Pleading for Help and Grateful Trust in God.

For the music director; according to ^[a]Jonath elem rehokim. A ^[b]Mikhtam of David, ^[c]when the Philistines seized him in Gath.

Israel Invoked to Praise the Lord.

^6 (A)But godliness actually is a means of ^(B)great gain when accompanied by ^(C)contentment. ⁷ For ^(D)we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it, either. ⁸ If we ^(E)have food and ^[a]covering, with these we shall be content. ^9 (F)But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and ^(G)a trap, and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge people into ruin and destruction. ¹⁰ For ^(H)the love of money is a root of all ^[b]sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have ^(I)wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many ^[c]griefs.

¹¹ But ^(J)flee from these things, you ^(K)man of God, and pursue righteousness, godliness, ^(L)faith, ^(M)love, ^[d]perseverance, and gentleness. ^12 (N)Fight the good fight of ^(O)faith; ^(P)take hold of the eternal life ^(Q)to which you were called, and for which you made the good ^(R)confession in the presence of ^(S)many witnesses. ^13 (T)I direct you in the presence of God, who ^[e]gives life to all things, and of ^(U)Christ Jesus, who testified the ^(V)good confession ^(W)before Pontius Pilate, ¹⁴ that you keep the commandment without ^[f]fault or reproach until the ^(X)appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, ¹⁵ which He will ^[g]bring about at ^(Y)the proper time—He who is ^(Z)the blessed and ^(AA)only Sovereign, ^(AB)the King of ^[h]kings and ^(AC)Lord of ^[i]lords, ^16 (AD)who alone possesses immortality and ^(AE)dwells in unapproachable light, ^(AF)whom ^[j]no one has seen or can see. ^(AG)To Him be honor and eternal dominion! Amen.

¹⁷ Instruct those who are rich in ^(AH)this present world ^(AI)not to be conceited or to ^(AJ)set their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, ^(AK)who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy. ¹⁸ Instruct them to do good, to be rich in ^(AL)good ^[k]works, ^(AM)to be generous and ready to share, ^19 (AN)storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may ^(AO)take hold of that which is truly life.

^20 (AP)Timothy, protect ^(AQ)what has been entrusted to you, avoiding ^(AR)worldly, empty chatter and the opposing arguments of what is falsely called “knowledge”— ²¹ which some have professed and thereby have ^(AS)gone astray ^[l]from ^(AT)the faith.

^(AU)Grace be with you.

The Weeds Explained

³⁶ Then He left the crowds and went into ^(A)the house. And His disciples came to Him and said, “^(B)Explain to us the parable of the ^[a]weeds of the field.” ³⁷ And He said, “The one who sows the good seed is ^(C)the Son of Man, ³⁸ and the field is the world; and as for the good seed, these are ^(D)the sons of the kingdom; and the weeds are ^(E)the sons of ^(F)the evil one; ³⁹ and the enemy who sowed them is the devil, and the harvest is ^(G)the ^[b]end of the age; and the reapers are angels. ⁴⁰ So just as the weeds are gathered up and burned with fire, so shall it be at ^(H)the ^[c]end of the age. ^41 (I)The Son of Man ^(J)will send forth His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom ^[d]all ^(K)stumbling blocks, and those who commit lawlessness, ⁴² and they ^(L)will throw them into the furnace of fire; in that place ^(M)there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. ^43 (N)Then the righteous will shine forth like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. ^(O)The one who has ears, ^[e]let him hear.