1 Timothy 6

1 Whoever is a slave must make the best of it, giving respect to his master so that outsiders don't blame God and our teaching for his behavior.

The Lust for Money

2 Slaves with Christian masters all the more so-their masters are really their beloved brothers!3 If you have leaders there who teach otherwise, who refuse the solid words of our Master Jesus and this godly instruction,4 tag them for what they are: ignorant windbags who infect the air with germs of envy, controversy, bad-mouthing, suspicious rumors.5 Eventually there's an epidemic of backstabbing, and truth is but a distant memory. They think religion is a way to make a fast buck.

6 A devout life does bring wealth, but it's the rich simplicity of being yourself before God.7 Since we entered the world penniless and will leave it penniless,8 if we have bread on the table and shoes on our feet, that's enough.

9 But if it's only money these leaders are after, they'll self-destruct in no time.10 Lust for money brings trouble and nothing but trouble. Going down that path, some lose their footing in the faith completely and live to regret it bitterly ever after.

Running Hard

11 But you, Timothy, man of God: Run for your life from all this. Pursue a righteous life-a life of wonder, faith, love, steadiness, courtesy.12 Run hard and fast in the faith. Seize the eternal life, the life you were called to, the life you so fervently embraced in the presence of so many witnesses.

13 I'm charging you before the life-giving God and before Christ, who took his stand before Pontius Pilate and didn't give an inch:14 Keep this command to the letter, and don't slack off. Our Master, Jesus Christ, is on his way.15 He'll show up right on time, his arrival guaranteed by the Blessed and Undisputed Ruler, High King, High God.16 He's the only one death can't touch, his light so bright no one can get close. He's never been seen by human eyes-human eyes can't take him in! Honor to him, and eternal rule! Oh, yes.

17 Tell those rich in this world's wealth to quit being so full of themselves and so obsessed with money, which is here today and gone tomorrow. Tell them to go after God, who piles on all the riches we could ever manage -18 to do good, to be rich in helping others, to be extravagantly generous.19 If they do that, they'll build a treasury that will last, gaining life that is truly life.

20 And oh, my dear Timothy, guard the treasure you were given! Guard it with your life. Avoid the talk-show religion and the practiced confusion of the so-called experts.21 People caught up in a lot of talk can miss the whole point of faith. Overwhelming grace keep you!

2 Timothy 1

1 I, Paul, am on special assignment for Christ, carrying out God's plan laid out in the Message of Life by Jesus.2 I write this to you, Timothy, the son I love so much. All the best from our God and Christ be yours!

3 Every time I say your name in prayer-which is practically all the time-I thank God for you, the God I worship with my whole life in the tradition of my ancestors.4 I miss you a lot, especially when I remember that last tearful good-bye, and I look forward to a joy-packed reunion.

5 That precious memory triggers another: your honest faith-and what a rich faith it is, handed down from your grandmother Lois to your mother Eunice, and now to you!6 And the special gift of ministry you received when I laid hands on you and prayed-keep that ablaze!7 God doesn't want us to be shy with his gifts, but bold and loving and sensible.

8 So don't be embarrassed to speak up for our Master or for me, his prisoner. Take your share of suffering for the Message along with the rest of us. We can only keep on going, after all, by the power of God,9 who first saved us and then called us to this holy work. We had nothing to do with it. It was all his idea, a gift prepared for us in Jesus long before we knew anything about it.10 But we know it now. Since the appearance of our Savior, nothing could be plainer: death defeated, life vindicated in a steady blaze of light, all through the work of Jesus.

11 This is the Message I've been set apart to proclaim as preacher, emissary, and teacher.12 It's also the cause of all this trouble I'm in. But I have no regrets. I couldn't be more sure of my ground-the One I've trusted in can take care of what he's trusted me to do right to the end.

13 So keep at your work, this faith and love rooted in Christ, exactly as I set it out for you. It's as sound as the day you first heard it from me.14 Guard this precious thing placed in your custody by the Holy Spirit who works in us.

15 I'm sure you know by now that everyone in the province of Asia deserted me, even Phygelus and Hermogenes.16 But God bless Onesiphorus and his family! Many's the time I've been refreshed in that house. And he wasn't embarrassed a bit that I was in jail.17 The first thing he did when he got to Rome was look me up.18 May God on the Last Day treat him as well as he treated me. And then there was all the help he provided in Ephesus-but you know that better than I.

2 Timothy 2

Doing Your Best for God

1 So, my son, throw yourself into this work for Christ.2 Pass on what you heard from me-the whole congregation saying Amen!-to reliable leaders who are competent to teach others.3 When the going gets rough, take it on the chin with the rest of us, the way Jesus did.4 A soldier on duty doesn't get caught up in making deals at the marketplace. He concentrates on carrying out orders.5 An athlete who refuses to play by the rules will never get anywhere.6 It's the diligent farmer who gets the produce.7 Think it over. God will make it all plain.

8 Fix this picture firmly in your mind: Jesus, descended from the line of David, raised from the dead. It's what you've heard from me all along.9 It's what I'm sitting in jail for right now-but God's Word isn't in jail!10 That's why I stick it out here-so that everyone God calls will get in on the salvation of Christ in all its glory.11 This is a sure thing: If we die with him, we'll live with him;12 If we stick it out with him, we'll rule with him; If we turn our backs on him, he'll turn his back on us;13 If we give up on him, he does not give up-for there's no way he can be false to himself.

14 Repeat these basic essentials over and over to God's people. Warn them before God against pious nitpicking, which chips away at the faith. It just wears everyone out.15 Concentrate on doing your best for God, work you won't be ashamed of, laying out the truth plain and simple.16 Stay clear of pious talk that is only talk. Words are not mere words, you know. If they're not backed by a godly life,17 they accumulate as poison in the soul. Hymenaeus and Philetus are examples,18 throwing believers off stride and missing the truth by a mile by saying the resurrection is over and done with.

19 Meanwhile, God's firm foundation is as firm as ever, these sentences engraved on the stones: God knows who belongs to him. spurn evil, all you who name god as god.

20 In a well-furnished kitchen there are not only crystal goblets and silver platters, but waste cans and compost buckets-some containers used to serve fine meals, others to take out the garbage.21 Become the kind of container God can use to present any and every kind of gift to his guests for their blessing.

22 Run away from infantile indulgence. Run after mature righteousness-faith, love, peace-joining those who are in honest and serious prayer before God.23 Refuse to get involved in inane discussions; they always end up in fights.24 God's servant must not be argumentative, but a gentle listener and a teacher who keeps cool,25 working firmly but patiently with those who refuse to obey. You never know how or when God might sober them up with a change of heart and a turning to the truth,26 enabling them to escape the Devil's trap, where they are caught and held captive, forced to run his errands.