¹Command those who are under the yoke as slaves to render all due honor to their masters, so that the name of God and his doctrine not be slandered. ²And the ones who have believing masters should not respect them less because they are brothers, but serve them all the better because it is believers and beloved who are benefiting from their good service. Teach and encourage these things.

³If anyone teaches different doctrine, and does not accede to sound words, those of our Lord Jesus Christ, and what is according to godly teaching, ⁴he is puffed up, expert at nothing, but is obsessed with controversies and disputes about words, from which come rivalry, strife, blasphemies, evil suspicions, ⁵constant arguing by people of corrupt mind and devoid of the truth, who think godliness means financial gain. ⁶But godliness with contentment is great gain. ⁷For we brought nothing into this world, therefore neither can we take anything out. ⁸But having food and clothing, let us be content with that. ⁹But those who want to be rich get entangled in temptation and a snare and many unwise and hurtful desires, which sink human beings into eternal punishment and damnation. ¹⁰For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil; which some reaching out for have wandered away from the faith, and pierced themselves deep with many pangs.

¹¹But you, O man of God, flee from these things. And pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance, humility. ¹²Fight the good fight of the faith, grasp onto eternal life, to which you were called and confessed the good confession before many witnesses. ¹³I charge you in the presence of God who gives life to all things and Christ Jesus who testified the good confession before Pilate, ¹⁴that you keep this charge blamelessly, above reproach, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, ¹⁵which will be revealed in its proper times, the blessed and only sovereign, the king of kings, and lord of rulers, ¹⁶the only one who has immortality, who inhabits unapproachable light, whom no human has seen or is even able to see; to whom be the honor and the power for ever. Amen.

¹⁷Charge those who are rich in this present age not to feel superior, neither to place reliance upon the uncertain wealth, but rather upon God, who abundantly provides us everything that benefits us, ¹⁸that they show generosity, be rich in good works, prone to give away, quick to share, ¹⁹thereby saving up for themselves a good foundation for the future, so they may secure the everlasting life.

²⁰O Timothy, guard what was entrusted to you, avoiding the profane, fruitless blather and oppositions of knowledge falsely so called; ²¹which some professing have missed the mark concerning the faith. Peace be with you.