1Ti 6 | ISV | STEP | Duties of Servants and Masters All who are under the yoke of slavery should regard their own masters as deserving of the highest respect, so that the name of God and our teaching may not be discredited.

1 Timothy 6

1 Duties of Servants and Masters

All who are under the yoke of slavery should regard their own masters as deserving of the highest respect, ^{▼▼Or of full honor} so that the name of God and our teaching may not be discredited. ^{▼▼Or slandered}Isa 52:5; Rom 2:24; Eph 6:5; Col 3:22; Titus 2:5, 8-9; 1Pet 2:18 2 Moreover, those who have believing masters should not be disrespectful to them because they are fellow believers. ^{▼▼Lit. brothers} Instead, they must serve them even better, because those who benefit from their service are believers and dear to them. These are the things you must teach and exhort.Col 4:1; 1Tim 4:11

3 Rules for Godly LivingIf anyone teaches false doctrine and refuses to agree with the healthy words of our Lord Jesus Christ and godly teaching,1Tim 1:3, 10; 2Tim 1:13; 4:3; Titus 1:1, 9, 10 4 he is a conceited person and does not understand anything. He has an unhealthy craving for arguments and debates. This produces jealousy, rivalry, slander, evil suspicions,1Cor 8:2; 1Tim 1:4, 7; 2Tim 2:23; Titus 3:9 5 and incessant conflict between people who are depraved in mind and deprived of truth. They think that godliness is a way to make a profit. ^{▼▼Other mss. read make a profit. Stay away from such people.}Rom 16:17; 1Cor 11:16; 1Tim 1:6; 2Tim 3:5, 8; Titus 1:11; 2Pet 2:3 6 Of course, godliness with contentment does bring a great profit.Ps 37:16; Prov 15:16; 16:8; Heb 13:5 7 For we did not bring anything into the world, and surely ^{▼▼Other mss. lack surely} we cannot take anything out of it.Job 1:21; Ps 49:17; Prov 27:24; Eccl 5:15 8 So as long as we have food and clothes, we will be satisfied with these.Gen 28:20; Heb 13:5 9 But people who want to get rich keep toppling into temptation and are trapped by many stupid and harmful desires that plunge them into destruction and ruin.Prov 15:27; 20:21; 28:20; Matt 13:22; 1Tim 1:19; 3:7; James 5:1 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, in their eagerness to get rich, have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with much pain.Exod 23:8; Deut 16:19

11 But you, man of God, must flee from all these things. Instead, you must pursue righteousness, godliness, faithfulness, ^{▼▼Or faith} love, endurance, and gentleness.Deut 33:1; 2Tim 2:22; 3:17 12 Fight the good fight for the faith. Keep your hold on eternal life, to which you were called and about which you gave a good testimony in front of many witnesses.1Cor 9:25-26; Phil 3:12, 14; 1Tim 1:18; 6:19; 2Tim 4:7; Heb 13:23 13 In the sight of God, who gives life to everything, and in the sight of Christ Jesus, who gave a good testimony before Pontius Pilate, I solemnly charge youDeut 32:39; 1Sam 2:6; Matt 27:11; John 5:21; 18:37; 1Tim 5:21; Rev 1:5; 3:14 14 to keep this command stainless and blameless until the appearance of our Lord Jesus Christ.Phil 1:6, 10; 1Thes 3:13; 5:23 15 At the right time God ^{▼▼Lit. he} will make him known. He is the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords.1Tim 1:11, 17; Rev 17:14; 19:16 16 He alone has endless life and lives in inaccessible light. No one has ever seen him, nor can anyone see him. Honor and eternal power belong to him! Amen.Exod 33:20; John 6:46; Eph 3:21; Phil 4:20; 1Tim 1:17; Jude 1:25; Rev 1:6; 4:11; 7:12

17 Tell those who are rich in the present world not to be arrogant and not to place their confidence in anything as uncertain as riches. Instead, let them place their confidence ^{▼▼The Gk. lacks let them place their confidence} in God, who lavishly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.Job 31:24; Ps 52:7; 62:10; Prov 23:5; Mark 10:24; Luke 12:21; Acts 14:17; 17:25; 1Thes 1:9; 1Tim 3:15; 4:10 18 They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous, and to share.Luke 12:21; Rom 12:13; Gal 6:6; 1Tim 5:10; Titus 3:8; Heb 13:16; James 2:5 19 By doing this they store up a treasure for themselves that is a good foundation for the future, so that they can take hold of the life that is real.Matt 6:20; 19:21; Luke 12:33; 16:9; 1Tim 6:12

20 Final GreetingTimothy, guard what has been entrusted to you. Avoid the pointless discussions and contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge.1Tim 1:4, 6; 4:7; 2Tim 1:14; Titus 1:9, 14, 6; 3:9; Rev 3:3 21 Although some claim to have it, they have abandoned the faith. May grace be with all of you! ^{▼▼Lit. with you (pl.). Other mss. read you! Amen}1Tim 1:6, 19; 2Tim 2:18