refreshed me and was not ashamed of ^(CS)my chains, ¹⁷ but when he arrived in Rome ^(CT)he searched for me earnestly and found me— ¹⁸ may the Lord grant him to find mercy from the Lord on ^(CU)that day!—and you well know all the service he ^(CV)rendered at Ephesus.