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1 Timothy 6:1. Slaves who are under the yoke must consider their masters worthy of all honor, so that there is no blasphemy against the name of God and the teaching. “The elders are under the yoke of slaves, and may they bestow all honor on their masters, so that the name of God and the teaching are not blasphemed.” The Apostle says this about slaves whose masters are infidels. For the infidels, looking at the self-willed ministers, undoubtedly blasphemed the gospel teaching, which allegedly served as the reason for this. 1 Timothy 6:2. Those who have faithful masters should not treat them carelessly, because they are brothers; but we must serve them all the more because they are faithful and beloved and do good to them. Teach and exhort this. “Let those who have the faithful masters not be neglectful of them, even though they are brethren; but rather, let them work to return their essence and love to those who receive grace.” Slaves whose masters are pious, do not turn their piety into a reason for negligence, but let them therefore be honored with greater obligingness. “Teach and pray this.” Do the first as a teacher, and the second as a father. 1 Timothy 6:3. Who teaches otherwise and does not follow the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching of godliness. 1 Timothy 6:4. He is proud, knows nothing, but is infected with a passion for competition and word disputes, from which envy, strife, slander, and crafty suspicions arise. 1 Timothy 6:5. Empty disputes between people of damaged minds, alien to the truth, who think that piety is for profit. Stay away from such people. “If anyone teaches differently and does not approach the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teachings of good faith, he becomes proud, knows nothing, but is sick about the strife and contention of words.” One must not act according to the master's orders. For slaves who dare to transgress these orders and follow their own thoughts do not know their duties at all and serve only arrogance. “From them comes envy, zeal, blasphemy, defiance of the evil one, evil talk of people who are corrupt in mind and deprived of the truth, who do not despise the acquisition of piety.” For those who have departed from the truth and follow their own thoughts attempt to teach what is improper; but this is followed by quarrel and envy, and from a quarrel they dare to commit blasphemy, and with the loss of faith, crafty suspicions are born; From this comes some kind of destructive disease that infects others. This is what the words mean: “evil conversations of corrupt minds.” For just as sick sheep grazing with healthy ones make them sick, so these people fill their neighbors with infection. Therefore, the Apostle calls out to Timothy with strict prohibition: "Depart from such." And since they considered piety to be an acquisition, he added: 1 Timothy 6:6. It is a great gain to be pious and contented. “There is great piety with contentment”; because it gives us eternal life. But in real life one must avoid covetousness and love contentment with little things. Then he confirms the advice with nature itself. 1 Timothy 6:7. For we have brought nothing into the world; It’s obvious that we can’t take anything out of it. “We brought nothing into this world, as if we were to carry out what we can.” Blessed Job also said this: “I myself came naked from my mother’s womb, and naked I will go away” (Job 1:21). 1 Timothy 6:8. Having food and clothing, we will be content with that. “If we have food and clothing, we will be satisfied with these”; because we need only adequate food and decent coverings. But the Apostle also teaches the harm of gluttony. 1 Timothy 6:9. But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and into many foolish and harmful lusts that plunge people into disaster and destruction. “But those who want to get rich fall” into a snare and into misfortune from the devil (into misfortune and into a snare), “and in many senseless and harmful lusts, even people plunge into destruction and destruction.” The Apostle did not simply say: “those who get rich,” but: “those who want to get rich.” For if someone, having received wealth from their ancestors, disposes of it according to Divine laws, then he is free from blame. But whoever, born of the poor and greedily seeking wealth, used every method to acquire it, will not know the satiety of this lust, he will walk through the networks of sin and end his life, suffering troubles and ruins. 1 Timothy 6:10. For the root of all evil is the love of money, to which some have abandoned the faith and subjected themselves to many sorrows. “The love of money is the root of all evil.” For from this root spring murder, sorcery, theft, covetousness, lying, breaking an oath, and all kinds of crimes. “There are many who have willingly lost their way from the faith, and have nailed themselves with many illnesses.” The apostle did not pronounce the accusation directly, like a tender father who takes care of those who have become alien to him. 1 Timothy 6:11. But you, man of God, flee from this, and advance in righteousness, piety, faith, love, patience, meekness. 1 Timothy 6:12. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold of eternal life, to which you were called and have made a good confession before many witnesses. “But you, O man of God, run away from these.” Great praise! This is how the great Elijah was named, and many of the prophets are also named this way, not because others are not men of God (for all are God’s creatures), but those who have retained the original features of creation are truly called men of God. Thus, all servants of God are like creatures, for even the evil Nebuchadnezzar is God’s servant; but he is a slave by nature, and Abraham, and David, and Paul, and those like them, are slaves by commitment. For it is said: “Abraham for the sake of Your servant,” and: “David for the sake of My servant” (1 Kings 11:13), and: “Paul the servant Jesus Christ” (Rom. 1:1). “Pursue truth, piety, faith, love, patience, meekness”: “fight the good fight of faith.” Having given the command above to study, the Apostle now advises to strive. It also shows the benefits that come from this. “When you ate for eternal life, you were called, and you made a good confession before many witnesses.” For the Apostle had all those who received his preaching as witnesses of a good confession. 