1 Timothy

Serving with Honor

1All who are under the yoke of slavery should regard their masters as fully worthy of honor, so that God’s name and our teaching will not be discredited.

2Those who have believing masters should not show disrespect because they are brothers, but should serve them all the more, since those receiving their good service are beloved believers. Teach and encourage these principles.

Reject False Doctrines

3If anyone teaches another doctrine and disagrees with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and with godly teaching,

4he is conceited and understands nothing. Instead, he has an unhealthy interest in controversies and disputes about words, out of which come envy, strife, abusive talk, evil suspicions,

5and constant friction between men of depraved mind who are devoid of the truth. These men regard godliness as a means of gain.

Godliness with Contentment

6Of course, godliness with contentment is great gain.

7For we brought nothing into the world, sowe cannot carry anything out of it.

8But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with these.

9Those who want to be rich, however, fall into temptation and become ensnared by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction.

10For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. By craving it, some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows.

Fight the Good Fight

11But you, O man of God, flee from these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness.

12Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made the good confession before many witnesses.

13I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who made the good confession in His testimony before Pontius Pilate:

14Keep this commandment without stain or reproach until the appearance of our Lord Jesus Christ,

15which the blessed and only Sovereign One—the King of kings and Lord of lords—will bring about in His own time.

16He alone is immortal and dwells in unapproachable light. No one has ever seen Him, nor can anyone see Him. To Him be honor and eternal dominion! Amen.

A Charge to the Rich

17Instruct those who are rich in the present age not to be conceited and not to put their hope in the uncertainty of wealth, but in God, who richly provides all things for us to enjoy.

18Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, and to be generous and ready to share,

19treasuring up for themselves a firm foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.

Guard the Faith

20O Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to you. Avoid irreverent, empty chatter and the opposing arguments of so-called “knowledge,”

21which some have professed and thus swerved away from the faith. Grace be with you all.

1Whosoever are servants under the yoke, let them count their masters worthy of all honour; lest the name of the Lord and his doctrine be blasphemed.

2But they that have believing masters, let them not despise them, because they are brethren; but serve them the rather, because they are faithful and beloved, who are partakers of the benefit. These things teach and exhort.

3If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to that doctrine which is according to godliness,

4He is proud, knowing nothing, but sick about questions and strifes of words; from which arise envies, contentions, blasphemies, evil suspicions,

5Conflicts of men corrupted in mind, and who are destitute of the truth, supposing gain to be godliness.

6But godliness with contentment is great gain.

7For we brought nothing into this world: and certainly we can carry nothing out.

8But having food, and wherewith to be covered, with these we are content.

9For they that will become rich, fall into temptation, and into the snare of the devil, and into many unprofitable and hurtful desires, which drown men into destruction and perdition.

10For the desire of money is the root of all evils; which some coveting have erred from the faith, and have entangled themselves in many sorrows.

11But thou, O man of God, fly these things: and pursue justice, godliness, faith, charity, patience, mildness.

12Fight the good fight of faith: lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art called, and hast confessed a good confession before many witnesses.

13I charge thee before God, who quickeneth all things, and before Christ Jesus, who gave testimony under Pontius Pilate, a good confession,

14That thou keep the commandment without spot, blameless, unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ,

15Which in his times he shall shew who is the Blessed and only Mighty, the King of kings, and Lord of lords;

16Who only hath immortality, and inhabiteth light inaccessible, whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and empire everlasting. Amen.

17Charge the rich of this world not to be highminded, nor to trust in the uncertainty of riches, but in the living God, (who giveth us abundantly all things to enjoy,)

18To do good, to be rich in good works, to give easily, to communicate to others,

19To lay up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on the true life.

20O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding the profane novelties of words, and oppositions of knowledge falsely so called.

21Which some promising, have erred concerning the faith. Grace be with thee. Amen.