1 Timothy 6 : Easy-to-Read Version
6 All people who are slaves should show full respect to their masters. When they do that, then God's name and our teaching will not be criticized. 2Some slaves have masters who are believers. So those slaves and those masters are brothers. But the slaves should not show them any less respect. No! Those slaves should serve those believing masters even better. Why? Because those slaves are helping believers that they love.
False Teaching and True Riches
You must teach and tell the people to do these things. 3Some people will teach things that are false. Those people will not agree with the true teaching of our Lord Jesus Christ. And they will not accept the teaching that agrees with the true way to serve God. 4That person who teaches falsely is full of pride and understands nothing. That person is sick with a love for arguing and fighting about words. And that brings jealousy, making trouble, insults, and evil mistrust. 5And also that brings arguments from men who have evil minds. Those people have lost the truth. They think that serving God is a way to get rich. 6It is true that serving God makes a person very rich, if that person is satisfied with what he has. 7When we came into the world, we brought nothing. And when we die, we can take nothing out. 8So, if we have food and clothes, we will be satisfied with that. 9People who want to become rich bring temptations to themselves. They are caught in a trap. They begin to want many foolish things that will hurt them. Those things ruin and destroy people. 10The love of money causes all kinds of evil. Some people have left the [true] faith (teaching) because they want to get more and more money. But they have caused themselves to be very, very sad.
Some Things You Should Remember
11But you are a man of God. So you should stay away from all those things. Try to live in the right way, serve God, have faith, love, patience, and gentleness. 12Keeping your faith is like running a race. Try as hard as you can to win that race. Be sure you get that life that continues forever. You were called to have that life. And you confessed the great truth [about Christ] in a way that many people heard you. 13Before God and Christ Jesus I give you a command. Christ Jesus is the One that confessed that same great truth when he stood before Pontius Pilate.* And God is the One that gives life to everything. Now I tell you: 14Do the things you were commanded to do. Do those things without wrong or blame until the time when our Lord Jesus Christ comes again. 15God will make that happen at the right time. God is the blessed and only Ruler. God is the King of all kings and the Lord of all lords (rulers). 16God is the only One who never dies. God lives in light so bright that men cannot go near it. No person has ever seen God. No person is able to see God. Honor to God and power forever. Amen. 17Give this command to the people who are rich with the things this world has. Tell them not to be proud. Tell those rich people to hope in God, not their money. Money cannot be trusted. But God takes care of us richly. He gives us everything to enjoy. 18Tell the rich people to do good. Tell them to be rich in doing good things. And tell them to be happy to give and ready to share. 19By doing that they will be saving a treasure for themselves [in heaven]. That treasure will be a strong foundation* --their future life can be built on that treasure. Then they will be able to have the life that is true life. 20Timothy, God has trusted you with many things. Keep those things safe. Stay away from people who say foolish things that are not from God. Stay away from people who argue against [the truth]. Those people use something they call "knowledge"--but it is really not knowledge. 21Some people say that they have that "knowledge." Those people have left the [true] faith (teaching). God's grace (kindness) be with you all.
Pontius Pilate Roman governor of Judea from 26 a.d. to 36 a.d. Read Luke 23:1-3. foundation The bottom part or first part of a house that the rest of the house is built on.