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1 Timothy 4
New International Version
1 Timothy 4
New International Version
4 The Spirit(A) clearly says that in later times(B) some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits(C) and things taught by demons. 2 Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron.(D) 3 They forbid people to marry(E) and order them to abstain from certain foods,(F) which God created(G) to be received with thanksgiving(H) by those who believe and who know the truth. 4 For everything God created is good,(I) and nothing is to be rejected(J) if it is received with thanksgiving, 5 because it is consecrated by the word of God(K) and prayer.
6 If you point these things out to the brothers and sisters,[a] you will be a good minister of Christ Jesus, nourished on the truths of the faith(L) and of the good teaching that you have followed.(M) 7 Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales;(N) rather, train yourself to be godly.(O) 8 For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things,(P) holding promise for both the present life(Q) and the life to come.(R) 9 This is a trustworthy saying(S) that deserves full acceptance. 10 That is why we labor and strive, because we have put our hope in the living God,(T) who is the Savior of all people,(U) and especially of those who believe.
11 Command and teach these things.(V) 12 Don’t let anyone look down on you(W) because you are young, but set an example(X) for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith(Y) and in purity. 13 Until I come,(Z) devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture,(AA) to preaching and to teaching. 14 Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through prophecy(AB) when the body of elders(AC) laid their hands on you.(AD)
15 Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. 16 Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save(AE) both yourself and your hearers.
Footnotes
- 1 Timothy 4:6 The Greek word for brothers and sisters (adelphoi) refers here to believers, both men and women, as part of God’s family.
1 Timothy 4
New King James Version
1 Timothy 4
New King James Version
The Great Apostasy
4 Now the Spirit [a]expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed (A)to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, 2 (B)speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience (C)seared with a hot iron, 3 forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. 4 For every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be refused if it is received with thanksgiving; 5 for it is [b]sanctified by the word of God and prayer.
A Good Servant of Jesus Christ
6 If you instruct the brethren in these things, you will be a good minister of Jesus Christ, (D)nourished in the words of faith and of the good doctrine which you have carefully followed. 7 But (E)reject profane and old wives’ fables, and (F)exercise yourself toward godliness. 8 For (G)bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, (H)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 acceptance. 10 For to this end [c]we both labor and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, (I)who is the Savior of all men, especially of those who believe. 11 These things command and teach.
Take Heed to Your Ministry
12 Let no one [d]despise your youth, but be an (J)example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, [e]in spirit, in faith, in purity. 13 Till I come, give attention to reading, to exhortation, to [f]doctrine. 14 (K)Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you by prophecy (L)with the laying on of the hands of the eldership. 15 Meditate on these things; give yourself entirely to them, that your progress may be evident to all. 16 Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you.
Footnotes
- 1 Timothy 4:1 explicitly
- 1 Timothy 4:5 set apart
- 1 Timothy 4:10 NU we labor and strive,
- 1 Timothy 4:12 look down on your youthfulness
- 1 Timothy 4:12 NU omits in spirit
- 1 Timothy 4:13 teaching
1 Timothy 4
EasyEnglish Bible
1 Timothy 4
EasyEnglish Bible
False teachers
4 God's Spirit tells us clearly that, in later times, some people will stop believing the message about Jesus Christ. Instead, they will listen to bad spirits who want people to believe wrong things. They will listen to the message that comes from demons. 2 The people who teach those false things are hypocrites. They no longer understand that what they teach is wrong. 3 They say that it is wrong for anyone to marry. They tell people not to eat certain kinds of food. But God made those foods for people to eat! We should understand God's true message and trust him. Then we will receive the food that he has given us and we will thank him for it. 4 Everything that God has made is good. So we should not refuse anything that he has made. Instead, we should receive it and thank God for it. 5 God has said that it is good. We should pray that he will bless it. Because of that, it becomes good and clean for us to eat.[a]
How Timothy can be a good servant of Christ
6 You must explain these things to the believers and teach them God's true message. If you do that, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus. Continue to study the message about Jesus that you have already learned. That will help you to be strong. 7 But you must refuse to listen to false stories. Stories like that are not from God and only silly people believe them. Instead, learn to live well in a way that makes God happy. 8 People say this: ‘If a person works to make his body strong and healthy, that will help him a little. But if a person works to live in a way that makes God happy, that will help him much more. It will help that person in his life now on earth. It will also help him in his future life with God in heaven.’ 9 We know that those words are true. Everyone should agree with them. 10 So that is why we work to serve God well. We continue to work, even when we have trouble. We do this because we believe that God will help us. He is the one who lives for ever and who saves all people. Certainly, he saves those who are believers.
11 Teach people to do these things. 12 You are still a young man, but everyone should respect you as the leader in the church. Show the believers how they should live. Be a good example to them in these ways:
what you say,
what you do,
how you love people,
how you trust God,
and how you do only what is right.
13 Until I come, be careful to read the Bible aloud to people. Teach them to understand and to obey the message about Christ. 14 Remember the gift that God's Holy Spirit has given to you. You received that gift when the group of church leaders put their hands on you.[b] They spoke messages from God about how you would serve him. So do not stop using that gift from God.
15 Be careful to do all these things well. Then everyone will see that you are serving God better and better. 16 Think carefully about how you live, and about the message that you teach. Continue to teach God's true message. Then God will save not only you, but also those people who listen to you.
Footnotes
- 4:5 The Bible says that everything that God has made is good. See Genesis 1:31. God also showed Peter that we may eat all different kinds of food. See Acts 10:9-16.
- 4:14 The leaders of the believers put their hands on people when they prayed for them. They did that when God chose someone to serve him in a special way. The Holy Spirit helps people to serve God. He helps them with gifts so that they can serve God well. See Acts 8:17; 13:3. Timothy received a gift from the Holy Spirit when they chose him as a leader for the church in Ephesus.
1 Timothy 4
King James Version
1 Timothy 4
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.
1 Timothy 4
English Standard Version
1 Timothy 4
English Standard Version
Some Will Depart from the Faith
4 Now (A)the Spirit expressly says that (B)in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to (C)deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, 2 through the insincerity of (D)liars whose consciences are seared, 3 (E)who forbid marriage and (F)require abstinence from foods (G)that God created (H)to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. 4 For (I)everything created by God is good, and (J)nothing is to be rejected if it is (K)received with thanksgiving, 5 for it is made holy (L)by the word of God and prayer.
A Good Servant of Christ Jesus
6 (M)If you put these things before the brothers,[a] 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 (N)followed. 7 Have nothing to do with irreverent, (O)silly myths. Rather (P)train yourself for godliness; 8 for while (Q)bodily training is of some value, godliness (R)is of value in every way, as (S)it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come. 9 The saying is (T)trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance. 10 For to this end we toil and strive,[b] because we have our hope set on the living God, (U)who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe.
11 Command and teach (V)these things. 12 (W)Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers (X)an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. 13 Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching. 14 (Y)Do not neglect the gift you have, which was given you (Z)by prophecy when the council of elders (AA)laid their hands on you. 15 Practice these things, immerse yourself in them,[c] so that (AB)all may see your progress. 16 (AC)Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save (AD)both yourself and (AE)your hearers.
Footnotes
- 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
- 1 Timothy 4:10 Some manuscripts and suffer reproach
- 1 Timothy 4:15 Greek be in them
New International Version (NIV) 
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NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.
New King James Version (NKJV) 
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
EasyEnglish Bible (EASY)
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English Standard Version (ESV) 
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.