Serving with Honor (Ephesians 6:5–9; Colossians 3:22–25)
1 UDB As for believers who are slaves, they should honor their masters in every way so that no one will insult God or what we teach. BSB BSB: All who are under the yoke of slavery should regard their masters as fully worthy of honor, so that God’s name and our teaching will not be discredited.
2 UDB Slaves who have believing masters should not respect them less, for they are brothers. Instead, they should serve their masters even better because the masters whom they serve are their brothers whom they should love. Teach and announce these things to the believers. BSB BSB: Those who have believing masters should not show disrespect because they are brothers, but should serve them all the more, since those receiving their good service are beloved believers. Teach and encourage these principles.
Reject False Doctrines 3 UDB If anyone teaches false doctrines that do not agree with the reliable and true teachings of our Lord Jesus Christ, BSB BSB: If anyone teaches another doctrine and disagrees with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and with godly teaching,
4 UDB that person is very proud and does not understand anything. He wants to argue about unimportant matters and about certain words that result in jealousy, disagreements, unkind words, and evil motives. BSB BSB: he is conceited and understands nothing. Instead, he has an unhealthy interest in controversies and disputes about words, out of which come envy, strife, abusive talk, evil suspicions,
5 UDB His whole way of thinking has become completely wrong because he has rejected true things. As a result, he makes the mistake of thinking that by doing religious things he will get a lot of money. BSB BSB: and constant friction between men of depraved mind who are devoid of the truth. These men regard godliness as a means of gain.
Godliness with Contentment 6 UDB Well, we truly do gain great benefit when we behave in a way that honors God and when we are content with what we have. BSB BSB: Of course, godliness with contentment is great gain.
7 UDB Indeed, we brought nothing into the world when we were born, and we cannot take anything out of it when we die. BSB BSB: For we brought nothing into the world, so we cannot carry anything out of it.
8 UDB So, if we have food and clothing, we should be satisfied with these. BSB BSB: But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with these.
9 UDB But some people strongly desire to be rich. As a result, they do wrong things to get money and this will cause them to be caught as animals get caught in traps. They foolishly desire many things and so they get hurt. God will completely destroy them! BSB BSB: Those who want to be rich, however, fall into temptation and become ensnared by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction.
10 UDB People do all sorts of evil things when they want to have a lot of money. Because some people have longed for money, they have stopped believing the truth that all of us believe and they have caused themselves to be very sorrowful. BSB BSB: For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. By craving it, some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows.
Fight the Good Fight 11 UDB But you, the man who serves God, keep completely away from loving money like this. Decide that you will do what is right and that you will honor God. Trust God, and love others. Endure difficult circumstances. Always be gentle with people. BSB BSB: But you, O man of God, flee from these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness.
12 UDB Fight a good fight for that faith that saves you! Take hold of this great gift of eternal life and cling to it through everything you experience, no matter where you go. Remember that God chose you to live with him forever. These gifts of God are in you, and you made a good confession about them when you stood before many people. BSB BSB: Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made the good confession before many witnesses.
13 UDB God, who gives life to all things, knows everything that you do. Christ Jesus also knows everything that you do. He strongly declared what was true when he was on trial before Pontius Pilate. BSB BSB: I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who made the good confession in His testimony before Pontius Pilate:
14 UDB So as you remember those things, I command you to hold on tightly in every way to what Christ has commanded us. Hold fast to those teachings in a way that our Lord Jesus Christ will not need to criticize you about what is wrong, and keep doing so until he comes again. BSB BSB: Keep this commandment without stain or reproach until the appearance of our Lord Jesus Christ,
15 UDB Remember that God will cause Jesus to come again at the proper time. God is awesome! He is the only Ruler! He rules over all other people who rule! BSB BSB: which the blessed and only Sovereign One—the King of kings and Lord of lords—will bring about in His own time.
16 UDB He is the only one who will never die, and he lives in heaven in light that is so bright that no one can approach it! He is the one whom no person has ever seen and whom no person is able to see! My desire is that all people will honor him and that he will rule powerfully forever! May it be so! BSB BSB: He alone is immortal and dwells in unapproachable light. No one has ever seen Him, nor can anyone see Him. To Him be honor and eternal dominion! Amen.
A Charge to the Rich (Proverbs 23:1–5; James 5:1–6)
17 UDB Tell the believers who are rich here in this present world that they should not be proud and that they should not trust in their many possessions, because they cannot be certain how long they will have them. Instead, they should trust in God. He is the one who abundantly gives us everything we have so that we may enjoy it. BSB BSB: Instruct those who are rich in the present age not to be conceited and not to put their hope in the uncertainty of wealth, but in God, who richly provides all things for us to enjoy.
18 UDB Also, tell them to do good things. These are true wealth. Indeed, they should share with others very much of what they have. BSB BSB: Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, and to be generous and ready to share,
19 UDB If they do that, it will be as though they were storing up for themselves many things that God will give them. When they do this, they will have the life that is the real life. BSB BSB: treasuring up for themselves a firm foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.
Guard the Faith 20 UDB Timothy, keep safe the faith that God has give to you. Stay away from those who have foolish discussions and arguments about what they falsely call "knowledge." BSB BSB: O Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to you. Avoid irreverent, empty chatter and the opposing arguments of so-called “knowledge,”
21 UDB Some of them claimed they received that "knowledge," but that "knowledge" took them further away from their faith. May God be kind to all of you. BSB BSB: which some have professed and thus swerved away from the faith. Grace be with you all.
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.