1 Timothy 4
New English Translation
Timothy’s Ministry in the Later Times
4 Now the Spirit explicitly says that in the later times some will desert the faith and occupy themselves[a] with deceiving spirits and demonic teachings,[b] 2 influenced by the hypocrisy of liars[c] whose consciences are seared.[d] 3 They will prohibit marriage and require abstinence from foods that God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. 4 For every creation of God is good and no food[e] is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving. 5 For it is sanctified by God’s word and by prayer.
6 By pointing out such things to the brothers and sisters,[f] you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, having nourished yourself on the words of the faith and of the good teaching that you have followed.[g] 7 But reject those myths[h] fit only for the godless and gullible,[i] and train yourself for godliness. 8 For “physical exercise[j] has some value, but godliness is valuable in every way. It holds promise for the present life and for the life to come.” 9 This saying[k] is trustworthy and deserves full acceptance. 10 In fact this is why[l] we work hard and struggle,[m] because we have set our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all people,[n] especially of believers.
11 Command and teach these things. 12 Let no one look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in your speech, conduct, love, faithfulness,[o] and purity. 13 Until I come, give attention to the public reading of scripture,[p] to exhortation, to teaching. 14 Do not neglect the spiritual gift you have,[q] given to you and confirmed by prophetic words[r] when the elders laid hands on you.[s] 15 Take pains with these things; be absorbed in them, so that everyone will see your progress.[t] 16 Be conscientious about how you live and what you teach.[u] Persevere in this, because by doing so you will save both yourself and those who listen to you.
Footnotes
- 1 Timothy 4:1 tn Or “desert the faith by occupying themselves.”
- 1 Timothy 4:1 tn Grk “teachings of demons” (speaking of the source of these doctrines).
- 1 Timothy 4:2 tn Grk “in the hypocrisy of liars.”
- 1 Timothy 4:2 tn Or “branded.” The Greek verb καυστηριάζω (kaustēriazō) can be used to refer either to the cause (“brand”) or the effect (“seared”).sn Consciences are seared. The precise meaning of this phrase is somewhat debated. Three primary interpretations are (1) the consciences of these false teachers are “branded” with Satan’s mark to indicate ownership, (2) their consciences are “branded” with a penal mark to show they are lawbreakers, or (3) their consciences have been “seared” (i.e., totally burnt and desensitized) so that they are unable to notice the difference between right and wrong. See G. W. Knight, Pastoral Epistles (NIGTC), 189.
- 1 Timothy 4:4 tn Grk “nothing.”
- 1 Timothy 4:6 tn Grk “brothers,” but the Greek word may be used for “brothers and sisters” or “fellow Christians” as here (cf. BDAG 18 s.v. ἀδελφός 1, where considerable nonbiblical evidence for the plural ἀδελφοί [adelphoi] meaning “brothers and sisters” is cited).
- 1 Timothy 4:6 sn By pointing out…you have followed. This verse gives a theme statement for what follows in the chapter about Timothy’s ministry. The situation in Ephesus requires him to be a good servant of Christ, and he will do that by sound teaching and by living an exemplary life himself.
- 1 Timothy 4:7 sn Those myths refer to legendary tales characteristic of the false teachers in Ephesus and Crete. See parallels in 1 Tim 1:4; 2 Tim 4:4; and Titus 1:14.
- 1 Timothy 4:7 tn Grk “the godless and old-wifely myths.”
- 1 Timothy 4:8 tn Grk “bodily training” (using the noun form of the verb “train” in v. 7b).
- 1 Timothy 4:9 tn Grk “the saying.”sn This saying. The literal phrase “the saying” refers to the preceding citation. See 1 Tim 1:15; 3:1; 2 Tim 2:11; Titus 3:8 for other occurrences of this phrase.
- 1 Timothy 4:10 tn Grk “for toward this,” denoting purpose. The conjunction “for” gives confirmation or emphasis to 1 Tim 4:8-9.
