The First Epistle of Paul the Apostle to Timothy

⭑ Catholic Public Domain :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 4 -

Now the Spirit has clearly said that, in the end times, some persons will depart from the faith, paying attention to spirits of error and the doctrines of devils,

speaking lies in hypocrisy, and having their consciences seared,

prohibiting marriage, abstaining from foods, which God has created to be accepted with thanksgiving by the faithful and by those who have understood the truth.(a)

For every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be rejected which is received with thanksgiving;

for it has been sanctified by the Word of God and by prayer.

A Good Servant of Jesus Christ

By proposing these things to the brothers, you will be a good minister of Christ Jesus, nourished by words of faith, and by the good doctrine that you have secured.

But avoid the silly fables of old women. And exercise yourself so as to advance in piety.

For the exercise of the body is somewhat useful. But piety is useful in all things, holding the promise of life, in the present and in the future.

This is a faithful saying and worthy of full acceptance.

For this reason we labor and are maligned: because we hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, most especially of the faithful.

Instruct and teach these things.

Let no one despise your youth, but be an example among the faithful in word, in behavior, in charity, in faith, in chastity.

Until I arrive, attend to reading, to exhortation, and to doctrine.

Do not be willing to neglect the grace that is within you, which was given to you through prophecy, with the imposition of the hands of the priesthood.

Meditate on these things, so that your progress may be manifest to all.

Pay attention to yourself and to doctrine. Pursue these things. For in doing so, you will save both yourself and those who listen to you.(b)

Footnotes

(a)4:3 Forbidding to marry, to abstain from meats:He speaks of the Gnostics, the Marcionites, the Eneratites, the Manicheans, and other ancient heretics, who absolutely condemned marriage, and the use of all kind of meat; because they pretended that all flesh was from an evil principle. Whereas the church of God, so far from condemning marriage, holds it a holy sacrament; and forbids it to none but such as by vow have chosen the better part: and prohibits not the use of any meats whatsoever in proper times and seasons; though she does not judge all kind of diet proper for days of fasting and penance.(Challoner)

(b)4:16 The phrase ‘insta in illis’ could also be rendered as: ‘be urgent in these things,’ or ‘press on in these things,’ or ‘keep these things close by.’(Conte)

But the Spirit says expressly that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to seducing spirits and doctrines of demons,

through the hypocrisy of men who speak lies, branded in their own conscience as with a hot iron,

forbidding marriage and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.

For every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving.

For it is sanctified through the word of God and prayer.

A Good Servant of Jesus Christ

If you instruct the brothers of these things, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, nourished in the words of the faith and of the good doctrine which you have followed.

But refuse profane and old wives’ fables. Exercise yourself toward godliness.

For bodily exercise has some value, but godliness has value in all things, having the promise of the life which is now and of that which is to come.

This saying is faithful and worthy of all acceptance.

For to this end we both labor and suffer reproach, because we have set our trust in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of those who believe.

Command and teach these things.

Let no man despise your youth; but be an example to those who believe, in word, in your way of life, in love, in spirit, in faith, and in purity.

Until I come, pay attention to reading, to exhortation, and to teaching.

Don’t neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you by prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the elders.

Be diligent in these things. Give yourself wholly to them, that your progress may be revealed to all.

Pay attention to yourself and to your teaching. Continue in these things, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you.