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^1 (a)Let all who are under a yoke as bondservants^[a] regard their own masters as worthy of all honor, ^(b)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 are ^(c)brothers; rather they must serve all the better since those who benefit by their good service are believers and beloved.

False Teachers and True Contentment

^(d)Teach and urge these things. ³ If anyone ^(e)teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with ^(f)the sound^[b] words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching ^(g)that accords with godliness, ^4 (h)he is puffed up with conceit and ⁽ⁱ⁾understands nothing. He has an unhealthy craving for ^(j)controversy and for ^(k)quarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions, ⁵ and constant friction among people ^(l)who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth, ^(m)imagining that godliness is a means of gain. ⁶ But ⁽ⁿ⁾godliness ^(o)with contentment is great gain, ⁷ for ^(p)we brought nothing into the world, and^[c] we cannot take anything out of the world. ⁸ But ^(q)if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. ⁹ But ^(r)those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, ^(s)into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that ^(t)plunge people into ruin and destruction. ¹⁰ For the love of money is a root of ^(u)all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.

Fight the Good Fight of Faith

¹¹ But as for you, ^(v)O man of God, ^(w)flee these things. ^(x)Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness. ^12 (y)Fight the good fight of the faith. ^(z)Take hold of the eternal life ^(aa)to which you were called and about which you made ^(ab)the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. ^13 (ac)I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, ^(ad)who in his testimony before^[d] Pontius Pilate made ^(ae)the good confession, ¹⁴ to keep the commandment unstained and free from reproach until ^(af)the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, ¹⁵ which he will display ^(ag)at the proper time—he who is ^(ah)the blessed and only Sovereign, ^(ai)the King of kings and Lord of lords, ^16 (aj)who alone has immortality, ^(ak)who dwells in ^(al)unapproachable light, ^(am)whom no one has ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen.

¹⁷ As for the rich in ^(an)this present age, charge them ^(ao)not to be haughty, nor ^(ap)to set their hopes on ^(aq)the uncertainty of riches, but on God, ^(ar)who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. ¹⁸ They are to do good, ^(as)to be rich in good works, to be generous and ^(at)ready to share, ¹⁹ thus ^(au)storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may ^(av)take hold of ^(aw)that which is truly life.

²⁰ O Timothy, guard the deposit entrusted to you. ^(ax)Avoid the ^(ay)irreverent babble and contradictions of what is falsely called "knowledge," ²¹ for by professing it some have swerved from the faith.

^(az)Grace be with you.^[e]