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1 Timothy 6
New Catholic Bible
1 Timothy 6
New Catholic Bible
Chapter 6
Slaves.[a] 1 All those who are under the yoke of slavery must regard their masters as worthy of complete respect, so that the name of God and our teaching may not be brought into disrepute. 2 Those whose masters are believers must not despise them because they are brethren. On the contrary, they should serve them more, since those who receive the benefits of their services are believers and beloved brethren.
Final Charge[b]
False Teaching about Wealth. These are the things you should teach and recommend. 3 Whoever teaches something different and does not agree with the wholesome instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and with the godly teaching 4 is a conceited person who understands nothing and who has an unhealthy enthusiasm to engage in arguments and to dispute the meaning of words. From these come envy, dissension, slander, base suspicions, 5 and unending disputes among people whose minds are corrupted and who are deprived of truth, supposing that godliness is a means of gain.
6 Godliness produces great gain, but only to those who are content. 7 For we brought nothing into this world, and we can take nothing out. 8 If we have food and clothing, let us be content with these.
9 However, those who want riches fall into temptations and are trapped into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction. 10 The love of money is the root of all evils, and in their desire for it some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many serious wounds.[c]
11 Fight the Good Fight. But as for you, man of God,[d] you must shun all this. Rather, pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, fortitude, and gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight of faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your noble confession[e] of faith in the presence of many witnesses.
13 In the sight of God, who gave life to all things, and before Jesus Christ, who himself made that noble confession of faith in his testimony before Pontius Pilate, I charge you 14 to obey the commands of God without fault or failure until the appearance of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 which he will make manifest at the proper time—he who is the blessed and only ruler of all, the King of kings and the Lord of lords. 16 He alone is immortal and dwells in unapproachable light. No one has seen him or is able to do so. To him be honor and everlasting power. Amen.
17 Right Use of Riches.[f] Instruct those who are rich in this world’s goods that they should not be proud, nor should they trust in the uncertainty of riches but rather in God who richly provides us with everything we need for our enjoyment. 18 Tell them to do good and to be rich in good works, to be generous in giving and ready to share. 19 In this way, they will acquire the treasure of a good foundation for the future so that they will be able to grasp the life that is true life.
Conclusion[g]
20 Admonition to Timothy. My brother Timothy, guard carefully what has been entrusted to you.[h] Avoid the profane chatter and the contradictions of what is wrongly considered to be knowledge. 21 By professing it some people have strayed far from the faith.
Farewell. Grace be with all of you.[i]
Footnotes
- 1 Timothy 6:1 Paul speaks on more than one occasion of the lot of slaves (see 1 Cor 7:21-24; Gal 3:28; Eph 6:5-9; Col 3:22-25; Tit 2:9-10; Philem 10-17; 1 Pet 2:18-20). What he speaks of here is not about the social institution of the time but about fidelity and relationships within a de facto institution.
- 1 Timothy 6:2 The final instruction to Timothy concerns combating false teaching about wealth, fighting the good fight of the faith, and amassing true riches in place of earthly wealth. In order to understand the kind of disastrous teaching we are dealing with here, it suffices to examine the portrait of a false teacher. He is a man who gives in to every snare, chasing after reputation, emotional satisfaction, and money without paying any real attention to the faith. The true teacher, on the other hand, knows how to embrace suffering and live according to the truth. He is a man who professes the faith and fights for it while totally enveloped by the mystery of Christ that is evoked in the beautiful final hymn in 1 Tim 6:14-16.
- 1 Timothy 6:10 Money in itself is neither good nor bad. It is the love of money that is evil, and indeed the root of all types of evil. Therefore, it is not wrong for believers to be well off—so long as they do not take pride in their riches but use them “to do good.”
- 1 Timothy 6:11 Man of God: a well-known title that had been applied to Moses and the Prophets in the Old Testament (see Deut 33:1; 1 Sam 2:27). It highlights the spiritual power possessed by leaders of the Church.
- 1 Timothy 6:12 Confession: perhaps the profession of faith that Timothy made when consecrated to the ministry.
- 1 Timothy 6:17 This passage calls for Christians to cast off the quest for riches that permeated their society and to change their attitude toward them.
- 1 Timothy 6:20 Once again one of the major themes of the Letter is highlighted in this Conclusion: guard the deposit of faith that has been entrusted to you.
- 1 Timothy 6:20 What has been entrusted to you: literally, “the deposit,” that is, sacred doctrine, the authentic Gospel (see 1 Tim 1:10-11; 2 Tim 1:13-14). Wrongly considered to be knowledge: the ensemble of doctrines that were taught by heretics and that on many points foreshadowed the Gnosticism of the second century.
- 1 Timothy 6:21 All of you: the plural indicates that this Letter was intended to be read to the whole community.
1 Timothy 6
New International Version
1 Timothy 6
New International Version
6 All who are under the yoke of slavery should consider their masters worthy of full respect,(A) so that God’s name and our teaching may not be slandered.(B) 2 Those who have believing masters should not show them disrespect just because they are fellow believers.(C) Instead, they should serve them even better because their masters are dear to them as fellow believers and are devoted to the welfare[a] of their slaves.
False Teachers and the Love of Money
These are the things you are to teach and insist on.(D) 3 If anyone teaches otherwise(E) and does not agree to the sound instruction(F) of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, 4 they are conceited(G) and understand nothing. They have an unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels about words(H) that result in envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions 5 and constant friction between people of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth(I) and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain.
6 But godliness with contentment(J) is great gain.(K) 7 For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it.(L) 8 But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.(M) 9 Those who want to get rich(N) fall into temptation and a trap(O) and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money(P) is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith(Q) and pierced themselves with many griefs.(R)
Final Charge to Timothy
11 But you, man of God,(S) flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness,(T) faith, love,(U) endurance and gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight(V) of the faith. Take hold of(W) the eternal life(X) to which you were called when you made your good confession(Y) in the presence of many witnesses. 13 In the sight of God, who gives life to everything, and of Christ Jesus, who while testifying before Pontius Pilate(Z) made the good confession,(AA) I charge you(AB) 14 to keep this command without spot or blame(AC) until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ,(AD) 15 which God will bring about in his own time(AE)—God, the blessed(AF) and only Ruler,(AG) the King of kings and Lord of lords,(AH) 16 who alone is immortal(AI) and who lives in unapproachable light,(AJ) whom no one has seen or can see.(AK) To him be honor and might forever. Amen.(AL)
17 Command those who are rich(AM) in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth,(AN) which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God,(AO) who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.(AP) 18 Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds,(AQ) and to be generous and willing to share.(AR) 19 In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves(AS) as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of(AT) the life that is truly life.
20 Timothy, guard what has been entrusted(AU) to your care. Turn away from godless chatter(AV) and the opposing ideas of what is falsely called knowledge, 21 which some have professed and in so doing have departed from the faith.(AW)
Grace be with you all.(AX)
Footnotes
- 1 Timothy 6:2 Or and benefit from the service
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