Teach and urge these duties. Whoever teaches otherwise and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that is in accordance with the godliness, is conceited, understanding nothing, and has a morbid craving for controversy and for disputes about words. From these come envy, dissension, slander, base suspicions, and wrangling among those who are depraved in mind and bereft of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain. Of course, there is great gain in godliness combined with contentment, for we brought nothing into the world, that we can take nothing out of it, but if we have food and clothing, we will be content with these. But those who want to be right 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.

As one dedicated to God, you must strive to be a person of integrity and piety, filled with faith and love, patient and gentle. Run the great race of faith. Take firm hold of the everlasting life to which you were called when, in the presence of many witnesses, you make your noble profession of faith. Before God, who gives life to all, and before Christ Jesus, who spoke up as a witness for the truth in front of Pontius Pilate, I charge you to keep God’s command without fault or reproach until our Savior Jesus Christ will appear.

This appearance God will bring to pass at a chosen time—God who in eternal faithfulness alone holds sway. God alone is the Sovereign over all, the blessed and only ruler above all earthly rulers, who alone possesses immortality, and who dwells in inapproachable light, whom no human being has ever seen or can see. To God be honor and everlasting rule! Amen.