6 1 Let all who serve under the yoke of slavery treat their own masters with full respect, so that the name of our Father and the teaching may not be blasphemed. 2 Those who have believing masters must not look down on them because they are brothers; rather they must serve all the better, since those they serve are fellow believers and dearly loved. Teach and urge these things.
False Teaching Bears Bitter Fruit
3 If anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness, 4 he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels about words, from which come envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions, 5 and constant friction among people whose minds are corrupt and robbed of the truth, who think that godliness is a means of gain.
6 But godliness with contentment is great gain, 7 for we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. 8 But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. 9 But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Craving it, some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows.
Fight the Good Fight of Faith
11 But as for you, man of our Father, flee all this. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness. a a v11 "Man of our Father" renders a phrase other Bibles give as "man of God" — naming Timothy as one who belongs to the Father, not merely to a distant deity. 12 Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. 13 I charge you in the presence of our Father, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who in his testimony before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, b b v13 Jesus's 'good confession' before Pilate was his bold declaration that he is a king and came to bear witness to the truth (see John 18:33–37). 14 to keep the commandment pure and above reproach until our Lord Jesus Christ appears, 15 which he will bring about at the proper time—he who is the blessed and only Sovereign Father, the King of kings and Lord of lords, 16 who alone has immortality, who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen.
17 As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be arrogant, or to put their hope in uncertain riches, but in our Father, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. 18 Charge them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, 19 storing up for themselves a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.
20 Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to you. Avoid the godless, empty chatter and the opposing arguments of what is falsely called knowledge, 21 for by professing it some have wandered away from the faith. Grace be with you all.