| Berean Study Bible | NET Bible |
| 1All who are under the yoke of slavery should regard their masters as fully worthy of honor, so that God’s name and our teaching will not be discredited. | 1Those who are under the yoke as slaves must regard their own masters as deserving of full respect. This will prevent the name of God and Christian teaching from being discredited. |
| 2Those who have believing masters should not show disrespect because they are brothers, but should serve them all the more, since those receiving their good service are beloved believers. Teach and encourage these principles. | 2But those who have believing masters must not show them less respect because they are brothers. Instead they are to serve all the more, because those who benefit from their service are believers and dearly loved. Summary of Timothy's Duties Teach them and exhort them about these things. |
| 3If anyone teaches another doctrine and disagrees with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and with godly teaching, | 3If someone spreads false teachings and does not agree with sound words (that is, those of our Lord Jesus Christ) and with the teaching that accords with godliness, |
| 4he is conceited and understands nothing. Instead, he has an unhealthy interest in controversies and semantics, out of which come envy, strife, abusive talk, evil suspicions, | 4he is conceited and understands nothing, but has an unhealthy interest in controversies and verbal disputes. This gives rise to envy, dissension, slanders, evil suspicions, |
| 5and constant friction between men of depraved mind who are devoid of the truth. These men regard godliness as a means of gain. | 5and constant bickering by people corrupted in their minds and deprived of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a way of making a profit. |
| 6Of course, godliness with contentment is great gain. | 6Now godliness combined with contentment brings great profit. |
| 7For we brought nothing into the world, so we cannot carry anything out of it. | 7For we have brought nothing into this world and so we cannot take a single thing out either. |
| 8But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with these. | 8But if we have food and shelter, we will be satisfied with that. |
| 9Those who want to be rich, however, fall into temptation and become ensnared by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction. | 9Those who long to be rich, however, stumble into temptation and a trap and many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. |
| 10For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. By craving it, some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows. | 10For the love of money is the root of all evils. Some people in reaching for it have strayed from the faith and stabbed themselves with many pains. |
| 11But you, O man of God, flee from these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness. | 11But you, as a person dedicated to God, keep away from all that. Instead pursue righteousness, godliness, faithfulness, 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 the good confession before many witnesses. | 12Compete well for the faith and lay hold of that eternal life you were called for and made your good confession for in the presence of many witnesses. |
| 13I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who made the good confession in His testimony before Pontius Pilate: | 13I charge you before God who gives life to all things and Christ Jesus who made his good confession before Pontius Pilate, |
| 14Keep this commandment without stain or reproach until the appearance of our Lord Jesus Christ, | 14to obey this command without fault or failure until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ |
| 15which the blessed and only Sovereign One—the King of kings and Lord of lords—will bring about in His own time. | 15 --whose appearing the blessed and only Sovereign, the king of kings and Lord of lords, will reveal at the right time. |
| 16He alone is immortal and dwells in unapproachable light. No one has ever seen Him, nor can anyone see Him. To Him be honor and eternal dominion! Amen. | 16He alone possesses immortality and lives in unapproachable light, whom no human has ever seen or is able to see. To him be honor and eternal power! Amen. |
| 17Instruct those who are rich in the present age not to be conceited and not to put their hope in the uncertainty of wealth, but in God, who richly provides all things for us to enjoy. | 17Command those who are rich in this world's goods not to be haughty or to set their hope on riches, which are uncertain, but on God who richly provides us with all things for our enjoyment. |
| 18Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, and to be generous and ready to share, | 18Tell them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, to be generous givers, sharing with others. |
| 19treasuring up for themselves a firm foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life. | 19In this way they will save up a treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the future and so lay hold of what is truly life. |
| 20O Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to you. Avoid irreverent, empty chatter and the opposing arguments of so-called “knowledge,” | 20O Timothy, protect what has been entrusted to you. Avoid the profane chatter and absurdities of so-called "knowledge." |
| 21which some have professed and thus swerved away from the faith. Grace be with you all. | 21By professing it, some have strayed from the faith. Grace be with you all. |
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