1做奴仆的要全心尊重自己的主人，免得上帝的名和我们的教导被人亵渎。 2如果主人是基督徒，做奴仆的不可因为同是信徒就不尊敬自己的主人，反而要更好地服侍他，因为这些接受服侍的人是蒙爱的信徒。你要教导和强调这些事。
异端与贪财
3如果有人传其他教义，不符合我们主耶稣基督纯正的道和敬虔的教导， 4他就是狂妄自大、一无所知。这种人专好问难，争辩字句，结果引起嫉妒、纷争、毁谤和猜忌， 5使那些思想败坏、失去真理的人争论不休，把敬虔当作生财之道。 6其实敬虔和知足才是真财富， 7因为我们空手来到世上，也要空手离开。 8只要有吃有穿，就该知足。 9那些渴望发财的人却陷入诱惑、网罗和许多愚蠢有害的欲望中，以致陷入败坏和灭亡。 10贪财是万恶之根，有人因为贪财就离弃了信仰，结果饱尝各种锥心之痛。
保罗对提摩太的嘱咐
11但你这属上帝的人要远避这些事，要追求公义、敬虔、信心、爱心、忍耐和温柔， 12要为真道打美好的仗，并持定永生。你是为永生蒙召的，并在许多见证人面前做过美好的见证。 13在赐万物生命的上帝面前，也在向本丢·彼拉多做过美好见证的基督耶稣面前，我嘱咐你： 14要遵守这命令，做纯洁无瑕、无可指责的人，一直到我们的主耶稣基督再来。 15到了时候，配得称颂、独有权能的万王之王、万主之主要使基督显现。 16上帝是独一不朽的，住在人不能接近的光中，从来没有人见过祂，也没有人能够看见祂。愿尊贵和永远的权柄都归给祂。阿们！
17你要劝诫那些今世富足的人不要高傲，也不要冀望于靠不住的钱财，要信靠将万物厚赐给我们享用的上帝。 18你要劝他们行善，广积善行，慷慨施舍，乐意助人。 19他们这样做是为自己积攒财宝，为将来奠定美好的根基，好持守真正的生命。
20提摩太啊，你要持守所托付给你的，避开世俗的空谈和那些违背真理、似是而非的学问。 21有些自称有这种学问的人已经偏离了信仰。
愿恩典与你们同在！
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.
