1 oSee 1 Pet. 2:18 Let all who are under a yoke as slaves regard their own masters as worthy of all honor,pIsa. 52:5; Rom. 2:24; Titus 2:5 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 areqSee Philem. 16 brothers; rather they must serve all the better since those who benefit by their good service are believers and beloved.rch. 4:11, 13; 5:7 Teach and urge these things. 3 If anyonesch. 1:3 teaches a different doctrine and does not agree withtSee ch. 1:10 the sound1Or healthy words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teachinguTitus 1:1 that accords with godliness, 4 vch. 3:6; 2 Tim. 3:4 he is puffed up with conceit andw1 Cor. 8:2; [ch. 1:7] understands nothing. He has an unhealthy craving forxch. 1:4; 2 Tim. 2:23; Titus 3:9 controversy and fory2 Tim. 2:14; [Acts 18:15] quarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions, 5 and constant friction among peoplez2 Tim. 3:8; [Eph. 4:22; Titus 1:15] who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth,aTitus 1:11; 2 Pet. 2:3 imagining that godliness is a means of gain. 6 Now there is great gain inb[ch. 4:8] godlinesscPs. 37:16; Prov. 15:16; 16:8; Phil. 4:11; Heb. 13:5 with contentment, 7 fordJob 1:21; Ps. 49:17; Eccles. 5:15 we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. 8 ButeGen. 28:20; Prov. 30:8 if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. 9 ButfProv. 15:27; 23:4; 28:20; Matt. 13:22 those who desire to be rich fall into temptation,g[ch. 3:7] into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires thath[ch. 1:19] plunge people into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root ofi[Ex. 23:8; Deut. 16:19] all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.
11 But as for you,j2 Tim. 3:17 O man of God,k2 Tim. 2:22 flee these things.lSee Prov. 15:9 Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness. 12 m[ch. 1:18]; See 1 Cor. 9:25 Fight the good fight of the faith.n[Phil. 3:12] Take hold of the eternal lifeo1 Pet. 5:10 to which you were called and about which you madepSee 2 Cor. 9:13 the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. 13 qSee ch. 5:21 I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus,r[Matt. 27:11; John 18:37; Rev. 1:5; 3:14] who in his testimony before1Or in the time of Pontius Pilate madep[See ver. 12 above] the good confession, 14 to keep the commandment unstained and free from reproach untilsSee 2 Thess. 2:8 the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 which he will displaytSee ch. 2:6 at the proper time—he who isuch. 1:11 the blessed and only Sovereign,vSee Rev. 17:14 the King of kings and Lord of lords, 16 wSee ch. 1:17 who alone has immortality,x[Ps. 104:2] who dwells inyJob 37:23 unapproachable light,zSee John 1:18 whom no one has ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen.
17 As for the rich ina2 Tim. 4:10; Titus 2:12 this present age, charge thembRom. 11:20; 12:3, 16 not to be haughty, norcSee Mark 10:24 to set their hopes ondProv. 23:5; [Matt. 13:22] the uncertainty of riches, but on God,eSee Acts 14:17 who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. 18 They are to do good,fLuke 12:21; Titus 3:8, 14 to be rich in good works, to be generous andgSee Rom. 12:13 ready to share, 19 thushSee Matt. 6:19, 20 storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they mayiver. 12 take hold ofj[2 Tim. 1:1] that which is truly life.
20 O Timothy, guard the deposit entrusted to you.k2 Tim. 3:5; [Col. 2:8; 2 Tim. 4:4; Titus 1:14] Avoid thel2 Tim. 2:16 irreverent babble and contradictions of what is falsely called “knowledge, ” 21 for by professing it some have swerved from the faith.mSee Col. 4:18 Grace be with you.