4 The Holy Spirit clearly says that in the last days some people will leave the faith. They will follow spirits that will fool them. They will believe things that demons will teach them. ² Teachings like those come from liars who pretend to be what they are not. Their sense of what is right and wrong has been destroyed. It’s as though it has been burned with a hot iron. ³ They do not allow people to get married. They order them not to eat certain foods. But God created those foods. So people who believe and know the truth should receive them and give thanks for them. ⁴ Everything God created is good. You shouldn’t turn anything down. Instead, you should thank God for it. ⁵ The word of God and prayer make it holy.

⁶ Point out these things to the brothers and sisters. Then you will serve Christ Jesus well. You will show that you’ve grown in the truths of the faith. You will show that you’ve been trained by the good teaching you’ve obeyed. ⁷ Don’t have anything to do with godless stories and silly tales. Instead, train yourself to be godly. ⁸ Training the body has some value. But being godly has value in every way. It promises help for the life you are now living and the life to come. ⁹ This is the truth you can trust and accept completely. ¹⁰ This is why we work and try so hard. It’s because we have put our hope in the living God. He is the Savior of all people. Most of all, he is the Savior of those who believe.

¹¹ Command and teach these things. ¹² Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young. Set an example for the believers in what you say and in how you live. Also set an example in how you love and in what you believe. Show the believers how to be pure. ¹³ Until I come, spend your time reading Scripture out loud to one another. Spend your time preaching and teaching. ¹⁴ Don’t fail to use the gift the Holy Spirit gave you. He gave it to you through a prophecy from God. It was given when the elders placed their hands on you.

¹⁵ Keep on doing these things. Give them your complete attention. Then everyone will see how you are coming along. ¹⁶ Be careful of how you live and what you believe. Never give up. Then you will save yourself and those who hear you.

Instructions About Widows, Elders and Slaves

5 Correct an older man in a way that shows respect. Make an appeal to him as if he were your father. Treat younger men as if they were your brothers. ² Treat older women as if they were your mothers. Treat younger women as if they were your sisters. Be completely pure in the way you treat them.

³ Take care of the widows who really need help. ⁴ But suppose a widow has children or grandchildren. They should first learn to put their faith into practice. They should care for their own family. In that way they will pay back their parents and grandparents. That pleases God. ⁵ A widow who really needs help and is left all alone puts her hope in God. Night and day she keeps on praying. Night and day she asks God for help. ⁶ But a widow who lives for pleasure is dead even while she is still living. ⁷ Give these instructions to the people. Then no one can be blamed. ⁸ Everyone should provide for their own relatives. Most of all, everyone should take care of their own family. If they don’t, they have left the faith. They are worse than someone who doesn’t believe.

⁹ No widow should be put on the list of widows unless she is more than 60 years old. She must also have been faithful to her husband. ¹⁰ She must be well known for the good things she does. That includes bringing up children. It includes inviting guests into her home. It includes washing the feet of the Lord’s people. It includes helping those who are in trouble. A widow should spend her time doing all kinds of good things.

¹¹ Don’t put younger widows on that kind of list. They might want pleasure more than they want Christ. Then they would want to get married again. ¹² If they do that, they will be judged. They have broken their first promise. ¹³ Besides, they get into the habit of having nothing to do. They go around from house to house. They waste their time. They also bother other people and say things that make no sense. They shouldn’t say those things. ¹⁴ So here is the advice I give to younger widows. Get married. Have children. Take care of your own homes. Don’t give the enemy the chance to tell lies about you. ¹⁵ In fact, some have already turned away to follow Satan.

¹⁶ Suppose a woman is a believer and takes care of widows. She should continue to help them. She shouldn’t let the church pay the expenses. Then the church can help the widows who really need it.

