1 Timothy 6
New Testament · English Majority Text Version with Greek parallel
1 Timothy chapter 6 is given here in full, verse by verse, in the English Majority Text Version (EMTV), with the Byzantine Majority Text set beneath each verse. The text follows the Byzantine textual tradition used in the Orthodox Church.
2 patristic excerpts are attached to this chapter, from Saint John Chrysostom.
1 Timothy 6
1Let as many as are slaves under a yoke count their own masters worthy of all honor, so that the name of God and His doctrine may not be blasphemed.Ὅσοι εἰσὶν ὑπὸ ζυγὸν δοῦλοι, τοὺς ἰδίους δεσπότας πάσης τιμῆς ἀξίους ἡγείσθωσαν, ἵνα μὴ τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ ἡ διδασκαλία βλασφημῆται.
2And those having believing masters, let them not despise them because they are brothers, but rather let them serve as slaves, because those receiving the good service are believing and beloved. Teach and exhort these things.Οἱ δὲ πιστοὺς ἔχοντες δεσπότας μὴ καταφρονείτωσαν, ὅτι ἀδελφοί εἰσιν· ἀλλὰ μᾶλλον δουλευέτωσαν, ὅτι πιστοί εἰσι καὶ ἀγαπητοὶ οἱ τῆς εὐεργεσίας ἀντιλαμβανόμενοι. Ταῦτα δίδασκε καὶ παρακάλει.
3If anyone teaches differently and does not consent to sound words, even those of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which accords with godliness,Εἴ τις ἑτεροδιδασκαλεῖ, καὶ μὴ προσέρχεται ὑγιαίνουσι λόγοις, τοῖς τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, καὶ τῇ κατ᾽ εὐσέβειαν διδασκαλίᾳ,
4he is puffed up, understanding nothing, but is morbidly concerned with disputes and word battles, from which come envy, strife, slanders, evil suspicions,τετύφωται, μηδὲν ἐπιστάμενος, ἀλλὰ νοσῶν περὶ ζητήσεις καὶ λογομαχίας, ἐξ ὧν γίνεται φθόνος, ἔρις, βλασφημίαι, ὑπόνοιαι πονηραί,
5constant wranglings of men of corrupt minds and deprived of the truth, supposing that godliness is a means of profit. Withdraw from such people.διαπαρατριβαὶ διεφθαρμένων ἀνθρώπων τὸν νοῦν, καὶ ἀπεστερημένων τῆς ἀληθείας, νομιζόντων πορισμὸν εἶναι τὴν εὐσέβειαν. Ἀφίστασο ἀπὸ τῶν τοιούτων.
6But godliness with contentment is great gain.Ἔστι δὲ πορισμὸς μέγας ἡ εὐσέβεια μετὰ αὐταρκείας·
7For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain that neither can we carry anything out!οὐδὲν γὰρ εἰσηνέγκαμεν εἰς τὸν κόσμον, δῆλον ὅτι οὐδὲ ἐξενεγκεῖν τι δυνάμεθα·
8But having food and clothing, with these things we shall be content.ἔχοντες δὲ διατροφὰς καὶ σκεπάσματα τούτοις ἀρκεσθησόμεθα.
9But those desiring to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and many senseless and harmful lusts which sink men into destruction and perdition.Οἱ δὲ βουλόμενοι πλουτεῖν ἐμπίπτουσιν εἰς πειρασμὸν καὶ παγίδα καὶ ἐπιθυμίας πολλὰς ἀνοήτους καὶ βλαβεράς, αἵτινες βυθίζουσι τοὺς ἀνθρώπους εἰς ὄλεθρον καὶ ἀπώλειαν.
10For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, of which some by aspiring have strayed away from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.Ῥίζα γὰρ πάντων τῶν κακῶν ἐστιν ἡ φιλαργυρία· ἧς τινες ὀρεγόμενοι ἀπεπλανήθησαν ἀπὸ τῆς πίστεως, καὶ ἑαυτοὺς περιέπειραν ὀδύναις πολλαῖς.
11You however, O man of God, flee these things. But pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, gentleness.Σὺ δέ, ὦ ἄνθρωπε τοῦ Θεοῦ, ταῦτα φεῦγε· δίωκε δὲ δικαιοσύνην, εὐσέβειαν, πίστιν, ἀγάπην, ὑπομονήν, πρᾳότητα.
12Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold of eternal life, to which you were called and have confessed the good confession before many witnesses.Ἀγωνίζου τὸν καλὸν ἀγῶνα τῆς πίστεως, ἐπιλαβοῦ τῆς αἰωνίου ζωῆς, εἰς ἣν ἐκλήθης, καὶ ὡμολόγησας τὴν καλὴν ὁμολογίαν ἐνώπιον πολλῶν μαρτύρων.
13I charge you before God who gives life to all things, and before Christ Jesus who witnessed the good confession before Pontius Pilate,Παραγγέλλω σοι ἐνώπιον τοῦ Θεοῦ τοῦ ζῳοποιοῦντος τὰ πάντα, καὶ Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ τοῦ μαρτυρήσαντος ἐπὶ Ποντίου Πιλάτου τὴν καλὴν ὁμολογίαν,
14that you keep this commandment without spot, blameless until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ,τηρῆσαί σε τὴν ἐντολὴν ἄσπιλον, ἀνεπίληπτον, μέχρι τῆς ἐπιφανείας τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ,
15which He will show in His own time, He who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords,ἣν καιροῖς ἰδίοις δείξει ὁ μακάριος καὶ μόνος δυνάστης, ὁ Βασιλεὺς τῶν βασιλευόντων, καὶ Κύριος τῶν κυριευόντων,
16who alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or is able to see, to whom be honor and everlasting power. Amen.ὁ μόνος ἔχων ἀθανασίαν, φῶς οἰκῶν ἀπρόσιτον, ὃν εἶδεν οὐδεὶς ἀνθρώπων, οὐδὲ ἰδεῖν δύναται· ᾧ τιμὴ καὶ κράτος αἰώνιον· ἀμήν.
17Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to put their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but in the living God, who provides all things richly for us to enjoy,Τοῖς πλουσίοις ἐν τῷ νῦν αἰῶνι παράγγελλε, μὴ ὑψηλοφρονεῖν, μηδὲ ἠλπικέναι ἐπὶ πλούτου ἀδηλότητι, ἀλλ᾽ ἐν τῷ Θεῷ τῷ ζῶντι, τῷ παρέχοντι ἡμῖν πάντα πλουσίως εἰς ἀπόλαυσιν·
18to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous, sharing,ἀγαθοεργεῖν, πλουτεῖν ἐν ἔργοις καλοῖς, εὐμεταδότους εἶναι, κοινωνικούς,
19storing up for yourselves a good foundation for the future, that they may lay hold of eternal life.ἀποθησαυρίζοντας ἑαυτοῖς θεμέλιον καλὸν εἰς τὸ μέλλον, ἵνα ἐπιλάβωνται τῆς αἰωνίου ζωῆς.
20O Timothy! Guard that which was committed to your trust, turning away from the profane and empty babblings and opposing views of what is falsely called “knowledge,”Ὦ Τιμόθεε, τὴν παραθήκην φύλαξον, ἐκτρεπόμενος τὰς βεβήλους κενοφωνίας καὶ ἀντιθέσεις τῆς ψευδωνύμου γνώσεως·
21which some, by professing expertise, missed the mark concerning the faith. Grace be with you. Amen.ἥν τινες ἐπαγγελλόμενοι περὶ τὴν πίστιν ἠστόχησαν. Ἡ χάρις μετὰ σοῦ. Ἀμήν.
The Fathers on 1 Timothy 6
Saint John Chrysostom comments on this chapter. Each excerpt below is drawn from the full text held in the Fathers Library; follow the link on any entry to read the whole work.
On 1 Timothy 6:2–7Saint John Chrysostom“These things teach and exhort. If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness; he is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surm...
Read Homilies on the First Epistle to Timothy →
On 1 Timothy 6:13–16Open 1 Timothy 6 in the interactive reader Switch translations, hear the chapter read aloud, tap any verse for its patristic commentary, and study the Greek word by word.Saint John Chrysostom“I give thee charge in the sight of God, Who quickeneth all things, and before Christ Jesus, Who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession; that thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ: which in his times He shall show, Who is the blessed and only Po...
Read Homilies on the First Epistle to Timothy →