| New King James Version | New Living Translation |
| 1Let as many bondservants as are under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honor, so that the name of God and His doctrine may not be blasphemed. | 1All slaves should show full respect for their masters so they will not bring shame on the name of God and his teaching. |
| 2And those who have believing masters, let them not despise them because they are brethren, but rather serve them because those who are benefited are believers and beloved. Teach and exhort these things. | 2If the masters are believers, that is no excuse for being disrespectful. Those slaves should work all the harder because their efforts are helping other believers who are well loved. False Teaching and True Riches Teach these things, Timothy, and encourage everyone to obey them. |
| 3If anyone teaches otherwise and does not consent to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which accords with godliness, | 3Some people may contradict our teaching, but these are the wholesome teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ. These teachings promote a godly life. |
| 4he is proud, knowing nothing, but is obsessed with disputes and arguments over words, from which come envy, strife, reviling, evil suspicions, | 4Anyone who teaches something different is arrogant and lacks understanding. Such a person has an unhealthy desire to quibble over the meaning of words. This stirs up arguments ending in jealousy, division, slander, and evil suspicions. |
| 5useless wranglings of men of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain. From such withdraw yourself. | 5These people always cause trouble. Their minds are corrupt, and they have turned their backs on the truth. To them, a show of godliness is just a way to become wealthy. |
| 6Now godliness with contentment is great gain. | 6Yet true godliness with contentment is itself great wealth. |
| 7For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. | 7After all, we brought nothing with us when we came into the world, and we can’t take anything with us when we leave it. |
| 8And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content. | 8So if we have enough food and clothing, let us be content. |
| 9But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. | 9But people who long to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction. |
| 10For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. | 10For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows. Paul’s Final Instructions |
| 11But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness. | 11But you, Timothy, are a man of God; so run from all these evil things. Pursue righteousness and a godly life, along with faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness. |
| 12Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. | 12Fight the good fight for the true faith. Hold tightly to the eternal life to which God has called you, which you have declared so well before many witnesses. |
| 13I urge you in the sight of God who gives life to all things, and before Christ Jesus who witnessed the good confession before Pontius Pilate, | 13And I charge you before God, who gives life to all, and before Christ Jesus, who gave a good testimony before Pontius Pilate, |
| 14that you keep this commandment without spot, blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ’s appearing, | 14that you obey this command without wavering. Then no one can find fault with you from now until our Lord Jesus Christ comes again. |
| 15which He will manifest in His own time, He who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords, | 15For, At just the right time Christ will be revealed from heaven by the blessed and only almighty God, the King of all kings and Lord of all lords. |
| 16who alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see, to whom be honor and everlasting power. Amen. | 16He alone can never die, and he lives in light so brilliant that no human can approach him. No human eye has ever seen him, nor ever will. All honor and power to him forever! Amen. |
| 17Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy. | 17Teach those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which is so unreliable. Their trust should be in God, who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment. |
| 18Let them do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share, | 18Tell them to use their money to do good. They should be rich in good works and generous to those in need, always being ready to share with others. |
| 19storing up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life. | 19By doing this they will be storing up their treasure as a good foundation for the future so that they may experience true life. |
| 20O Timothy! Guard what was committed to your trust, avoiding the profane and idle babblings and contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge— | 20Timothy, guard what God has entrusted to you. Avoid godless, foolish discussions with those who oppose you with their so-called knowledge. |
| 21by professing it some have strayed concerning the faith. Grace be with you. Amen. | 21Some people have wandered from the faith by following such foolishness. May God’s grace be with you all. |
| The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved. | Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. |
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