1 Timothy 6
New Living Translation
6 All slaves should show full respect for their masters so they will not bring shame on the name of God and his teaching. 2 If the masters are believers, that is no excuse for being disrespectful. Those slaves should work all the harder because their efforts are helping other believers[a] who are well loved.
False Teaching and True Riches
Teach these things, Timothy, and encourage everyone to obey them. 3 Some people may contradict our teaching, but these are the wholesome teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ. These teachings promote a godly life. 4 Anyone who teaches something different is arrogant and lacks understanding. Such a person has an unhealthy desire to quibble over the meaning of words. This stirs up arguments ending in jealousy, division, slander, and evil suspicions. 5 These people always cause trouble. Their minds are corrupt, and they have turned their backs on the truth. To them, a show of godliness is just a way to become wealthy.
6 Yet true godliness with contentment is itself great wealth. 7 After all, we brought nothing with us when we came into the world, and we can’t take anything with us when we leave it. 8 So if we have enough food and clothing, let us be content.
9 But people who long to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows.
Paul’s Final Instructions
11 But you, Timothy, are a man of God; so run from all these evil things. Pursue righteousness and a godly life, along with faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight for the true faith. Hold tightly to the eternal life to which God has called you, which you have declared so well before many witnesses. 13 And I charge you before God, who gives life to all, and before Christ Jesus, who gave a good testimony before Pontius Pilate, 14 that you obey this command without wavering. Then no one can find fault with you from now until our Lord Jesus Christ comes again. 15 For,
At just the right time Christ will be revealed from heaven by the blessed and only almighty God, the King of all kings and Lord of all lords. 16 He alone can never die, and he lives in light so brilliant that no human can approach him. No human eye has ever seen him, nor ever will. All honor and power to him forever! Amen.
17 Teach those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which is so unreliable. Their trust should be in God, who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment. 18 Tell them to use their money to do good. They should be rich in good works and generous to those in need, always being ready to share with others. 19 By doing this they will be storing up their treasure as a good foundation for the future so that they may experience true life.
20 Timothy, guard what God has entrusted to you. Avoid godless, foolish discussions with those who oppose you with their so-called knowledge. 21 Some people have wandered from the faith by following such foolishness.
May God’s grace be with you all.
Footnotes
- 6:2 Greek brothers.
1 Timothy 6
English Standard Version
6 (A)Let all who are under a yoke as bondservants[a] regard their own masters as worthy of all honor, (B)so that the name of God and the teaching may not be reviled. 2 Those who have believing masters must not be disrespectful on the ground that they are (C)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
(D)Teach and urge these things. 3 If anyone (E)teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with (F)the sound[b] words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching (G)that accords with godliness, 4 (H)he is puffed up with conceit and (I)understands nothing. He has an unhealthy craving for (J)controversy and for (K)quarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions, 5 and constant friction among people (L)who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth, (M)imagining that godliness is a means of gain. 6 But (N)godliness (O)with contentment is great gain, 7 for (P)we brought nothing into the world, and[c] we cannot take anything out of the world. 8 But (Q)if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. 9 But (R)those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, (S)into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that (T)plunge people into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of (U)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, (V)O man of God, (W)flee these things. (X)Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness. 12 (Y)Fight the good fight of the faith. (Z)Take hold of the eternal life (AA)to which you were called and about which you made (AB)the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. 13 (AC)I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, (AD)who in his testimony before[d] Pontius Pilate made (AE)the good confession, 14 to keep the commandment unstained and free from reproach until (AF)the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 which he will display (AG)at the proper time—he who is (AH)the blessed and only Sovereign, (AI)the King of kings and Lord of lords, 16 (AJ)who alone has immortality, (AK)who dwells in (AL)unapproachable light, (AM)whom no one has ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen.
17 As for the rich in (AN)this present age, charge them (AO)not to be haughty, nor (AP)to set their hopes on (AQ)the uncertainty of riches, but on God, (AR)who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. 18 They are to do good, (AS)to be rich in good works, to be generous and (AT)ready to share, 19 thus (AU)storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may (AV)take hold of (AW)that which is truly life.
20 O Timothy, guard the deposit entrusted to you. (AX)Avoid the (AY)irreverent babble and contradictions of what is falsely called “knowledge,” 21 for by professing it some have swerved from the faith.
Footnotes
- 1 Timothy 6:1 For the contextual rendering of the Greek word doulos, see Preface
- 1 Timothy 6:3 Or healthy
- 1 Timothy 6:7 Greek for; some manuscripts insert [it is] certain [that]
- 1 Timothy 6:13 Or in the time of
- 1 Timothy 6:21 The Greek for you is plural
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
