¹¹ In the same way, their wives^[a] must be respected and must not slander others. They must exercise self-control and be faithful in everything they do.

³ Similarly, teach the older women to live in a way that honors God. They must not slander others or be heavy drinkers.^[a] Instead, they should teach others what is good.

² They must not slander anyone and must avoid quarreling. Instead, they should be gentle and show true humility to everyone.

² So a church leader must be a man whose life is above reproach. He must be faithful to his wife.^[a] He must exercise self-control, live wisely, and have a good reputation. He must enjoy having guests in his home, and he must be able to teach.

⁸ Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.

³ They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good.

⁹ This great dragon—the ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, the one deceiving the whole world—was thrown down to the earth with all his angels.

¹⁰ Then I heard a loud voice shouting across the heavens,

⁵ But you should keep a clear mind in every situation. Don’t be afraid of suffering for the Lord. Work at telling others the Good News, and fully carry out the ministry God has given you.

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.