1 Timothy 3:14-4:6

English Standard Version

The Mystery of Godliness

¹⁴I hope to come to you soon, but I am writing these things to you so that, ¹⁵if I delay, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth. ¹⁶Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness:

^(A)He^[a] was manifested in the flesh,
    vindicated^[b] by the Spirit,^[c]
        ^(B)seen by angels,
^(C)proclaimed among the nations,
    ^(D)believed on in the world,
        ^(E)taken up in glory.

Some Will Depart from the Faith

4 Now ^(F)the Spirit expressly says that ^(G)in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to ^(H)deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, ²through the insincerity of ^(I)liars whose consciences are seared, ³^(J)who forbid marriage and ^(K)require abstinence from foods ^(L)that God created ^(M)to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. ⁴For ^(N)everything created by God is good, and ^(O)nothing is to be rejected if it is ^(P)received with thanksgiving, ⁵for it is made holy ^(Q)by the word of God and prayer.

A Good Servant of Christ Jesus

⁶^(R)If you put these things before the brothers,^[d] you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, being trained in the words of the faith and of the good doctrine that you have ^(S)followed.

Footnotes

1 Timothy 3:16 Greek Who; some manuscripts God; others Which
1 Timothy 3:16 Or justified
1 Timothy 3:16 Or vindicated in spirit
1 Timothy 4:6 Or brothers and sisters. In New Testament usage, depending on the context, the plural Greek word adelphoi (translated “brothers”) may refer either to brothers or to brothers and sisters