1 Timothy 6

Legacy Standard Bible

Instructions to Those Who Serve

6 ^(A)All who are under the yoke as slaves are to regard their own masters as worthy of all honor so ^(B)that the name of God and our doctrine will not be ^[a]slandered. ² But those who have believers as their masters must not be disrespectful to them because they are ^(C)brothers, but must serve them all the more, because those who ^[b]partake of the benefit are believers and beloved. ^(D)Teach and exhort these things.

³ If anyone ^(E)teaches a different doctrine and does not ^[c]agree with ^(F)sound words—those of our Lord Jesus Christ—and with the doctrine ^(G)conforming to godliness, ⁴ he is ^(H)conceited, understanding nothing but ^[d]having a morbid interest in ^(I)controversial questions and ^(J)disputes about words, out of which arise envy, strife, slander, evil suspicions, ⁵ and constant friction between ^(K)men of depraved mind and deprived of the truth, who ^(L)suppose that ^[e]godliness is a means of gain. ^6 (M)But godliness actually is a means of ^(N)great gain, when accompanied by ^(O)contentment. ⁷ For ^(P)we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either. ⁸ And if we ^(Q)have food and covering, with these we shall be content. ^9 (R)But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and ^(S)a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction. ¹⁰ For ^(T)the love of money is a root of all ^[f]sorts of evils, and some by aspiring to it have ^(U)wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.

¹¹ But you, O ^(V)man of God, ^(W)flee from these things, and pursue righteousness, godliness, ^(X)faith, ^(Y)love, ^[g]perseverance, gentleness. ^12 (Z)Fight the good fight of ^(AA)faith. ^(AB)Take hold of the eternal life ^(AC)to which you were called, and you made the good ^(AD)confession in the presence of ^(AE)many witnesses. ^13 (AF)I charge you in the presence of God, who ^[h]gives life to all things, and of ^(AG)Christ Jesus, who testified the ^(AH)good confession ^(AI)before Pontius Pilate, ¹⁴ that you keep the commandment without stain or reproach until the ^(AJ)appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, ¹⁵ which He will ^[i]bring about at ^(AK)the proper time—He who is ^(AL)the blessed and ^(AM)only Sovereign, ^(AN)the King of ^[j]kings and ^(AO)Lord of ^[k]lords, ^16 (AP)who alone has immortality and ^(AQ)dwells in unapproachable light, ^(AR)whom no man has seen or can see. ^(AS)To Him be honor and eternal might! Amen.

¹⁷ Command those who are rich in ^(AT)this present age ^(AU)not to be haughty or to ^(AV)set their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, ^(AW)who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy. ¹⁸ Command them to do good, to be rich in ^(AX)good ^[l]works, ^(AY)to be generous and ready to share, ^19 (AZ)storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may ^(BA)take hold of that which is life indeed.

²⁰ O ^(BB)Timothy, guard ^(BC)what has been entrusted to you, turning aside from ^(BD)godless and empty chatter and the opposing arguments of what is falsely called knowledge— ²¹ which some, while professing, have ^(BE)gone astray ^[m]from ^(BF)the faith.

^(BG)Grace be with ^[n]you.