Serving with Honor
(Ephesians 6:5–9; Colossians 3:22–25)

1 Ὅσοι (As many as) εἰσὶν (are) ὑπὸ (under) ζυγὸν (a yoke) δοῦλοι (as slaves), τοὺς (-) ἰδίους (their own) δεσπότας (masters) πάσης (of all) τιμῆς (honor) ἀξίους (worthy) ἡγείσθωσαν (let them esteem), ἵνα (so that) μὴ (not) τὸ (the) ὄνομα (name) τοῦ (-) Θεοῦ (of God) καὶ (and) ἡ (the) διδασκαλία (teaching) βλασφημῆται (may be blasphemed). 2 οἱ (Those) δὲ (now) πιστοὺς (believing) ἔχοντες (having) δεσπότας (masters) μὴ (not) καταφρονείτωσαν (let them despise them), ὅτι (because) ἀδελφοί (brothers) εἰσιν (they are), ἀλλὰ (but) μᾶλλον (rather) δουλευέτωσαν (let them serve), ὅτι (because) πιστοί (believing) εἰσιν (they are) καὶ (and) ἀγαπητοὶ (beloved) οἱ (those) τῆς (by the) εὐεργεσίας (good work) ἀντιλαμβανόμενοι (being helped). Ταῦτα (These things) δίδασκε (teach) καὶ (and) παρακάλει (exhort).

Reject False Doctrines

3 Εἴ (If) τις (anyone) ἑτεροδιδασκαλεῖ (teaches another doctrine) καὶ (and) μὴ (not) προσέρχεται (draws near) ὑγιαίνουσιν (being sound) λόγοις (in the words), τοῖς (-) τοῦ (of the) Κυρίου (Lord) ἡμῶν (of us) Ἰησοῦ (Jesus) Χριστοῦ (Christ), καὶ (and) τῇ (the) κατ’ (according to) εὐσέβειαν (godliness) διδασκαλίᾳ (teaching), 4 τετύφωται (he is puffed up), μηδὲν (nothing) ἐπιστάμενος (knowing), ἀλλὰ (but) νοσῶν (diseased) περὶ (about) ζητήσεις (controversies) καὶ (and) λογομαχίας (fights about words), ἐξ (out of) ὧν (which) γίνεται (come) φθόνος (envy), ἔρις (strife), βλασφημίαι (slander), ὑπόνοιαι (suspicions) πονηραί (evil), 5 διαπαρατριβαὶ (and constant arguing) διεφθαρμένων (thoroughly corrupted) ἀνθρώπων (of men) τὸν (-) νοῦν (in mind) καὶ (and) ἀπεστερημένων (deprived) τῆς (of the) ἀληθείας (truth), νομιζόντων (supposing) πορισμὸν (a means of gain) εἶναι (to be) τὴν (-) εὐσέβειαν (godliness).

Godliness with Contentment

6 Ἔστιν (Is) δὲ (however) πορισμὸς (a means of gain) μέγας (great) ἡ (-) εὐσέβεια (godliness) μετὰ (with) αὐταρκείας (contentment)· 7 οὐδὲν (Nothing) γὰρ (for) εἰσηνέγκαμεν (we brought) εἰς (into) τὸν (the) κόσμον (world), ὅτι (because) οὐδὲ (neither) ἐξενεγκεῖν (to bring out) τι (anything) δυνάμεθα (are we able)· 8 ἔχοντες (Having) δὲ (however) διατροφὰς (sustenance) καὶ (and) σκεπάσματα (coverings), τούτοις (with these) ἀρκεσθησόμεθα (we will be content).

9 Οἱ (Those) δὲ (however) βουλόμενοι (wishing) πλουτεῖν (to be rich) ἐμπίπτουσιν (fall) εἰς (into) πειρασμὸν (temptation) καὶ (and) παγίδα (a snare) καὶ (and) ἐπιθυμίας (desires) πολλὰς (many) ἀνοήτους (foolish) καὶ (and) βλαβεράς (harmful), αἵτινες (which) βυθίζουσιν (plunge) τοὺς (-) ἀνθρώπους (men) εἰς (into) ὄλεθρον (ruin) καὶ (and) ἀπώλειαν (destruction). 10 ῥίζα (A root) γὰρ (for) πάντων (of all) τῶν (-) κακῶν (evils) ἐστιν (is) ἡ (the) φιλαργυρία (love of money), ἧς (which) τινες (some) ὀρεγόμενοι (stretching after) ἀπεπλανήθησαν (were led astray) ἀπὸ (away from) τῆς (the) πίστεως (faith) καὶ (and) ἑαυτοὺς (themselves) περιέπειραν (pierced) ὀδύναις (with sorrows) πολλαῖς (many).

