Timotheum I 6
1 Quicumque sunt sub iugo servi, dominos suos omni honore dignos arbitrentur, ne nomen Domini et doctrina blasphemetur.
All who are in the position of slaves should regard their masters as deserving of the greatest respect, so that the name of God, and our teaching, may not be maligned.
2 Qui autem fideles habent dominos, non contemnant, quia fratres sunt: sed magis serviant, quia fideles sunt et dilecti, qui beneficii participes sunt. Hæc doce, et exhortare.
Those who have Christian masters should not think less of them because they are also followers of Christ, but on the contrary they should serve them all the better, because those who are to benefit by their good work are dear to them as their fellow Christians.
3 Si quis aliter docet, et non acquiescit sanis sermonibus Domini nostri Iesu Christi, et ei, quæ secundum pietatem est, doctrinæ:
Anyone who teaches otherwise, and refuses their assent to sound instruction – the instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ – and to the teaching of religion,
4 superbus est, nihil sciens, sed languens circa quæstiones, et pugnas verborum: ex quibus oriuntur invidiæ, contentiones, blasphemiæ, suspiciones malæ,
is puffed up with conceit, not really knowing anything, but having a morbid craving for discussions and arguments. Such things only give rise to envy, quarrelling, recriminations, base suspicions,
5 conflictationes hominum mente corruptorum, et qui veritate privati sunt, existimantium quæstum esse pietatem.
and incessant wrangling on the part of these corrupt-minded people who have lost all hold on the truth, and who think of religion only as a source of gain.
6 Est autem quæstus magnus pietas cum sufficentia.
Of course religion is a great source of gain – when combined with contentment!
7 Nihil enim intulimus in hunc mundum: haud dubium quod nec auferre quid possumus.
For we brought nothing into the world, because we cannot even carry anything out of it.
8 Habentes autem alimenta, et quibus tegamur, his contenti simus.
So, with food and shelter, we will be content.
9 Nam qui volunt divites fieri, incidunt in tentationem, et in laqueum diaboli, et desideria multa inutilia, et nociva, quæ mergunt homines in interitum et perditionem.
Those who want to be rich fall into the net of temptation, and become the prey of many foolish and harmful ambitions, which plunge people into destruction and ruin.
10 Radix enim omnium malorum est cupiditas: quam quidam appetentes erraverunt a fide, et inseruerunt se doloribus multis.
Love of money is a source of all kinds of evil; and in their eagerness to be rich some have wandered away from the faith, and have been pierced to the heart by many a regret.
11 Tu autem, o homo Dei hæc fuge: sectare vero iustitiam, pietatem, fidem, charitatem, patientiam, mansuetudinem.
But you must, servant of God, avoid all this. Aim at righteousness, piety, faith, love, endurance, gentleness.
12 Certa bonum certamen fidei, apprehende vitam æternam, in qua vocatus es, et confessus bonam confessionem coram multis testibus. (aiōnios g166)
Run the great race of the faith, and win the eternal life. It was for this that you received the call, and, in the presence of many witnesses, made the great profession of faith. (aiōnios g166)
13 Præcipio tibi coram Deo, qui vivificat omnia, et Christo Iesu, qui testimonium reddidit sub Pontio Pilato, bonam confessionem:
I beg you, as in the sight of God, the source of all life, and of Christ Jesus who before Pontius Pilate made the great profession of faith –
14 ut serves mandatum sine macula, irreprehensibile usque in adventum Domini nostri Iesu Christi,
I implore you to keep his command free from stain or reproach, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ.
15 quem suis temporibus ostendet beatus et solus potens, Rex regum, et Dominus dominantium:
This will be brought about in his own time by the one ever-blessed Potentate, the king of all kings and Lord of all lords,
16 qui solus habet immortalitatem, et lucem inhabitat inaccessibilem: quem nullus hominum vidit, sed nec videre potest: cui honor, et imperium sempiternum: Amen. (aiōnios g166)
who alone is possessed of immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or ever can see – to whom be ascribed honour and power for ever. Amen. (aiōnios g166)
17 Divitibus huius sæculi præcipe non sublime sapere, neque sperare in incerto divitiarum, sed in Deo vivo (qui præstat nobis omnia abunde ad fruendum) (aiōn g165)
Teach those who are wealthy in this life not to pride themselves, or fix their hopes, on so uncertain a thing as wealth, but on God, who gives us a wealth of enjoyment on every side. (aiōn g165)
18 bene agere, divites fieri in bonis operibus, facile tribuere, communicare,
Teach them to show kindness, to exhibit a wealth of good actions, to be open-handed and generous,
19 thesaurizare sibi fundamentum bonum in futurum, ut apprehendant veram vitam.
storing up for themselves what in the future will prove to be a good foundation, so that they may gain the only true life.
20 O Timothee, depositum custodi, devitans profanas vocum novitates, et oppositiones falsi nominis scientiæ,
Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to you. Avoid the profane prattle and contradictions of what some miscall “theology,”
21 quam quidam promittentes, circa fidem exciderunt. Gratia tecum. Amen.
for there are those who, while asserting their proficiency in it, have yet, as regards the faith, gone altogether astray. God bless you all.
