1Let all who are under the yoke of slavery regard their masters as worthy of all honor, so that the name of God and the teaching may not be spoken against. 2Those who have believing masters must not be disrespectful to them because they are brethren, but they must serve them all the better, because those who benefit by their service are believers and beloved. Teach and urge these duties. 3If anyone teaches otherwise and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching which accords with godliness, 4he is conceited and understands nothing; but he has a morbid interest in controversial questions and disputes about words, which produce envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions, 5and constant friction between men of depraved mind and deprived of the truth, who imagine that godliness is a means of gain. 6But godliness with contentment is itself great gain. 7For we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of it. 8But if we have food and clothing, with these we shall be content. 9But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. 10For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. 11But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance 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 in the presence of 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 before Pontius Pilate, 14to keep the commandment without stain or reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15which he will bring about at the proper time—he who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, 16who alone has immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no man has ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen. 17Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with everything to enjoy. 18Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, to be generous and ready to share, 19storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that life which is life indeed. 20O Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to you. Avoid godless chatter and the opposing ideas of what is falsely called knowledge, 21which some have professed and in so doing have wandered from the faith. Grace be with you.