Prva poslanica Timoteju 6
O robovima
1 Kršćani koji su robovi trebaju svoje gospodare držati dostojnima časti da se ne pogrđuje Božje ime i naše učenje.
2 A oni koji za gospodara imaju kršćanina neka ga ne cijene manje zbog toga što su braća. Trebali bi mu još bolje služiti jer svojim trudom koriste vjerniku i ljubljenome bratu.
Poučavaj tu istinu, Timoteju, i svakoga potiči da joj bude poslušan.
Lažna učenja i pravo bogatstvo
3 Zastupa li tko drukčije učenje, odbacujući zdrave riječi našega Gospodina Isusa Krista, koje su temelj pobožnog života,4 taj je ohol i neznalica koji boluje od rasprava i prepiranja. A one vode u zavist, svađu, pogrde i zla sumnjičenja.
5 Takvi ljudi uvijek izazivaju trvenja. Pokvarenog su uma, lišeni istine, a vjeru smatraju izvorom zarade.
6 Pa ipak, prava je vjera veliko bogatstvo ako je čovjek zadovoljan onime što ima.7 Na ovaj svijet nismo ništa donijeli, pa ništa ne možemo ni ponijeti s njega.8 Imamo li dakle dostatno odjeće i hrane, budimo time zadovoljni!9 Ali ljudi koji se žele obogatiti upadaju u napast, u zamku mnogih nerazumnih i štetnih požuda koje ih strovaljuju u propast i uništenje.
10 Jer ljubav prema novcu korijen je svakoga zla. Ima ljudi koji su, žudeći za novcem, odlutali od vjere i sami sebi nanijeli mnogo patnje.
Pavlove posljednje upute
11 Ali ti si, Timoteju, Božji čovjek. Kloni se zato toga. Teži za pravednošću, pobožnošću, vjerom, ljubavlju, postojanošću i blagošću.12 Bij dobru bitku vjere. Teži za vječnim životom koji ti je Bog dao i o kojemu si tako lijepo svjedočio pred brojnim svjedocima.13 Zapovijedam ti pred Bogom, koji svima daje život, i pred Kristom Isusom, koji je dao lijepo svjedočanstvo pred Poncijem Pilatom:14 vrši ovu zapovijed neokaljano i besprijekorno od sada pa do dolaska našega Gospodina Isusa Krista.15 Jer kad za to dođe vrijeme, Krista će pokazati blaženi i jedini Vladar, Kralj kraljeva i Gospodar gospodara.
16 On je jedini besmrtan. Prebiva u tako sjajnom svjetlu da mu se nitko ne može približiti. Nitko ga od ljudi nije vidio niti ga može vidjeti. Njemu neka je čast i vlast uvijeke. Amen.
17 Bogatašima u ovome svijetu reci da ne budu bahati i da se ne pouzdaju u svoje nesigurno bogatstvo, nego u Boga koji nam sve obilno daje na uživanje.18 Reci im neka svojim novcem čine dobro. Neka se bogate dobrim djelima i neka budu darežljivi, spremni s drugima podijeliti ono što im je Bog dao.
19 Tako će prikupiti pravo blago u nebu - jedini i siguran ulog za vječnost - te postignuti pravi život.
20 Timoteju, čuvaj blago koje ti je Bog povjerio. Kloni se svjetovnih i ispraznih rasprava s onima koji ti se suprotstavljaju svojim nazoviznanjem!
21 Neki su, pristajući uz takve, zastranili od vjere.
Neka je Božja milost sa svima vama.
1 Timothy 6
1 Those who are under the yoke as slavest must regard their own masters as deserving of full respect. This will preventt the name of God and Christian teachingt from being discredited.t
2 But those who have believing masters must not show them less respectt because they are brothers. Instead they are to serve all the more, because those who benefit from their service are believers and dearly loved.t
Teach them and exhort them about these things.t
Summary of Timothy’s Duties
3 If someone spreads false teachingst and does not agree with sound words (that is, those of our Lord Jesus Christ) and with the teaching that accords with godliness,4 he is conceited and understands nothing, but has an unhealthy interest in controversies and verbal disputes. This gives rise to envy, dissension, slanders, evil suspicions,5 and constant bickering by people corrupted in their minds and deprived of the truth, who suppose that godlinesss is a way of making a profit.6 Now godliness combined with contentment brings great profit.7 For we have brought nothing into this world and sos we cannot take a single thing out either.8 But if we have food and shelter, we will be satisfied with that.t9 Those who long to be rich, however, stumble into temptation and a trap and many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction.
10 For the love of money is the roott of all evils.t Some people in reaching for it have strayed from the faith and stabbed themselves with many pains.
11 But you, as a person dedicated to God,t keep away from all that.t Instead pursue righteousness, godliness, faithfulness, love, endurance, and gentleness.12 Compete wellt for the faith and lay hold of that eternal life you were called for and made your good confessions fort in the presence of many witnesses.13 I charge youst before God who gives life to all things and Christ Jesus who made his good confessionts before Pontius Pilate,14 to obeyt this commandts without fault or failure until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ15 – whose appearingt the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, will reveal at the right time.
16 He alone possesses immortality and lives in unapproachable light, whom no human has ever seen or is able to see. To him be honor and eternal power! Amen.
17 Command those who are rich in this world’s goodst not to be haughty or to set their hope on riches, which are uncertain,t but on God who richly provides us with all things for our enjoyment.18 Tell them to do good,t to be rich in good deeds, to be generous givers, sharing with others.t
19 In this way they will save upt a treasure for themselves as a firm foundationt for the future and so lay hold oft what is truly life.
Conclusion
20 O Timothy, protect what has been entrusted to you. Avoidt the profane chatter and absurditiest of so-called “knowledge.”t
21 By professing it, some have strayed from the faith.t Grace be with you all.st