| Holman Christian Standard Bible | International Standard Version |
| 1All who are under the yoke as slaves must regard their own masters to be worthy of all respect, so that God's name and His teaching will not be blasphemed. | 1All who are under the yoke of slavery should regard their own masters as deserving of the highest respect, so that the name of God and our teaching may not be discredited. |
| 2Those who have believing masters should not be disrespectful to them because they are brothers, but should serve them better, since those who benefit from their service are believers and dearly loved. Teach and encourage these things. | 2Moreover, those who have believing masters should be respectful to them, because they are fellow believers. In fact, they must serve them even better, because those who benefit from their service are believers and dear to them. These are the things you must teach and exhort. |
| 3If anyone teaches other doctrine and does not agree with the sound teaching of our Lord Jesus Christ and with the teaching that promotes godliness, | 3If anyone teaches false doctrine and refuses to agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus, the Messiah, and godly teaching, |
| 4he is conceited, understanding nothing, but has a sick interest in disputes and arguments over words. From these come envy, quarreling, slander, evil suspicions, | 4he is a conceited person and does not understand anything. He has an unhealthy craving for arguments and debates. This produces jealousy, rivalry, slander, evil suspicions, |
| 5and constant disagreement among people whose minds are depraved and deprived of the truth, who imagine that godliness is a way to material gain. | 5and incessant conflict between people who are depraved in mind and deprived of truth. They think that godliness is a way to make a profit. |
| 6But godliness with contentment is a great gain. | 6Of course, godliness with contentment does bring a great profit. |
| 7For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out. | 7Nothing to this world we bring; from it take we nothing. |
| 8But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with these. | 8With food to eat and clothes to wear; content we are in everything. |
| 9But those who want to be rich fall into temptation, a trap, and many foolish and harmful desires, which plunge people into ruin and destruction. | 9But people who want to get rich keep toppling into temptation and are trapped by many stupid and harmful desires that plunge them into destruction and ruin. |
| 10For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, and by craving it, some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pains. | 10For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, in their eagerness to get rich, have wandered away from the faith and caused themselves a lot of pain. |
| 11But you, man of God, run from these things, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, and gentleness. | 11But you, man of God, must flee from all these things. Instead, you must pursue righteousness, godliness, faithfulness, love, endurance, and gentleness. |
| 12Fight the good fight for the faith; take hold of eternal life that you were called to and have made a good confession about in the presence of many witnesses. | 12Fight the good fight for the faith. Keep holding on to eternal life, to which you were called and about which you gave a good testimony in front of many witnesses. |
| 13In the presence of God, who gives life to all, and of Christ Jesus, who gave a good confession before Pontius Pilate, I charge you | 13Since you are in the presence of God, who gives life to everything, and in the presence of the Messiah Jesus, who gave a good testimony before Pontius Pilate, I solemnly charge you |
| 14to keep the command without fault or failure until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ. | 14to keep these commands stainlessly and blamelessly until the appearance of our Lord Jesus, the Messiah. |
| 15God will bring this about in His own time. He is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings, and the Lord of lords, | 15At the right time, he will make him known. God is the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords. |
| 16the only One who has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light; no one has seen or can see Him, to Him be honor and eternal might. Amen. | 16He alone has endless life and lives in inaccessible light. No one has ever seen him, nor can anyone see him. Honor and eternal power belong to him! Amen. |
| 17Instruct those who are rich in the present age not to be arrogant or to set their hope on the uncertainty of wealth, but on God, who richly provides us with all things to enjoy. | 17Tell those who are rich in this age not to be arrogant and not to place their confidence in anything as uncertain as riches. Instead, let them place their confidence in God, who lavishly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. |
| 18Instruct them to do what is good, to be rich in good works, to be generous, willing to share, | 18They are to do good, to be rich in good actions, to be generous, and to share. |
| 19storing up for themselves a good reserve for the age to come, so that they may take hold of life that is real. | 19By doing this they store up a treasure for themselves that is a good foundation for the future, so that they can keep their hold on the life that is real. |
| 20Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to you, avoiding irreverent, empty speech and contradictions from the "knowledge" that falsely bears that name. | 20Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to you. Avoid the pointless discussions and contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge. |
| 21By professing it, some people have deviated from the faith. Grace be with all of you. | 21Although some claim to have it, they have abandoned the faith. May grace be with all of you! |
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