Duties of servants. The danger of covetousness. Lessons for the rich.
6:1. Whosoever are servants under the yoke, let them count their
masters worthy of all honour; lest the name of the Lord and his
doctrine be blasphemed.
6:2. But they that have believing masters, let them not despise them,
because they are brethren; but serve them the rather, because they are
faithful and beloved, who are partakers of the benefit. These things
teach and exhort.
6:3. If any man teach otherwise and consent not to the sound words of
our Lord Jesus Christ and to that doctrine which is according to
godliness,
6:4. He is proud, knowing nothing, but sick about questions and strifes
of words; from which arise envies, contentions, blasphemies, evil
suspicions,
6:5. Conflicts of men corrupted in mind and who are destitute of the
truth, supposing gain to be godliness.
6:6. But godliness with contentment is great gain.
6:7. For we brought nothing into this world: and certainly we can carry
nothing out.
6:8. But having food and wherewith to be covered, with these we are
content.
6:9. For they that will become rich fall into temptation and into the
snare of the devil and into many unprofitable and hurtful desires,
which drown men into destruction and perdition.
6:10. For the desire of money is the root of all evils; which some
coveting have erred from the faith and have entangled themselves in
many sorrows.
6:11. But thou, O man of God, fly these things: and pursue justice,
godliness, faith, charity, patience, mildness.
6:12. Fight the good fight of faith. Lay hold on eternal life,
whereunto thou art called and be it confessed a good confession before
many witnesses.
6:13. I charge thee before God who quickeneth all things, and before
Christ Jesus who gave testimony under Pontius Pilate, a good
confession:
6:14. That thou keep the commandment without spot, blameless, unto the
coming of our Lord Jesus Christ,
6:15. Which in his times he shall shew, who is the Blessed and only
Mighty, the King of kings and Lord of lords:
6:16. Who only hath immortality and inhabiteth light inaccessible: whom
no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and empire
everlasting. Amen.
6:17. Charge the rich of this world not to be highminded nor to trust
in the uncertainty of riches, but in the living God (who giveth us
abundantly all things to enjoy)
6:18. To do good, to be rich in good work, to give easily, to
communicate to others,
6:19. To lay up in store for themselves a good foundation against the
time to come, that they may lay hold on the true life.
6:20. O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding
the profane novelties of words and oppositions of knowledge falsely so
called.
6:21. Which some promising, have erred concerning the faith. Grace be
with thee. Amen.