¹⁷ The elders who do the church’s work well are worth twice as much honor. That is true in a special way of elders who preach and teach. ¹⁸ Scripture says, “Do not stop an ox from eating while it helps separate the grain from the straw.” (Deuteronomy 25:4) Scripture also says, “Workers are worthy of their pay.” (Luke 10:7) ¹⁹ Don’t believe a charge against an elder unless two or three witnesses bring it. ²⁰ But those elders who are sinning should be corrected in front of everyone. This will be a warning to the others. ²¹ I command you to follow these instructions. I command you in the sight of God and Christ Jesus and the chosen angels. Treat everyone the same. Don’t favor one person over another.

²² Don’t be too quick to place your hands on others to set them apart to serve God. Don’t take part in the sins of others. Keep yourself pure.

²³ Stop drinking only water. If your stomach is upset, drink a little wine. It can also help the other sicknesses you often have.

²⁴ The sins of some people are easy to see. They are already being judged. Others will be judged later. ²⁵ In the same way, good works are easy to see. But even good works that are hard to see can’t stay hidden forever.

6 All who are forced to serve as slaves should consider their masters worthy of full respect. Then people will not speak evil things against God’s name and against what we teach. ² Some slaves have masters who are believers. They shouldn’t show their masters disrespect just because they are also believers. Instead, they should serve them even better. That’s because their masters are loved by them as believers. These masters are committed to caring for their slaves.

People Who Teach Lies or Love Money

These are the things you are to teach. Try hard to get the believers to do them. ³ Suppose someone teaches something different than I have taught. Suppose that person doesn’t agree with the true teaching of our Lord Jesus Christ. Suppose they don’t agree with godly teaching. ⁴ Then that person is proud and doesn’t understand anything. They like to argue more than they should. They can’t agree about what words mean. All of this results in wanting what others have. It causes fighting, harmful talk, and evil distrust. ⁵ It stirs up trouble all the time among people whose minds are twisted by sin. The truth they once had has been taken away from them. They think they can get rich by being godly.

⁶ You gain a lot when you live a godly life. But you must be happy with what you have. ⁷ We didn’t bring anything into the world. We can’t take anything out of it. ⁸ If we have food and clothing, we will be happy with that. ⁹ People who want to get rich are tempted. They fall into a trap. They are tripped up by wanting many foolish and harmful things. Those who live like that are dragged down by what they do. They are destroyed and die. ¹⁰ Love for money causes all kinds of evil. Some people want to get rich. They have wandered away from the faith. They have wounded themselves with many sorrows.

Paul Gives a Final Command to Timothy

¹¹ But you are a man of God. Run away from all these things. Try hard to do what is right and godly. Have faith, love and gentleness. Hold on to what you believe. ¹² Fight the good fight along with all other believers. Take hold of eternal life. You were chosen for it when you openly told others what you believe. Many witnesses heard you. ¹³ God gives life to everything. Christ Jesus told the truth when he was a witness in front of Pontius Pilate. In the sight of God and Christ, I give you a command. ¹⁴ Obey it until our Lord Jesus Christ appears. Obey it completely. Then no one can find fault with it or you. ¹⁵ God will bring Jesus back at a time that pleases him. God is the blessed and only Ruler. He is the greatest King of all. He is the most powerful Lord of all. ¹⁶ God is the only one who can’t die. He lives in light that no one can get close to. No one has seen him. No one can see him. Honor and power belong to him forever. Amen.

¹⁷ Command people who are rich in this world not to be proud. Tell them not to put their hope in riches. Wealth is so uncertain. Command those who are rich to put their hope in God. He richly provides us with everything to enjoy. ¹⁸ Command the rich to do what is good. Tell them to be rich in doing good things. They must give freely. They must be willing to share. ¹⁹ In this way, they will store up true riches for themselves. It will provide a firm basis for the next life. Then they will take hold of the life that really is life.

²⁰ Timothy, guard what God has trusted you with. Turn away from godless chatter. Stay away from opposing ideas that are falsely called knowledge. ²¹ Some people believe them. By doing that they have turned away from the faith.

May God’s grace be with you all.