1 TIMOTEUS 6

Die slawe

1 Gelowiges wat as slawe onder 'n juk staan, moet hulle eienaars met alle eerbied bejeën, sodat niemand sal kwaad praat van die Naam van God en van die Christelike leer nie. 2 Slawe wat gelowige eienaars het, moet aan hulle nie minder eerbied betoon omdat hulle saam broers is nie. Hulle moet hulle eerder beter dien omdat dié wat uit hulle werk voordeel trek, met hulle een is in geloof en liefde.

Vals leer en ware rykdom

3 As iemand 'n ander leer verkondig en nie hou by die gesonde woorde van ons Here Jesus Christus en by die leer van ons godsdiens nie, 4 is hy verwaand en weet hy niks. Hy het 'n sieklike beheptheid met twisvrae en met stryery oor woorde. Daaruit ontstaan afguns, twis, beledigings, gemene verdagmakery, 5 voortdurende rusie van mense wat verstandelik verward en van die waarheid beroof is. Hulle dink dat die godsdiens iets is om geldelike wins mee te maak. 6 Die godsdiens is 'n groot wins as iemand tevrede is met wat hy het, 7 want ons het niks in die wêreld ingebring nie; ons kan ook niks daaruit wegneem nie. 8 As ons dan kos en klere het, moet ons daarmee tevrede wees. 9 Maar dié wat ryk wil word, val in versoeking. Hulle loop hulle vas in die strik van baie sinlose en skadelike begeertes waardeur mense in verderf en ondergang gestort word. 10 Geldgierigheid is 'n wortel van allerlei kwaad. Party het geld nagejaag en toe van die geloof afgedwaal; daardeur het hulle hulleself baie ellende op die hals gehaal.

Die goeie stryd van die geloof

11 Maar jy, man van God, moet van hierdie dinge af wegvlug. Streef na opregtheid, toewyding aan God, geloof, liefde, volharding, minsaamheid. 12 In die goeie wedloop van die geloof moet jy al jou kragte inspan en die ewige lewe as prys behaal. Daartoe het God jou geroep en het jy die goeie belydenis voor baie getuies afgelê. 13 Voor God, wat aan alle dinge die lewe skenk, en voor Christus Jesus, wat teenoor Pontius Pilatus getuienis afgelê het van die goeie belydenis, beveel ek jou: 14 “Voer jou opdrag stiptelik en onberispelik uit tot op die dag dat ons Here Jesus Christus kom.” 15 Sy verskyning sal op die bestemde tyd plaasvind. Daarvoor sorg God, die goeie en enigste Heerser, die Koning van die konings en die Here van die heersers. 16 Hy alleen besit onsterflikheid; Hy woon in ontoeganklike lig. Geen mens het Hom gesien of kan Hom sien nie. Aan Hom kom toe eer en ewige mag! Amen.

17 Dié wat in hierdie wêreld ryk is, moet jy waarsku om nie hooghartig te wees nie. Hulle moet nie hulle hoop op die onsekerheid van rykdom vestig nie, maar op God wat alles ryklik aan ons gee om te geniet. 18 Spoor hulle aan om goed te doen, om ryk te wees in goeie dade, vrygewig en mededeelsaam. 19 So vergader hulle vir hulle 'n skat as 'n goeie belegging vir die toekoms, sodat hulle die ware lewe sal verkry.

20 Timoteus, bewaar wat aan jou toevertrou is. Vermy die onheilige en sinlose praatjies en die redenasies van die “kennis”, soos dit verkeerdelik genoem word. 21 Daar is mense wat daardie “kennis” aanhang en so van die geloof afgedwaal het. Die genade sal by julle wees!

1 Timothy 6

1  LET ALL who are under the yoke as bond servants esteem their own [personal] masters worthy of honor and fullest respect, so that the name of God and the teaching [about Him] may not be brought into disrepute and blasphemed.2  Let those who have believing masters not be disrespectful or scornful [to them] on the grounds that they are brothers [in Christ]; rather, they should serve [them all the better] because those who benefit by their kindly service are believers and beloved. Teach and urge these duties.3  But if anyone teaches otherwise and does not assent to the sound and wholesome messages of our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah) and the teaching which is in agreement with godliness (piety toward God),4  He is puffed up with pride and stupefied with conceit, [although he is] woefully ignorant. He has a morbid fondness for controversy and disputes and strife about words, which result in (produce) envy and jealousy, quarrels and dissension, abuse and insults and slander, and base suspicions,5  And protracted wrangling and wearing discussion and perpetual friction among men who are corrupted in mind and bereft of the truth, who imagine that godliness or righteousness is a source of profit [a moneymaking business, a means of livelihood]. From such withdraw. 6  [And it is, indeed, a source of immense profit, for] godliness accompanied with contentment (that contentment which is a sense of inward sufficiency) is great and abundant gain.7  For we brought nothing into the world, and obviously we cannot take anything out of the world;8  But if we have food and clothing, with these we shall be content (satisfied).9  But those who crave to be rich fall into temptation and a snare and into many foolish (useless, godless) and hurtful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction and miserable perishing.10  For the love of money is a root of all evils; it is through this craving that some have been led astray and have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves through with many acute [mental] pangs.11  But as for you, O man of God, flee from all these things; aim at and pursue righteousness (right standing with God and true goodness), godliness (which is the loving fear of God and being Christlike), faith, love, steadfastness (patience), and gentleness of heart.12  Fight the good fight of the faith; lay hold of the eternal life to which you were summoned and [for which] you confessed the good confession [of faith] before many witnesses.13  In the presence of God, Who preserves alive all living things, and of Christ Jesus, Who in His testimony before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I [solemnly] charge you14  To keep all His precepts unsullied and flawless, irreproachable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ (the Anointed One),15  Which [appearing] will be shown forth in His own proper time by the blessed, only Sovereign (Ruler), the King of kings and the Lord of lords,16  Who alone has immortality [in the sense of exemption from every kind of death] and lives in unapproachable light, Whom no man has ever seen or can see. Unto Him be honor and everlasting power and dominion. Amen (so be it).17  As for the rich in this world, charge them not to be proud and arrogant and contemptuous of others, nor to set their hopes on uncertain riches, but on God, Who richly and ceaselessly provides us with everything for [our] enjoyment.18  [Charge them] to do good, to be rich in good works, to be liberal and generous of heart, ready to share [with others],19  In this way laying up for themselves [the riches that endure forever as] a good foundation for the future, so that they may grasp that which is life indeed.20  O Timothy, guard and keep the deposit entrusted [to you]! Turn away from the irreverent babble and godless chatter, with the vain and empty and worldly phrases, and the subtleties and the contradictions in what is falsely called knowledge and spiritual illumination.21  [For] by making such profession some have erred (missed the mark) as regards the faith. Grace (divine favor and blessing) be with you all! Amen (so be it).