All who are under the yoke of slavery should consider their masters worthy of full respect,p so that God’s name and our teaching may not be slandered.q 2 Those who have believing masters should not show them disrespect just because they are fellow believers.r Instead, they should serve them even better because their masters are dear to them as fellow believers and are devoted to the welfarea of their slaves.

False Teachers and the Love of Money

These are the things you are to teach and insist on.s 3 If anyone teaches otherwiset and does not agree to the sound instructionu of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, 4 they are conceitedv and understand nothing. They have an unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels about wordsw that result in envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions 5 and constant friction between people of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truthx and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain.

6 But godliness with contentmenty is great gain.z 7 For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it.a 8 But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.b 9 Those who want to get richc fall into temptation and a trapd and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of moneye is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faithf and pierced themselves with many griefs.g