The Bible in Basic English BBE
Good News Translation GNT
1 Let all who are servants under the yoke give all honour to their masters, so that no evil may be said against the name of God and his teaching.
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Those who are slaves must consider their masters worthy of all respect, so that no one will speak evil of the name of God and of our teaching.
2 And let those whose masters are of the faith have respect for them because they are brothers, working for them the more readily, because those who take part in the good work are of the faith and are dear. Give orders and teaching about these things.
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Slaves belonging to Christian masters must not despise them, for they are believers too. Instead, they are to serve them even better, because those who benefit from their work are believers whom they love. You must teach and preach these things.
3 If any man gives different teaching, not in agreement with the true words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and with the teaching which is in agreement with true religion,
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Whoever teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the true words of our Lord Jesus Christ and with the teaching of our religion
4 He has an over-high opinion of himself; being without knowledge, having only an unhealthy love of questionings and wars of words, from which come envy, fighting, cruel words, evil thoughts,
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is swollen with pride and knows nothing. He has an unhealthy desire to argue and quarrel about words, and this brings on jealousy, disputes, insults, evil suspicions,
5 Bitter talk of men who, being evil in mind and dead to what is true, take the faith to be a way of making profit.
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and constant arguments from people whose minds do not function and who no longer have the truth. They think that religion is a way to become rich.
6 But true faith, with peace of mind, is of great profit:
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Well, religion does make us very rich, if we are satisfied with what we have.
7 For we came into the world with nothing, and we are not able to take anything out;
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What did we bring into the world? Nothing! What can we take out of the world? Nothing!
8 But if we have food and a roof over us, let that be enough.
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So then, if we have food and clothes, that should be enough for us.
9 But those who have a desire for wealth are falling into danger, and are taken as in a net by a number of foolish and damaging desires, through which men are overtaken by death and destruction.
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But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and are caught in the trap of many foolish and harmful desires, which pull them down to ruin and destruction.
10 For the love of money is a root of all evil: and some whose hearts were fixed on it have been turned away from the faith, and been wounded with unnumbered sorrows.
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For the love of money is a source of all kinds of evil. Some have been so eager to have it that they have wandered away from the faith and have broken their hearts with many sorrows.
11 But you, O man of God, keep yourself from these things, and go after righteousness, religion, faith, love, a quiet mind, gentle behaviour.
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But you, man of God, avoid all these things. Strive for righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, and gentleness.
12 Be fighting the good fight of the faith; take for yourself the life eternal, for which you were marked out, and of which you gave witness in the eyes of all.
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Run your best in the race of faith, and win eternal life for yourself; for it was to this life that God called you when you firmly professed your faith before many witnesses.
13 I give you orders before God, the giver of life, and Christ Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate gave witness to the faith,
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Before God, who gives life to all things, and before Christ Jesus, who firmly professed his faith before Pontius Pilate, I command you
14 To keep the word untouched by evil, clear from all shame, till the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ:
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to obey your orders and keep them faithfully until the Day when our Lord Jesus Christ will appear.
15 Which at the right time he will make clear, who is the eternal and only Ruler, King of kings, and Lord of lords;
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His appearing will be brought about at the right time by God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and the Lord of lords.
16 Who only has life for ever, living in light to which no man may come near; whom no man has seen or is able to see: to whom be honour and power for ever. So be it.
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He alone is immortal; he lives in the light that no one can approach. No one has ever seen him; no one can ever see him. To him be honor and eternal power! Amen.
17 Give orders to those who have money and goods in this life, not to be lifted up in their minds, or to put their hope in the uncertain chances of wealth, but in God who gives us in full measure all things for our use;
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Command those who are rich in the things of this life not to be proud, but to place their hope, not in such an uncertain thing as riches, but in God, who generously gives us everything for our enjoyment.
18 And to do good, having wealth in good works, being quick to give, taking part with one another;
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Command them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share with others.
19 Making ready for themselves a safe place for the time to come, so that the true life may be theirs.
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In this way they will store up for themselves a treasure which will be a solid foundation for the future. And then they will be able to win the life which is true life.
20 O Timothy, take good care of that which is given to you, turning away from the wrong and foolish talk and arguments of that knowledge which is falsely so named;
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Timothy, keep safe what has been entrusted to your care. Avoid the profane talk and foolish arguments of what some people wrongly call "Knowledge."
21 Through which some, who gave their minds to it, have been turned away from the faith. Grace be with you.
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For some have claimed to possess it, and as a result they have lost the way of faith. God's grace be with you all.
The Bible in Basic English is in the public domain.
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.