1 Timothy 4
Wycliffe Bible
4 But the Spirit saith openly, that in the last times some men shall depart from the faith [Forsooth the Spirit saith openly, for in the last times some shall depart from the faith], giving attention to spirits of error, and to teachings of devils;
2 that speak lying in hypocrisy, and have their conscience corrupted. [in hypocrisy speaking lying, and having their conscience burnt, or corrupted.]
3 forbidding to be wedded [forbidding to wed], and to abstain from meats, which God made to take with doing of thankings, to faithful men, and them that have known the truth.
4 For each creature of God is good, and nothing is to be cast away, which is taken with doing of thankings;
5 for it is hallowed by the word of God, and by prayer. [forsooth it is hallowed by the word of God, and prayer.]
6 Thou putting forth these things to brethren, shalt be a good minister of Christ Jesus; nourished with words of faith and of good doctrine, which thou hast gotten [in following].
7 But eschew thou unsuitable fables [Forsooth shun thou uncovenable fables], and old women's fables; haunt thyself to piety.
8 For bodily exercitation is profitable to little thing; but piety is profitable to all things, that hath a promise of life that now is [having promise of life that now is], and that is to come.
9 A true word, and worthy all acceptation [and worthy all acception].
10 And in this thing we travail, and be cursed, for we hope in living God, that is Saviour of all men, most(ly) of faithful men.
11 Command thou this thing, and teach.
12 No man despise thy youth, but be thou ensample of faithful men in word [but be thou example of faithful men in word], in living, in charity, in faith, in chastity.
13 Till I come, take attention to reading, to exhortation and teaching.
14 Do not thou little care (for) the grace which is in thee [Do not thou despise, or little charge, the grace that is in thee], that is given to thee by prophecy, with putting on of the hands of [the] priesthood.
15 Think thou (on) these things, in these be thou, that thy profiting be showed to all men.
16 Take attention to thyself and to doctrine; be busy in them. For thou doing these things, shalt make both thyself safe, and them that hear thee.
1 Timothy 4
New Matthew Bible
He prophesies of the latter days, and exhorts Timothy to the diligent reading of the holy scripture.
4 The Spirit speaks clearly that in the latter times some will depart from the faith, and will give heed to spirits of error, and to devilish teaching 2 by those who speak falsely through hypocrisy, who have their consciences marked with an hot iron, 3 forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from foods that God has created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. 4 For everything God created is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving. 5 For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer. 6 If you put the brethren in mind of these things, you will be a good minister of Jesus Christ, who has been nourished up in the words of the faith and good teaching, which teaching you have continually followed. 7 But cast away unspiritual and old wives’ tales.
Exercise yourself unto godliness. 8 For bodily exercise is of some benefit, but godliness is fruitful in all things, having promises for the life that is now and for the life to come. 9 This is a sure saying, and worthy to be received by all. 10 It is for this that we labour and suffer rebuke – because we believe in the living God, who is the saviour of all men, but especially of those who believe. 11 Such things command and teach.
12 Let no one dishonour your youth, but be to those who believe an example, in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, and in pureness.
13 Until I come, attend to reading, to exhortation, and to teaching. 14 Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you through prophecy and with the laying on of the hands of an elder. 15 Be diligent in these things, and give yourself to them, so that it may be seen how you bring profit in all things. 16 Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine, and continue therein. For if you will so do, you will preserve yourself and those who hear you.
1 Timothy 4
1599 Geneva Bible
4 1 He condemneth as well false doctrine, 3 of marriage and the choice of meats, 7 as also profane fables: 8 and commendeth the godly exercise, 13 and the daily reading of the Scriptures.
1 Now [a]the Spirit speaketh evidently, that in the latter times some shall depart from the [b]faith, and shall give heed unto spirits of error, and doctrines of devils,
2 [c]Which speak lies through [d]hypocrisy, and have their [e]consciences burned with an hot iron,
3 [f]Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats [g]which God hath created [h]to be received [i]with giving thanks of them which believe and know the truth.
4 [j]For every creature of God is good, and nothing ought to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving.
5 [k]For it is [l]sanctified by the [m]word of God, and prayer.
6 [n]If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, which hast been nourished up in the words of faith, and of good doctrine which thou hast continually [o]followed.
7 [p]But cast away profane, and old wives’ fables, [q]and exercise thyself unto [r]godliness.
8 [s]For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, which hath the promise of the life present, and of that that is to come.
9 [t]This is a true saying, and by all means worthy to be received.
10 For therefore we labor and are rebuked, because we trust in the living God, which is the Savior of all men, specially of those that believe.
11 These things warn and teach.
12 [u]Let no man despise thy youth, but be unto them that believe, an ensample, in word, in conversation, in love, in spirit, in faith and in pureness.
13 [v]Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, and to doctrine.
