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Honor Masters

1Let as many bondservants as are under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honor, so that the name of God and His doctrine may not be blasphemed. 2And those who have believing masters, let them not despise them because they are brethren, but rather serve them because those who are benefited are believers and beloved. Teach and exhort these things.

Error and Greed

3If anyone teaches otherwise and does not consent to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which accords with godliness, 4he is proud, knowing nothing, but is obsessed with disputes and arguments over words, from which come envy, strife, reviling, evil suspicions, 5useless wranglings of men of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain. From such withdraw yourself.
6Now godliness with contentment is great gain. 7For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. 8And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content. 9But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. 10For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

The Good Confession

11But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness. 12Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. 13I urge you in the sight of God who gives life to all things, and before Christ Jesus who witnessed the good confession before Pontius Pilate, 14that you keep this commandment without spot, blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ’s appearing, 15which He will manifest in His own time, He who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords, 16who alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see, to whom be honor and everlasting power. Amen.

Instructions to the Rich

17Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy. 18Let them do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share, 19storing up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.

Guard the Faith

20O Timothy! Guard what was committed to your trust, avoiding the profane and idle babblings and contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge— 21by professing it some have strayed concerning the faith.
 Grace be with you. Amen.

6

1凡負軛作奴隸的,要認為自己的主人配受各樣的尊敬,免得上帝的名和教導被人褻瀆。 2奴隸若有信主的主人,不可因他是主內弟兄就輕看他們,更要越發服侍他們,因為得到服侍的益處的正是信徒,是蒙愛的人。

假教導和真財富

 你要教導和勸勉這些事。 3若有人傳別的教義,不符合我們主耶穌基督純正的話語與合乎敬虔的教導, 4他是自高自大,一無所知,專好爭辯,擅於舌戰,因而生出嫉妒、紛爭、毀謗、惡意猜疑, 5和心術不正與喪失真理的人不停地爭吵,以敬虔為得利的門路。 6其實,敬虔加上知足就是大利。
  7因為我們沒有帶甚麼到世上來,
  也不能帶甚麼去;
  8只要有衣有食,
  我們就該知足。
9但那些想要發財的人就陷在誘惑、羅網和許多無知有害的慾望中,使人沉淪,以致敗壞和滅亡。 10貪財是萬惡之根。有人因貪戀錢財而背離信仰,用許多愁苦把自己刺透了。

美好的仗

11但你這屬上帝的人哪,要逃避這些事;要追求公義、敬虔、信心、愛心、忍耐、溫柔。 12你要為信仰打那美好的仗;要持定永生,你為此被召,也已經在許多見證人面前作了那美好的見證。 13我在那賜生命給萬物的上帝面前,並在向本丟‧彼拉多作過那美好見證的基督耶穌面前囑咐你 14要守這命令,毫不玷污,無可指責,直到我們的主耶穌基督顯現。 15到了適當的時候都要顯明出來:
  他是那可稱頌、獨一的權能者,
  萬王之王,
  萬主之主,
  16就是那獨一不死、
  住在人不能靠近的光裏,
  是人未曾看見,也是不能看見的。
  願尊貴和永遠的權能都歸給他。阿們!
17至於那些今世富足的人,你要囑咐他們不要自高,也不要倚賴靠不住的錢財;要倚靠那厚賜萬物給我們享受的上帝。 18又要囑咐他們行善,在好事上富足,甘心施捨,樂意分享, 19為自己積存財富,而為將來打美好的根基,好使他們能把握那真正的生命。
20提摩太啊,要持守所給你的託付。要躲避世俗的空談和那假冒知識的矛盾言論。 21有人自稱有這知識而偏離了信仰。
  願恩惠與你們同在!