Let all who are under the yoke of slavery regard their masters as worthy of all honor, so that the name of God and the teaching may not be reviled.
Those who have believers as their masters must not be disrespectful to them because they are brothers; instead, they must serve them all the more, because those who benefit are believers and beloved.
These are the things you must teach and insist on.
If anyone teaches otherwise and does not agree to the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and to the teaching that accords with godliness,
they are puffed up with conceit and understand nothing. They have an unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions,
and constant friction among people who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain.
But godliness with contentment is great gain.
For we brought nothing into the world, so that we can take nothing out of it;
but if we have food and clothing, we will be content with these.
Those who want to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction.
For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, and in their eagerness to be rich some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pains.
But as for you, man of God, shun all this; pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, gentleness.
Fight the good fight of the faith; take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and for which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.
In the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who in his testimony before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you
to keep the commandment without spot or blame until the manifestation of our Lord Jesus Christ,
which he will bring about at the right time—he who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords.
It is he alone who has immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion! Amen.
As for those who in the present age are rich, command them not to be haughty, or to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but rather on God who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.
They are to do good, to be rich in good works, generous, and ready to share,
thus storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of the life that really is life.
Say this and insist on these things.
Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in speech, conduct, love, faith, and purity.
Until I come, attend to the public reading of scripture, to exhorting, to teaching.
Do not neglect the gift you have, which was given you through prophecy when the council of elders laid their hands on you.
Practice these duties, devote yourself to them, so that all may see your progress.
Take care of yourself and of the teaching. Persist in these things, for by doing this you will save both yourself and your hearers.
This is the Patristics text that appears when you select Patristics.
