1 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, 2 speaking lies in hypocrisy, and having their consciences seared, 3 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. 4 For every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be rejected which is received with thanksgiving; 5 for it has been sanctified by the Word of God and by prayer. 6 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. 7 But avoid the silly fables of old women. And exercise yourself so as to advance in piety. 8 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. 9 This is a faithful saying and worthy of full acceptance. 10 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. 11 Instruct and teach these things. 12 Let no one despise your youth, but be an example among the faithful in word, in behavior, in charity, in faith, in chastity. 13 Until I arrive, attend to reading, to exhortation, and to doctrine. 14 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. 15 Meditate on these things, so that your progress may be manifest to all. 16 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.
1 Timothy · Catholic Public Domain Version
1 Timothy 4 Catholic Public Domain Version
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
Notes on this text (3)
- Esther and Daniel are the Vulgate books (Esther 1–16 with the Greek additions as chapters 10:4–16; Daniel 1–14 with the Song of the Three, Susanna and Bel). Baruch 6 is the Letter of Jeremiah.
- The translator's footnotes, cross-references, chapter summaries and book introductions in the CrossWire module are not shown.
- No imprimatur; single translator.
Cross references (16)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 2 Timothy 3:1–9; 2 Peter 2:1; 2 Corinthians 11:13–15; Jude 18; 2 Thessalonians 2:3–12
- 2 Ephesians 4:19; Romans 16:18; Acts 20:30; Romans 1:28; Matthew 24:24
- 3 Hebrews 13:4; 1 Timothy 4:4; Romans 14:6; Colossians 2:16; 1 Corinthians 10:30–31
- 4 Romans 14:20; 1 Corinthians 10:25; Romans 14:14; 1 Corinthians 10:23; Acts 21:25
- 5 1 Timothy 4:3; Luke 4:4; 1 Corinthians 7:14; Titus 1:15; Luke 11:41
- 6 Titus 2:7–10; Colossians 3:16; 2 Peter 3:1–2; Colossians 4:7; Matthew 13:52
- 7 2 Timothy 2:16; Titus 2:12; 1 Timothy 1:4; 2 Peter 1:5–8; Titus 3:9
- 8 Matthew 6:33; 1 Timothy 6:6; Psalm 37:3–4; Proverbs 19:23; Proverbs 22:4
- 9 1 Timothy 1:15
- 10 1 Timothy 2:4; 1 John 2:2; John 1:29; 1 John 4:14; 1 Timothy 2:6
- 11 1 Timothy 6:2; 2 Timothy 4:2; Titus 2:15; 1 Timothy 5:7; Titus 3:8
- 12 Titus 2:7; 2 Timothy 2:22; 2 Timothy 2:15; 1 Peter 5:3; 2 Peter 1:5–8
- 13 Acts 6:4; Titus 2:15; 2 Timothy 4:2; 1 Timothy 4:16; Acts 17:11
- 14 2 Timothy 1:6; 1 Peter 4:9–11; 1 Timothy 1:18; Acts 6:6; 1 Timothy 5:22
- 15 Matthew 5:16; Psalm 143:5; Philippians 2:15–16; Psalm 104:34; Psalm 119:48
- 16 Titus 1:9; Titus 2:7; 2 John 8–9; 1 Corinthians 3:10–11; Ezekiel 33:7–9
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
As those who adhere to the faith are fixed on a safe anchor, so those who fall from the faith can nowhere rest; but after many wanderings to and fro, they are borne at last into the very gulf of perdition.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 13 (1889)
Thou hast taught me, good Father, that "unto the pure all things are pure;" but "it is evil for that man who eateth with offence;" "and that every creature of Thine is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with, thanksgiving;" and that "meat commendeth us not to God;" and that no man should "judge us in …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 1 (1886)
… neither condemn the men as sinners, nor abhor the flesh as strange food; for the Apostle knows some of this sort, when he says: forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by them that believe.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 7 (1894)
In the First Epistle to Timothy do we not read: "These things command and teach?" What these things are, has been told previously.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 2 (1887)
And that the Holy Ghost subsists, and lives, and speaks, and foretells, I have often said in what goes before, and Paul writes it plainly to Timothy: Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in later times some shall depart from the faith,--which we see in the divisions not only of former times but also of our own; so motley …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 7 (1894)