来自{publisher｝1Let all who are under a yoke as bondservants[1] regard their own masters as worthy of all honor, so that the name of God and the teaching may not be reviled. (赛52:5; 羅2:24; 多2:5; 彼前2:18)
False Teachers and True Contentment
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. (提前4:11; 提前4:13; 提前5:7; 门1:16)3If anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound[2] words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness, (提前1:3; 提前1:10; 多1:1)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, (徒18:15; 林前8:2; 提前1:4; 提前1:7; 提前3:6; 提后2:14; 提后2:23; 提后3:4; 多3:9)5and constant friction among people who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain. (弗4:22; 提后3:8; 多1:11; 多1:15; 彼后2:3)6But godliness with contentment is great gain, (诗37:16; 箴15:16; 箴16:8; 腓4:11; 提前4:8; 來13:5)7for we brought nothing into the world, and[3] we cannot take anything out of the world. (伯1:21; 诗49:17; 传5:15)8But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. (创28:20; 箴30:8)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. (箴15:27; 箴23:4; 箴28:20; 太13:22; 提前1:19; 提前3:7)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. (出23:8; 申16:19)
Fight the Good Fight of Faith
11But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness. (箴15:9; 提后2:22; 提后3:17)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. (林前9:25; 林后9:13; 腓3:12; 提前1:18; 彼前5:10)13I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who in his testimony before[4] Pontius Pilate made the good confession, (太27:11; 约18:37; 提前5:21; 提前6:12; 启1:5; 启3:14)14to keep the commandment unstained and free from reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, (帖后2:8)15which he will display at the proper time—he who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, (提前1:11; 提前2:6; 启17:14)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. (伯37:23; 诗104:2; 约1:18; 提前1:17)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. (箴23:5; 太13:22; 可10:24; 徒14:17; 羅11:20; 羅12:3; 羅12:16; 提后4:10; 多2:12)18They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, (路12:21; 羅12:13; 多3:8; 多3:14)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. (太6:19; 提前6:12; 提后1:1)20O Timothy, guard the deposit entrusted to you. Avoid the irreverent babble and contradictions of what is falsely called “knowledge,” (西2:8; 提后2:16; 提后3:5; 提后4:4; 多1:14)21for by professing it some have swerved from the faith. Grace be with you.[5] (西4:18)