11 “Take care lest you forget the Lord your God by not keeping his commandments and his rules and his statutes, which I command you today, 12 (A)lest, when you have eaten and are full and have built good houses and live in them, 13 and when your herds and flocks multiply and your silver and gold is multiplied and all that you have is multiplied, 14 (B)then your heart be lifted up, and you (C)forget the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery, 15 who (D)led you through the great and terrifying wilderness, (E)with its fiery serpents and scorpions (F)and thirsty ground where there was no water, (G)who brought you water out of the flinty rock, 16 who fed you in the wilderness with (H)manna that your fathers did not know, that he might humble you and test you, (I)to do you good in the end. 17 Beware (J)lest you say in your heart, ‘My power and the might of my hand have gotten me this wealth.’ 18 You shall remember the Lord your God, for (K)it is he who gives you power to get wealth, (L)that he may confirm his covenant that he swore to your fathers, as it is this day. 19 And if you forget the Lord your God and go after other gods and serve them and worship them, (M)I solemnly warn you today that you shall surely perish. 20 Like the nations that the Lord makes to perish before you, (N)so shall you perish, because you would not obey the voice of the Lord your God.

Read full chapter

11 Be careful that you do not forget(A) the Lord your God, failing to observe his commands, his laws and his decrees that I am giving you this day. 12 Otherwise, when you eat and are satisfied, when you build fine houses and settle down,(B) 13 and when your herds and flocks grow large and your silver and gold increase and all you have is multiplied, 14 then your heart will become proud and you will forget(C) the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. 15 He led you through the vast and dreadful wilderness,(D) that thirsty and waterless land, with its venomous snakes(E) and scorpions. He brought you water out of hard rock.(F) 16 He gave you manna(G) to eat in the wilderness, something your ancestors had never known,(H) to humble and test(I) you so that in the end it might go well with you. 17 You may say to yourself,(J) “My power and the strength of my hands(K) have produced this wealth for me.” 18 But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth,(L) and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your ancestors, as it is today.

19 If you ever forget the Lord your God and follow other gods(M) and worship and bow down to them, I testify against you today that you will surely be destroyed.(N) 20 Like the nations(O) the Lord destroyed before you, so you will be destroyed for not obeying the Lord your God.(P)

Read full chapter

Fight the Good Fight of Faith

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

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

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 1 Timothy 6:13 Or in the time of

Final Charge to Timothy

11 But you, man of God,(A) flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness,(B) faith, love,(C) endurance and gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight(D) of the faith. Take hold of(E) the eternal life(F) to which you were called when you made your good confession(G) in the presence of many witnesses. 13 In the sight of God, who gives life to everything, and of Christ Jesus, who while testifying before Pontius Pilate(H) made the good confession,(I) I charge you(J) 14 to keep this command without spot or blame(K) until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ,(L) 15 which God will bring about in his own time(M)—God, the blessed(N) and only Ruler,(O) the King of kings and Lord of lords,(P) 16 who alone is immortal(Q) and who lives in unapproachable light,(R) whom no one has seen or can see.(S) To him be honor and might forever. Amen.(T)

17 Command those who are rich(U) in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth,(V) which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God,(W) who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.(X) 18 Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds,(Y) and to be generous and willing to share.(Z) 19 In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves(AA) as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of(AB) the life that is truly life.

Read full chapter

Lay Up Treasures in Heaven

19 (A)“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where (B)moth and rust[a] destroy and where thieves (C)break in and steal, 20 (D)but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Matthew 6:19 Or worm; also verse 20

Treasures in Heaven(A)

19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth,(B) where moths and vermin destroy,(C) and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven,(D) where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.(E) 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.(F)

Read full chapter

24 (A)“No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and (B)money.[a]

Do Not Be Anxious

25 (C)“Therefore I tell you, (D)do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 (E)Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. (F)Are you not of more value than they? 27 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his (G)span of life?[b] 28 And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, 29 yet I tell you, (H)even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, (I)O you of little faith? 31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For (J)the Gentiles seek after all these things, and (K)your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But (L)seek first (M)the kingdom of God and his righteousness, (N)and all these things will be added to you.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Matthew 6:24 Greek mammon, a Semitic word for money or possessions
  2. Matthew 6:27 Or a single cubit to his stature; a cubit was about 18 inches or 45 centimeters

24 “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.(A)

Do Not Worry(B)

25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry(C) about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.(D) Are you not much more valuable than they?(E) 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life[a]?(F)

28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor(G) was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith?(H) 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.(I) 33 But seek first his kingdom(J) and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.(K)

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Matthew 6:27 Or single cubit to your height