Bible History
Bible History

1 Timothy 4 - New English Translation (NET)

You are here: Home New English Translation (NET) 1 Timothy 4

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. 1 Timothy 4:1 tn Or “desert the faith by occupying themselves.”
  2. 1 Timothy 4:1 tn Grk “teachings of demons” (speaking of the source of these doctrines).
  3. 1 Timothy 4:2 tn Grk “in the hypocrisy of liars.”
  4. 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.
  5. 1 Timothy 4:4 tn Grk “nothing.”
  6. 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).
  7. 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.
  8. 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.
  9. 1 Timothy 4:7 tn Grk “the godless and old-wifely myths.”
  10. 1 Timothy 4:8 tn Grk “bodily training” (using the noun form of the verb “train” in v. 7b).
  11. 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.
  12. 1 Timothy 4:10 tn Grk “for toward this,” denoting purpose. The conjunction “for” gives confirmation or emphasis to 1 Tim 4:8-9.
  13. 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.
  14. 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.”
  15. 1 Timothy 4:12 tn Or “faith.”
  16. 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.
  17. 1 Timothy 4:14 tn Grk “in you.”
  18. 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).
  19. 1 Timothy 4:14 tn Grk “with the imposition of the hands of the presbytery” (i.e., the council of elders).
  20. 1 Timothy 4:15 tn Grk “that your progress may be evident to all.”
  21. 1 Timothy 4:16 tn Grk “about yourself and your teaching.”

You Might Also Like:

1 Timothy 4 - Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

4 And the Spirit expressly speaketh, that in latter times shall certain fall away from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and teachings of demons, 2 in hypocrisy speaking lies, being seared in their own conscience, 3 forbidding to marry -- to abstain from meats that God created to be receive...
Read More

1 Timothy 4 - Wycliffe Bible (WYC)

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 co...
Read More

1 Timothy 4 - Worldwide English (New Testament) (WE)

4 The Spirit of God says very plainly that in later times some people will stop believing. They will listen to other spirits that fool them, and to the teaching of bad spirits. 2 Men will tell lies and make people believe they are something when they are not. These men will have made their hearts so...
Read More

1 Timothy 4 - World English Bible (WEB)

4 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, 2 through the hypocrisy of men who speak lies, branded in their own conscience as with a hot iron, 3 forbidding marriage and commanding to abstain f...
Read More

1 Timothy 4 - The Voice (VOICE)

4 But even so, the Spirit very clearly tells us that in the last times some will abandon the true faith because of their devotion to spirits sent to deceive and sabotage, and mistakenly they will end up following the doctrine of demons. 2 They will be carried away through the hypocrisy of liars who...
Read More

1 Timothy 4 - Tree of Life Version (TLV)

Advice to a Young Leader4 Now the Ruach clearly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, following deceitful spirits and teachings of demons 2 through the hypocrisy of false speakers—whose own conscience has been seared. 3 They forbid people to marry; they command people to abs...
Read More

1 Timothy 4 - Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)

False Asceticism4 Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by giving heed to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons, 2 through the pretensions of liars whose consciences are seared, 3 who forbid marriage[a] and enjoin abstinence from foods[b] which God c...
Read More

1 Timothy 4 - Revised Standard Version (RSV)

False Asceticism4 Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by giving heed to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons, 2 through the pretensions of liars whose consciences are seared, 3 who forbid marriage and enjoin abstinence from foods which God created...
Read More

1 Timothy 4 - Revised Geneva Translation (RGT)

4 Now the Spirit clearly says that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, and shall consider spirits of error and doctrines of demons. 2 They speak lies through hypocrisy and have their consciences burned with a hot iron, 3 forbidding to marry and commanding to abstain from foods whic...
Read More

1 Timothy 4 - New Testament for Everyone (NTE)

Beware of False Teaching!4 Now the spirit specifically declares that in the last times some people will abandon the faith, and will cling on to deceitful spirits and demonic teachings 2 perpetrated by hypocritical false teachers whose consciences are branded with a hot iron. 3 They will forbid mar...
Read More

1 Timothy 4 - New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised (NRSVA)

False Asceticism4 Now the Spirit expressly says that in later[a] times some will renounce the faith by paying attention to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, 2 through the hypocrisy of liars whose consciences are seared with a hot iron. 3 They forbid marriage and demand abstinence from foo...
Read More

1 Timothy 4 - New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

False Asceticism4 Now the Spirit expressly says that in later[a] times some will renounce[b] the faith by paying attention to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons,(A)2 through the hypocrisy of liars whose consciences are seared with a hot iron. 3 They forbid marriage and abstain from certain fo...
Read More

1 Timothy 4 - New Matthew Bible (NMB)

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,...
Read More

1 Timothy 4 - New Living Translation (NLT)

Warnings against False Teachers4 Now the Holy Spirit tells us clearly that in the last times some will turn away from the true faith; they will follow deceptive spirits and teachings that come from demons. 2 These people are hypocrites and liars, and their consciences are dead.[a] 3 They will say it...
Read More

1 Timothy 4 - New Life Version (NLV)

False Teaching in the Last Days4 The Holy Spirit tells us in plain words that in the last days some people will turn away from the faith. They will listen to what is said about spirits and follow the teaching about demons. 2 Those who teach this tell it as the truth when they know it is a lie. They...
Read More

1 Timothy 4 - New King James Version (NKJV)

The Great Apostasy4 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 a...
Read More

61 Bible Translations

Popular Articles

Explore the Bible Like Never Before!

Bible History Online

Bible Study Tools

Top Tags