Fight the Good Fight

11 Σὺ (You) δέ (however), ὦ (O) ἄνθρωπε (man) Θεοῦ (of God), ταῦτα (these things) φεῦγε (flee)· δίωκε (pursue) δὲ (now) δικαιοσύνην (righteousness), εὐσέβειαν (godliness), πίστιν (faith), ἀγάπην (love), ὑπομονήν (endurance), πραϋπαθίαν (and gentleness). 12 ἀγωνίζου (Fight) τὸν (the) καλὸν (good) ἀγῶνα (fight) τῆς (of the) πίστεως (faith), ἐπιλαβοῦ (Lay hold) τῆς (of the) αἰωνίου (eternal) ζωῆς (life), εἰς (to) ἣν (which) ἐκλήθης (you were called) καὶ (and) ὡμολόγησας (you confessed) τὴν (the) καλὴν (good) ὁμολογίαν (confession) ἐνώπιον (before) πολλῶν (many) μαρτύρων (witnesses).

13 Παραγγέλλω (I charge) σοι (you) ἐνώπιον (before) τοῦ (-) Θεοῦ (God) τοῦ (the One) ζωογονοῦντος (giving life) τὰ (to) πάντα (all things) καὶ (and) Χριστοῦ (Christ) Ἰησοῦ (Jesus) τοῦ (the One) μαρτυρήσαντος (having testified) ἐπὶ (before) Ποντίου (Pontius) Πιλάτου (Pilate) τὴν (the) καλὴν (good) ὁμολογίαν (confession), 14 τηρῆσαί (to keep) σε (for you) τὴν (the) ἐντολὴν (commandment) ἄσπιλον (without stain) ἀνεπίλημπτον (above reproach) μέχρι (until) τῆς (the) ἐπιφανείας (appearing) τοῦ (of the) Κυρίου (Lord) ἡμῶν (of us) Ἰησοῦ (Jesus) Χριστοῦ (Christ), 15 ἣν (which) καιροῖς (times) ἰδίοις (in His own) δείξει (He will show) ὁ (the) μακάριος (blessed) καὶ (and) μόνος (only) Δυνάστης (Sovereign), ὁ (the) Βασιλεὺς (King) τῶν (of those) βασιλευόντων (being kings) καὶ (and) Κύριος (the Lord) τῶν (of those) κυριευόντων (being lords), 16 ὁ (the One) μόνος (alone) ἔχων (having) ἀθανασίαν (immortality), φῶς (in light) οἰκῶν (dwelling) ἀπρόσιτον (unapproachable), ὃν (whom) εἶδεν (has seen) οὐδεὶς (no one) ἀνθρώπων (of men) οὐδὲ (nor) ἰδεῖν (to see) δύναται (is able)· ᾧ (to whom be) τιμὴ (honor) καὶ (and) κράτος (dominion) αἰώνιον (eternal)· ἀμήν (Amen).

A Charge to the Rich
(Proverbs 23:1–5; James 5:1–6)

17 Τοῖς (To the) πλουσίοις (rich) ἐν (in) τῷ (the) νῦν (present) αἰῶνι (age) παράγγελλε (charge them) μὴ (not) ὑψηλοφρονεῖν (to be high-minded), μηδὲ (nor) ἠλπικέναι (to have hoped) ἐπὶ (on) πλούτου (of riches) ἀδηλότητι (the uncertainty), ἀλλ’ (but) ἐπὶ (on) Θεῷ (God) τῷ (the One) παρέχοντι (providing) ἡμῖν (us) πάντα (all things) πλουσίως (richly) εἰς (for) ἀπόλαυσιν (enjoyment), 18 ἀγαθοεργεῖν (to do good), πλουτεῖν (to be rich) ἐν (in) ἔργοις (works) καλοῖς (good), εὐμεταδότους (generous in distributing) εἶναι (to be), κοινωνικούς (ready to share), 19 ἀποθησαυρίζοντας (treasuring up) ἑαυτοῖς (for themselves) θεμέλιον (a foundation) καλὸν (good) εἰς (for) τὸ (that which) μέλλον (is about to be), ἵνα (so that) ἐπιλάβωνται (they may lay hold) τῆς (of that which is) ὄντως (truly) ζωῆς (life).

Guard the Faith

20 Ὦ (O) Τιμόθεε (Timothy), τὴν (the) παραθήκην (deposit entrusted) φύλαξον (guard), ἐκτρεπόμενος (avoiding) τὰς (-) βεβήλους (profane) κενοφωνίας (empty utterances) καὶ (and) ἀντιθέσεις (opposing arguments) τῆς (of that which is) ψευδωνύμου (falsely named) γνώσεως (knowledge), 21 ἥν (which) τινες (some) ἐπαγγελλόμενοι (professing) περὶ (concerning) τὴν (the) πίστιν (faith) ἠστόχησαν (missed the mark).

Ἡ (-) χάρις (Grace be) μεθ’ (with) ὑμῶν (you⁺ all).