1 Timothy 6:13. Before God, who gives life to all, and before Christ Jesus, Who bore witness to the good confession before Pontius Pilate, I command you. “I bequeath to you before God who gives life to all things, and through Christ Jesus who testified to the good confession under Pontius Pilate.” The Divine Apostle, fearing a test of talent, abundantly presents evidence to the student, or better yet, taking care of it, does this so that he, too, can instruct his students with great zeal. The Lord called the salvation of the universe a “good” “confession.” For for her salvation he endured suffering. And since those who philosophize according to Ariev, poorly understanding what is said: “all things were” (John 1:3), stubbornly try to comprehend the Spirit with the word “all,” then let them hear what the Apostle says: “to those who give life to all things,” and let them say as they understand the word “all things” here. Will the generations of the dumb also receive the resurrection, and before the dumb the inanimate creatures, I mean plants, seeds, stones, trees and the like? But it’s obvious that they won’t say this. Consequently, the divine Apostle left us to piously understand the word “all kinds.” Therefore, this is how the Gospel saying should be understood. But let's move on to interpreting the rest. For he who bears witness also tells us why he bears witness. 1 Timothy 6:14. Keep the commandment purely and blamelessly, even until the appearance of our Lord Jesus Christ. “Keep you a commandment,” that is, this is the very thing I am writing about. “I am undefiled, undefiled, even until the appearance of our Lord Jesus Christ,” that is, having this in mind and expecting it, do not mix alien things with the Divine teaching. 1 Timothy 6:15. Which in due time the blessed and only mighty King of kings and Lord of lords will reveal. “Even in due time the blessed and only mighty One will appear, the King of kings and the Lord of lords,” 1 Timothy 6:16. The only one who has immortality, Who dwells in the unapproachable light, Whom no man has seen and cannot see. Honor and eternal power to him! Amen. “He alone has immortality and is unapproachable in the living light, which no one has seen, from man, he can see below: To him is honor and eternal power, amen.” By what is characteristic and belongs to God, the Apostle confirmed the doctrine of the resurrection, judgment and rewards. For, firstly, he showed the immutability of God by calling God blessed, because blessed by nature does not allow any change. Then he showed his power; for he says: “there is only one mighty one, the King of kings and the Lord of lords.” After this, inflexibility: “you alone have immortality.” Moreover, due to the impossibility of exploring the nature itself, he pointed to the light around this nature; for he says: “In the light the living is unapproachable.” But this does not apply to God; His nature is indescribable, and if He lives in the light, then He is described by the light. However, the Apostle sings songs to Him as much as possible and stretches out His gaze as far as He can reach. If there is an unapproachable light around Him, then how is it possible to see Him? Why did he add: “What no one has seen is from a man who can see below.” 1 Timothy 6:17. Advise the rich in this age not to think highly of themselves and not to trust in unfaithful wealth, but in the living God, who richly gives us everything for our enjoyment. “Forbid the rich in this age not to become arrogant, to place less hope in perishing wealth.” Possession of wealth is uncertain: it comes to one person, then goes to another; Having many masters, he does not serve as the property of any one. But the Apostle, of necessity, used division. For there are those who are rich in the age to come, having abiding and abiding wealth. “But she lives on God, who richly gives us all things to enjoy.” One must boldly trust in Him, says the Apostle, Who is always alive and gives everyone the enjoyment of good things. He not only commands to believe in God, but also to act in accordance with faith. 1 Timothy 6:18. So that they do good, become rich in good deeds, be generous and sociable. “Do good, get rich in good deeds, be gracious, sociable.” One relates to the distribution of money, the other to modesty of morals, for we usually call those who have a modest disposition sociable. 1 Timothy 6:19. Laying up treasure for yourself, a good foundation for the future, to achieve eternal life. “By laying up for yourself the foundation of good things for the future, that they may receive eternal life.” The Apostle called the possession of wealth unreliable, and he called the enjoyment of future benefits “the foundation,” because these benefits are enduring and immutable. 1 Timothy 6:20. Oh, Timofey! keep what is devoted to you, turning away from worthless idle talk and the contradictions of false knowledge. 1 Timothy 6:21. Which, having given themselves over, some have wandered away from the faith. Grace be with you. Amen. “O Timothy, preserve the tradition.” Tradition, I think, is what he calls the grace of the Spirit, which he received through the laying on of hands. “Avoiding the nasty vanities and contradictions of the false mind: there is nothing to boast about, but one has sinned about faith.” From Simon they called themselves Gnostics (leading), they said about themselves: “What the Divine Scripture is silent about, God has revealed to us.” This is filled with all wickedness and lewdness. The Apostle rightly called this knowledge “falsely named.” They have the darkness of ignorance, and not the light of God's knowledge. “Grace be with you. Amen." The apostle added the usual blessing. This teaching must be strictly preserved by all who have been honored with the priesthood and, as a kind of rule, must always be kept in front of them and considered with it, both what is said and what is done by them. Thus, it is possible to become worthy of a portion of blessed Timothy and even the most divine Paul, by the grace and love for mankind of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. With Him befits the Father with the All-Holy Spirit glory and splendor now and always and unto the ages of ages! Amen. First Timothy was written from Laodicea, the main city in Phrygia. You might be interested in: