1All who are forced to serve as slaves should consider their masters worthy of full respect. Then people will not speak evil things against God’s name and against what we teach. 2Some slaves have masters who are believers. They shouldn’t show their masters disrespect just because they are also believers. Instead, they should serve them even better. That’s because their masters are loved by them as believers. These masters are committed to caring for their slaves.
People Who Teach Lies or Love Money
These are the things you are to teach. Try hard to get the believers to do them. 3Suppose someone teaches something different than I have taught. Suppose that person doesn’t agree with the true teaching of our Lord Jesus Christ. Suppose they don’t agree with godly teaching. 4Then that person is proud and doesn’t understand anything. They like to argue more than they should. They can’t agree about what words mean. All of this results in wanting what others have. It causes fighting, harmful talk, and evil distrust. 5It stirs up trouble all the time among people whose minds are twisted by sin. The truth they once had has been taken away from them. They think they can get rich by being godly.
6You gain a lot when you live a godly life. But you must be happy with what you have. 7We didn’t bring anything into the world. We can’t take anything out of it. 8If we have food and clothing, we will be happy with that. 9People who want to get rich are tempted. They fall into a trap. They are tripped up by wanting many foolish and harmful things. Those who live like that are dragged down by what they do. They are destroyed and die. 10Love for money causes all kinds of evil. Some people want to get rich. They have wandered away from the faith. They have wounded themselves with many sorrows.
Paul Gives a Final Command to Timothy
11But you are a man of God. Run away from all these things. Try hard to do what is right and godly. Have faith, love and gentleness. Hold on to what you believe. 12Fight the good fight along with all other believers. Take hold of eternal life. You were chosen for it when you openly told others what you believe. Many witnesses heard you. 13God gives life to everything. Christ Jesus told the truth when he was a witness in front of Pontius Pilate. In the sight of God and Christ, I give you a command. 14Obey it until our Lord Jesus Christ appears. Obey it completely. Then no one can find fault with it or you. 15God will bring Jesus back at a time that pleases him. God is the blessed and only Ruler. He is the greatest King of all. He is the most powerful Lord of all. 16God is the only one who can’t die. He lives in light that no one can get close to. No one has seen him. No one can see him. Honor and power belong to him forever. Amen.
17Command people who are rich in this world not to be proud. Tell them not to put their hope in riches. Wealth is so uncertain. Command those who are rich to put their hope in God. He richly provides us with everything to enjoy. 18Command the rich to do what is good. Tell them to be rich in doing good things. They must give freely. They must be willing to share. 19In this way, they will store up true riches for themselves. It will provide a firm basis for the next life. Then they will take hold of the life that really is life.
20Timothy, guard what God has trusted you with. Turn away from godless chatter. Stay away from opposing ideas that are falsely called knowledge. 21Some people believe them. By doing that they have turned away from the faith.
May God’s grace be with you all.
1Todos los que aún son esclavos deben reconocer que sus amos merecen todo respeto; así evitarán que se hable mal del nombre de Dios y de nuestra enseñanza. 2Los que tienen amos creyentes no deben faltarles al respeto por ser hermanos. Al contrario, deben servirles todavía mejor, porque los que se benefician de sus servicios son creyentes y hermanos queridos. Esto es lo que debes enseñar y recomendar.
El amor al dinero
3Si alguien enseña falsas doctrinas, apartándose de la sana enseñanza de nuestro Señor Jesucristo y de la doctrina que se ciñe a la verdadera religión,6:3 la verdadera religión. Lit. la piedad; también en vv. 5 y 6. 4es un obstinado que nada entiende. Ese tal padece del afán enfermizo de provocar discusiones inútiles que generan envidias, discordias, insultos, suspicacias 5y altercados entre personas de mente depravada, carentes de la verdad. Este es de los que piensan que la religión es un medio de obtener ganancias. 6Es cierto que con la verdadera religión se obtienen grandes ganancias, pero solo si uno está satisfecho con lo que tiene. 7Porque nada trajimos a este mundo, y nada podemos llevarnos. 8Así que, si tenemos ropa y comida, contentémonos con eso. 9Los que quieren enriquecerse caen en la tentación y se vuelven esclavos de sus muchos deseos. Estos afanes insensatos y dañinos hunden a la gente en la ruina y en la destrucción. 10Porque el amor al dinero es la raíz de toda clase de males. Por codiciarlo, algunos se han desviado de la fe y se han causado muchísimos sinsabores.
Encargo de Pablo a Timoteo
11Tú, en cambio, hombre de Dios, huye de todo eso, y esmérate en seguir la justicia, la piedad, la fe, el amor, la constancia y la humildad. 12Pelea la buena batalla de la fe; haz tuya la vida eterna, a la que fuiste llamado y por la cual hiciste aquella admirable declaración de fe delante de muchos testigos. 13Teniendo a Dios por testigo, el cual da vida a todas las cosas, y a Cristo Jesús, que dio su admirable testimonio delante de Poncio Pilato, te encargo 14que guardes este mandato sin mancha ni reproche hasta la venida de nuestro Señor Jesucristo, 15la cual Dios a su debido tiempo hará que se cumpla.
Al único y bendito Soberano,
Rey de reyes y Señor de señores,
16al único inmortal,
que vive en luz inaccesible,
a quien nadie ha visto ni puede ver,
a él sea el honor y el poder eternamente. Amén.
17A los ricos de este mundo, mándales que no sean arrogantes ni pongan su esperanza en las riquezas, que son tan inseguras, sino en Dios, que nos provee de todo en abundancia para que lo disfrutemos. 18Mándales que hagan el bien, que sean ricos en buenas obras, y generosos, dispuestos a compartir lo que tienen. 19De este modo atesorarán para sí un seguro caudal para el futuro y obtendrán la vida verdadera.
20Timoteo, ¡cuida bien lo que se te ha confiado! Evita las discusiones profanas e inútiles, y los argumentos de la falsa ciencia. 21Algunos, por abrazarla, se han desviado de la fe.
Que la gracia sea con vosotros.
