1All who are under the yoke of slavery should consider their masters worthy of full respect, so that God’s name and our teaching may not be slandered. 2Those who have believing masters should not show them disrespect just because they are fellow believers. Instead, they should serve them even better because their masters are dear to them as fellow believers and are devoted to the welfare6:2 Or and benefit from the service of their slaves.
False Teachers and the Love of Money
These are the things you are to teach and insist on. 3If anyone teaches otherwise and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, 4they are conceited and understand nothing. They have an unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels about words that result in envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions 5and constant friction between people of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain.
6But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. 8But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. 9Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. 10For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.
Final Charge to Timothy
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 your good confession in the presence of many witnesses. 13In the sight of God, who gives life to everything, and of Christ Jesus, who while testifying before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you 14to keep this command without spot or blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15which God will bring about in his own time—God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, 16who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honor and might forever. Amen.
17Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. 18Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. 19In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.
20Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to your care. Turn away from godless chatter and the opposing ideas of what is falsely called knowledge, 21which some have professed and in so doing have departed from the faith.
Grace be with you all.
Watumwa
16:1 1Pet 2:18; Tit 2:5-9Wale wote walio chini ya kongwa la utumwa inawapasa kuwahesabu mabwana zao kuwa wanastahili heshima yote, ili jina la Mungu lisitukanwe wala mafundisho yetu. 26:2 Efe 1:16; 1Tim 4:11Wale watumwa ambao wana mabwana waaminio, haiwapasi kupunguza heshima yao kwa sababu wao ni ndugu. Badala yake, wawatumikie hata vizuri zaidi, kwa sababu wale wanaonufaika na huduma yao ni waaminio, ambao ni wapenzi wao. Fundisha mambo haya na uwahimize kuyafuata.
Mafundisho Ya Uongo Na Utajiri Wa Kweli
36:3 1Tim 1:3-10Ikiwa mtu yeyote atafundisha mafundisho mapotovu wala hakubaliani na mafundisho manyofu ya Bwana wetu Yesu Kristo na yale ya utauwa, 46:4 2Tim 2:14huyo amejivuna wala hajui kitu chochote. Yeye amejaa tamaa ya mabishano na ugomvi kuhusu maneno ambavyo matokeo yake ni wivu na mapigano, maneno ya ukorofi, shuku mbaya, 56:5 Tit 1:15na kuzozana kusikokoma kati ya watu walioharibika akili zao, walioikosa kweli, na ambao hudhani kwamba utauwa ni njia ya kupata faida.
66:6 Flp 4:11; Ebr 13:5; 1Tim 4:8Lakini utauwa na kuridhika ni faida kubwa. 76:7 Ay 1:21; Za 49:17Kwa kuwa hatukuja humu duniani na kitu chochote, wala hatuwezi kutoka humu na kitu. 86:8 Mit 30:8; Ebr 13:5Lakini kama tuna chakula na mavazi, tutaridhika navyo. 96:9 Mit 15:27; 1Tim 3:7Lakini wale watu wanaotamani kuwa na mali kwa haraka huanguka kwenye majaribu, na wamenaswa na tamaa nyingi za kipumbavu zenye kudhuru, zinazowazamisha watu katika uharibifu na maangamizi. 106:10 Yak 5:19; 1Tim 3:3Kwa maana kupenda fedha ndiyo shina moja la maovu ya kila namna. Baadhi ya watu wakitamani fedha, wameiacha imani na kujichoma wenyewe kwa maumivu mengi.
Vitu Vizuri Vya Imani
116:11 2Tim 3:10-17Lakini wewe, mtu wa Mungu, yakimbie mambo haya yote. Fuata haki, utauwa, imani, upendo, saburi na upole. 126:12 1Kor 9:25-26; 1Tim 1:18; Flp 3:12Pigana vile vita vizuri vya imani. Shika uzima wa milele ambao ndio ulioitiwa ulipokiri ule ukiri mzuri mbele ya mashahidi wengi. 136:13 1Tim 1:11-17; Dan 2:47; Ufu 1:5Nakuagiza mbele za Mungu avipaye vitu vyote uhai, na mbele za Kristo Yesu ambaye alipokuwa anashuhudia mbele ya Pontio Pilato alikiri ukiri mzuri, 146:14 1The 3:13; 1Kor 1:7; 2Tim 1:10; 4:1, 8uishike amri hii bila dosari wala lawama mpaka kuja kwake Bwana wetu Yesu Kristo, 156:15 1Tim 1:11-17; Dan 2:47; Ufu 1:5ambaye Mungu atamleta kwa wakati wake mwenyewe: yeye ahimidiwaye, aliye peke yake Mtawala, Mfalme wa wafalme, na Bwana wa mabwana, 166:16 Yn 1:18yeye peke yake ambaye hapatikani na mauti, na anakaa katika nuru isiyoweza kukaribiwa, ambaye hakuna mwanadamu aliyemwona wala awezaye kumwona. Heshima na uweza una yeye milele. Amen.
176:17 Lk 12:20-21; 1Tim 4:10; Mdo 14:17Waagize wale ambao ni matajiri wa ulimwengu huu waache kujivuna, wala wasiweke tumaini lao katika mali ambayo si ya hakika, bali waweke tumaini lao katika Mungu ambaye hutupatia vitu vyote kwa wingi ili tuvifurahie. 186:18 1Tim 5:10; Rum 12:8-13Waagize watende mema, wawe matajiri katika matendo mema, pia wawe wakarimu na walio tayari kushiriki mali zao na wengine. 196:19 Mt 6:20Kwa njia hii watajiwekea hazina kama msingi kwa ajili ya wakati ujao na hivyo watajipatia uzima, yaani, ule uzima ambao ni wa kweli.
Maelekezo Ya Binafsi Na Maombi Ya Baraka
206:20 2Tim 1:12-14; 2:16-18Timotheo, linda kile kilichowekwa amana kwako. Epuka majadiliano yasiyo ya utauwa na mabishano ambayo kwa uongo huitwa elimu, 216:21 Kol 4:18ambayo wengine kwa kujidai kuwa nayo wameiacha imani.
Neema iwe nanyi. Amen.
