3 If anyone ^steaches a different doctrine and does not agree with ^tthe sound¹ words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching ^uthat accords with godliness, 4 ^vhe is puffed up with conceit and ^wunderstands nothing. He has an unhealthy craving for ^xcontroversy and for ^yquarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions, 5 and constant friction among people ^zwho are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth, ^aimagining that godliness is a means of gain. 6 But ^bgodliness ^cwith contentment is great gain, 7 for ^dwe brought nothing into the world, and² we cannot take anything out of the world. 8 But ^eif we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. 9 But ^fthose who desire to be rich fall into temptation, ^ginto a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that ^hplunge people into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of ⁱall kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.

11 But as for you, ^jO man of God, ^kflee these things. ^lPursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness. 12 ^mFight the good fight of the faith. ⁿTake hold of the eternal life ^oto which you were called and about which you made ^pthe good confession in the presence of many witnesses. 13 ^qI charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, ^rwho in his testimony before³ Pontius Pilate made ^pthe good confession, 14 to keep the commandment unstained and free from reproach until ^sthe appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ,