| NET Bible | English Standard Version |
| 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. | 1Let all who are under a yoke as bondservants regard their own masters as worthy of all honor, so that the name of God and the teaching may not be reviled. |
| 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. | 2Those who have believing masters must not be disrespectful on the ground that they are brothers; rather they must serve all the better since those who benefit by their good service are believers and beloved. Teach and urge these things. |
| 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, | 3If anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness, |
| 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, | 4he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions, |
| 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. | 5and constant friction among people who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain. |
| 6Now godliness combined with contentment brings great profit. | 6But godliness with contentment is great gain, |
| 7For we have brought nothing into this world and so we cannot take a single thing out either. | 7for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. |
| 8But if we have food and shelter, we will be satisfied with that. | 8But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. |
| 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. | 9But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. |
| 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. | 10For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs. |
| 11But you, as a person dedicated to God, keep away from all that. Instead pursue righteousness, godliness, faithfulness, love, endurance, and gentleness. | 11But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness. |
| 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. | 12Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. |
| 13I charge you before God who gives life to all things and Christ Jesus who made his good confession before Pontius Pilate, | 13I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who in his testimony before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, |
| 14to obey this command without fault or failure until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ | 14to keep the commandment unstained and free from reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, |
| 15 --whose appearing the blessed and only Sovereign, the king of kings and Lord of lords, will reveal at the right time. | 15which he will display at the proper time—he who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, |
| 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. | 16who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen. |
| 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. | 17As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. |
| 18Tell them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, to be generous givers, sharing with others. | 18They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, |
| 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. | 19thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life. |
| 20O Timothy, protect what has been entrusted to you. Avoid the profane chatter and absurdities of so-called "knowledge." | 20O Timothy, guard the deposit entrusted to you. Avoid the irreverent babble and contradictions of what is falsely called “knowledge,” |
| 21By professing it, some have strayed from the faith. Grace be with you all. | 21for by professing it some have swerved from the faith. Grace be with you. |
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