14 Despise not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the company of the Eldership.
15 These things exercise, and give thyself unto them, that it may be seen how thou profitest among all men.
16 Take heed unto thyself, and unto learning: continue therein: for in doing this thou shalt both [w]save thyself, and them that hear thee.
Footnotes
- 1 Timothy 4:1 He setteth against that true doctrine, false opinions, which he foretelleth that certain which shall fall away from God and his religion, shall bring in by the suggestion of Satan, and so that a great number shall give ear to them.
- 1 Timothy 4:1 From the true doctrine of God.
- 1 Timothy 4:2 Although heretics counterfeit holiness never so much, yet they have no conscience.
- 1 Timothy 4:2 For they will as it were practice the art of disguised persons and players, that we may not think they will lie lurking in some one corner, or keep any resemblance of shamefastness.
- 1 Timothy 4:2 Whose conscience waxed so hard, that there grew an hard fleshiness over it, and so became to have a canker on it, and now at length required of very necessity to be burned with an hot iron.
- 1 Timothy 4:3 He setteth down two kinds of this false doctrine, to wit, the Law of sole life, and difference of meats.
- 1 Timothy 4:3 He proveth that he justly called such doctrines devilish, first, because the teachers of them make laws of things which are not their own: for have they created the meats?
- 1 Timothy 4:3 Secondly, because they overthrow with their decrees, the end wherefore they were created of God, to wit, that we should use them.
- 1 Timothy 4:3 Thirdly, for that by this means they rob God of his glory, who will be honored in the use of them. And herewithal the Apostle declareth that we must use the liberality of God soberly, and with a good conscience.
- 1 Timothy 4:4 He setteth an Apostolical rule, for taking away the difference of meats, against that false doctrine.
- 1 Timothy 4:5 He useth God’s benefits rightly, which acknowledge the giver of them by his word, and calleth upon him.
- 1 Timothy 4:5 It is so made pure and holy in respect of us, so that we may use it with a good conscience, as received at the Lord’s hand.
- 1 Timothy 4:5 We confess and acknowledge that God is the maker and giver of those creatures which we use. Secondly, that we are of the number of those, who through Christ’s benefit have recovered that right over all creatures, which Adam lost by his fall. Thirdly, by our prayers we crave of the Lord, that we may use those meats with a good conscience, which we receive at his hands. Fourthly, we make an end of our eating and drinking, with thanksgiving and prayer: and so are our meats sanctified to us.
- 1 Timothy 4:6 The conclusion with an exhortation to Timothy, to propound these things diligently to the Churches, which he had sucked of the Apostle, even in a manner from the teat.
- 1 Timothy 4:6 Never departing from the side of it.
- 1 Timothy 4:7 He setteth again true doctrine not only against that false and apostatical doctrine, but also against all vain and curious subtleties.
- 1 Timothy 4:7 It is not only requisite that the minister of the word be sound in doctrine, but also that his life be godly and religious.
- 1 Timothy 4:7 In the true serving of God.
- 1 Timothy 4:8 Godliness consisteth in spiritual exercise, and not in outward austereness of life, which though it be something to be accounteth of, if it be rightly used, yet is it in no wise comparable with godliness: For it profiteth not of itself, but through the benefit of another, but this hath the promise both of the life present, and of that that is to come.
- 1 Timothy 4:9 He goeth a little from his matter, and showeth that they which give themselves to godliness, although they are afflicted and reproached, are notwithstanding not to be counted miserable as other men are, because they are not afflicted for that cause that other men are, and the end of them both is far different one from the other. For how can God forsake his, which is bountiful even towards his enemies? And he willeth that this doctrine be well beaten into their heads.
- 1 Timothy 4:12 Now he returneth to that exhortation, showing which are the virtues of a Pastor, whereby he may come to be reverenced, although he be but young, to wit, such speech and life as are witnesses of charity, zeal, faith, and purity, but here is no mention made of the crosier staff, ring, cloak, and such other foolish and childish toys.
- 1 Timothy 4:13 The private exercise of Pastors, is continual reading of the Scriptures, whence out they may draw matter of wholesome doctrine and exhortation, both to themselves and to others.
- 1 Timothy 4:16 Faith is by hearing, and hearing by preaching: and therefore the ministers of the word are so said to save themselves and others, for that in them the Lord hath put the word of reconciliation.
1 Timothy 4
Authorized (King James) Version
4 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; 2 speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; 3 forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth. 4 For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving: 5 for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.
6 If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained. 7 But refuse profane and old wives’ fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness. 8 For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come. 9 This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation. 10 For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe.
11 These things command and teach. 12 Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity. 13 Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. 14 Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery. 15 Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all. 16 Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.
2001 by Terence P. Noble
Copyright © 2016 by Ruth Magnusson (Davis). Includes emendations to February 2022. All rights reserved.
Geneva Bible, 1599 Edition. Published by Tolle Lege Press. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations in articles, reviews, and broadcasts.
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