1Timothy:6
Seeker Overlay ON
*
Let all who are under the yoke of slavery hold their own masters to be deserving of honour ,
so that the name of God and the Christian teaching may not be spoken against .
*
And those who have believing masters should not be wanting in respect towards them because they are their brethren ,
but should serve them all the more willingly because those who profit by the faithful service rendered are believers and are friends .
*
So teach and exhort .
If any one is a teacher of any other kind of doctrine ,
and refuses assent to wholesome instructions –
those of our Lord Jesus Christ –
and the teaching that harmonizes with true godliness ,
*
he is puffed up with pride and has no true knowledge ,
but is crazy over discussions and controversies about words which give rise to envy ,
quarrelling ,
revilings ,
ill-natured suspicions ,
*
and persistent wranglings on the part of people whose intellects are disordered and they themselves blinded to all knowledge of the truth ;
who imagine that godliness means gain .
*
And godliness gain ,
when associated with contentment ;
*
for we brought nothing into the world ,
nor can we carry anything out of it ;
*
and if we have food and clothing ,
with these we will be satisfied .
*
But people who are determined to be rich fall into temptation and a snare ,
and into many unwise and pernicious ways which sink mankind in destruction and ruin .
*
For from love of money all sorts of evils arise ;
and some have so hankered after money as to be led astray from the faith and be pierced through with countless sorrows .
*
But you ,
O man of God ,
must flee from these things ;
and strive for uprightness ,
godliness ,
good faith ,
love ,
fortitude ,
and a forgiving temper .
*
Exert all your strength in the honourable struggle for the faith ;
lay hold of the Life of the Ages ,
to which you were called ,
when you made your noble profession of faith before many witnesses .
*
I charge you –
as in the presence of God who gives life to all creatures ,
and of Christ Jesus who at the bar of Pontius Pilate made a noble profession of faith –
*
that you keep God '
s commandments stainlessly and without reproach till the Appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ .
*
For ,
as its appointed time ,
this will be brought about by the blessed and only Sovereign ,
the King of kings and Lord of lords ,
*
who alone possesses immortality ,
dwelling in unapproachable light ,
and whom no man has seen or can see .
To Him be eternal honour and power !
Amen .
*
Impress on those who are rich in the present age that they must not be haughty nor set their hopes on riches –
that unstable foundation –
but on God who provides us richly with all things for our enjoyment .
*
They must be beneficent ,
rich in noble deeds ,
open-handed and liberal ;
*
storing up for themselves that which shall be a solid foundation for the future ,
that they may lay hold of the Life which is life indeed .
*
O Timothy ,
guard the truths entrusted to you ,
shunning irreligious and frivolous talk ,
and controversy with what is falsely called `
knowledge ';
*
of which some have spoken boastfully in connexion with the true faith ,
and have erred .
Grace be with you all .