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 honour and might for ever. 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.
1作奴僕的要全心尊重自己的主人，免得上帝的名和我們的教導被人褻瀆。 2若主人是基督徒，作奴僕的不可因為同是信徒就不尊敬自己的主人，反而要更好地服侍他，因為這些接受服侍的人是信徒，是主所愛的。你要教導這些事並勉勵眾人。
異端與貪財
3如果有人傳的教義不符合我們主耶穌基督純正的道和敬虔的教導， 4他就是狂妄自大、一無所知。這種人專好問難，爭辯字句，結果引起嫉妒、紛爭、毀謗和猜忌， 5使那些思想敗壞、失去真理的人爭論不休，甚至把敬虔當作生財之道。 6其實敬虔和知足才是真正的財富， 7因為我們空手來到世上，也要空手離開。 8只要有吃有穿，就該知足。 9那些渴望發財的人卻陷入誘惑、網羅和許多愚蠢有害的慾望中，以致落入敗壞和滅亡中。 10貪財是萬惡之根，有人因為貪財就離棄了信仰，結果飽嚐種種錐心般的痛苦。
保羅對提摩太的囑咐
11但你這屬上帝的人要遠避這些事，要追求公義、敬虔、信心、愛心、忍耐和溫柔， 12要為真道打美好的仗，要持定永生。你是為永生蒙召的，並在許多見證人面前做過美好的見證。 13在賜萬物生命的上帝面前，也在向本丟·彼拉多做過美好見證的基督耶穌面前，我囑咐你： 14要遵守這命令，做純潔無瑕、無可指責的人，一直到我們的主耶穌基督再來。 15到了時候，配得稱頌、獨有權能的萬王之王、萬主之主要使基督顯現。 16上帝是獨一不朽的，住在人不能接近的光中，從來沒有人見過祂，也沒有人能夠看見祂。願尊貴和永遠的權柄都歸給祂。阿們！
17你要勸誡那些今世富足的人不要高傲，也不要冀望於靠不住的錢財，要信靠將萬物厚賜給我們享用的上帝。 18你要勸他們多多行善、慷慨施捨、樂意助人。 19這樣，他們可以為自己的將來奠定美好的基礎，以便持守真正的生命。
20提摩太啊，你要持守所託付給你的，避開世俗的空談和那些違背真理、似是而非的學問。 21有些自稱有這種學問的人已經偏離了信仰。
願恩典與你們同在！