- 1 Timothy 4:10 tc A number of mss (א2 D 0241vid 1241 1739 1881 M al latt sy co) read ὀνειδιζόμεθα (oneidizometha, “suffer reproach”), while the reading behind the translation (ἀγωνιζόμεθα, agōnizometha) is supported by א* A C F G K Ψ 33 1175 1505 al. The reading from the verb ἀγωνίζομαι (agōnizomai) has somewhat better external credentials, but this verb is found in the corpus Paulinum five other times, twice in the Pastorals (1 Tim 6:12; 2 Tim 4:7). The verb ὀνειδίζω (oneidizō) occurs only once in Paul (Rom 15:3), not at all in the Pastorals. In this instance, transcriptional and intrinsic evidence might seem to be opposed to each other. In such cases, the external evidence should be given more weight. With some hesitation, ἀγωνιζόμεθα is preferred.
- 1 Timothy 4:10 tn The plural Greek term ἀνθρώπων (anthrōpōn) is used here in a generic sense, referring to both men and women, and is thus translated “people.”
- 1 Timothy 4:12 tn Or “faith.”
- 1 Timothy 4:13 tn Grk “reading.” sn The public reading of scripture refers to reading the scripture out loud in the church services. In a context where many were illiterate and few could afford private copies of scripture, such public reading was especially important.
- 1 Timothy 4:14 tn Grk “in you.”
- 1 Timothy 4:14 tn Grk “which was given to you through prophecy.” Here as in 2:15 the preposition “through” denotes not “means” but accompanying circumstances: “accompanied by prophecy.”sn These prophetic words perhaps spoke of what God would do through Timothy in his ministry (cf. 1 Tim 1:18).
- 1 Timothy 4:14 tn Grk “with the imposition of the hands of the presbytery” (i.e., the council of elders).
- 1 Timothy 4:15 tn Grk “that your progress may be evident to all.”
- 1 Timothy 4:16 tn Grk “about yourself and your teaching.”
1 Timothy 4
Lexham English Bible
The Coming Apostasy
4 Now the Spirit explicitly says that in the last times some will depart from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, 2 by the hypocrisy of liars, who are seared in their own conscience, 3 who forbid marrying and insist on abstaining from foods that God created for sharing in with thankfulness by those who believe and who know the truth, 4 because everything created by God is good and nothing is to be rejected if it is[a] received with thankfulness, 5 for it is made holy by the word of God and prayer.
The Good Servant of Christ
6 By[b] teaching these things to the brothers, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, trained in the words of the faith and of the good teaching that you have followed faithfully. 7 But reject those worthless myths told by elderly women[c], and train yourself for godliness. 8 For the training of the body is somewhat[d] profitable, but godliness is profitable for everything, because it[e] holds promise for the present life and for the life to come. 9 The statement is trustworthy and deserving of complete acceptance. 10 For to this end we labor and suffer reproach,[f] because we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of believers.
11 Command these things and teach them. 12 Let no one look down on your youth, but be an example for the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. 13 Until I come, pay attention to the public reading,[g] to exhortation, to teaching. 14 Do not neglect the gift that is in you, that was granted to you through prophecy with the laying on of hands by the council of elders. 15 Practice these things. Be diligent[h] in these things, in order that your progress may be evident to everyone. 16 Fix your attention on yourself and on your teaching. Continue in them, for by[i] doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you.
Footnotes
- 1 Timothy 4:4 Here “if” is supplied as a component of the participle (“received”) which is understood as conditional
- 1 Timothy 4:6 Here “by” is supplied as a component of the participle (“teaching”) which is understood as means
- 1 Timothy 4:7 Literally “worthless and characteristic of an elderly woman myths”
- 1 Timothy 4:8 Literally “for a little”
- 1 Timothy 4:8 Here “because” is supplied as a component of the participle (“holds”) which is understood as causal
- 1 Timothy 4:10 Some manuscripts have “and strive”
- 1 Timothy 4:13 Many English translations supply “of scripture” here to clarify what is to be read aloud
- 1 Timothy 4:15 Literally “be in these things,” though most English versions supply a predicate here
- 1 Timothy 4:16 Here “by” is supplied as a component of the participle (“doing”) which is understood as means
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