1 Timothy 4
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
Chapter 4
False Asceticism.[a] 1 Now the Spirit explicitly says that in the last times some will turn away from the faith by paying attention to deceitful spirits and demonic instructions(A) 2 through the hypocrisy of liars with branded consciences. 3 They forbid marriage and require abstinence from foods that God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.(B) 4 For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected when received with thanksgiving,(C) 5 for it is made holy by the invocation of God in prayer.[b]
Counsel to Timothy. 6 [c]If you will give these instructions to the brothers, you will be a good minister of Christ Jesus, nourished on the words of the faith and of the sound teaching you have followed. 7 Avoid profane and silly myths. Train yourself for devotion,(D) 8 for, while physical training is of limited value, devotion is valuable in every respect, since it holds a promise of life both for the present and for the future.(E) 9 This saying is trustworthy and deserves full acceptance.(F) 10 For this we toil and struggle,[d] because we have set our hope on the living God, who is the savior of all, especially of those who believe.(G)
11 [e]Command and teach these things. 12 Let no one have contempt for your youth,[f] but set an example for those who believe, in speech, conduct, love, faith, and purity.(H) 13 Until I arrive, attend to the reading,[g] exhortation, and teaching. 14 Do not neglect the gift you have, which was conferred on you through the prophetic word[h] with the imposition of hands of the presbyterate.(I) 15 Be diligent in these matters, be absorbed in them, so that your progress may be evident to everyone. 16 Attend to yourself and to your teaching; persevere in both tasks, for by doing so you will save both yourself and those who listen to you.
Footnotes
- 4:1–5 Doctrinal deviations from the true Christian message within the church have been prophesied, though the origin of the prophecy is not specified (1 Tm 4:1–2); cf. Acts 20:29–30. The letter warns against a false asceticism that prohibits marriage and regards certain foods as forbidden, though they are part of God’s good creation (1 Tm 4:3).
- 4:5 The invocation of God in prayer: literally, “the word of God and petition.” The use of “word of God” without an article in Greek suggests that it refers to the name of God being invoked in blessing rather than to the “word of God” proclaimed to the community.
- 4:6–10 Timothy is urged to be faithful, both in his teaching and in his own life, as he looks only to God for salvation.
- 4:10 Struggle: other manuscripts and patristic witnesses read “suffer reproach.”
- 4:11–16 Timothy is urged to preach and teach with confidence, relying on the gifts and the mission that God has bestowed on him.
- 4:12 Youth: some commentators find this reference a sign of pseudepigraphy. Timothy had joined Paul as a missionary already in A.D. 49, some fifteen years before the earliest supposed date of composition.
- 4:13 Reading: the Greek word refers to private or public reading. Here, it probably designates the public reading of scripture in the Christian assembly.
- 4:14 Prophetic word: this may mean the utterance of a Christian prophet designating the candidate or a prayer of blessing accompanying the rite. Imposition of hands: this gesture was used in the Old Testament to signify the transmission of authority from Moses to Joshua (Nm 27:18–23; Dt 34:9). The early Christian community used it as a symbol of installation into an office: the Seven (Acts 6:6) and Paul and Barnabas (Acts 13:3). Of the presbyterate: this would mean that each member of the college of presbyters imposed hands and appears to contradict 2 Tm 1:6, in which Paul says that he imposed hands on Timothy. This latter text, however, does not exclude participation by others in the rite. Some prefer to translate “for the presbyterate,” and thus understand it to designate the office into which Timothy was installed rather than the agents who installed him.
提摩太前书 4
Chinese Union Version Modern Punctuation (Simplified)
预言有人离弃真道
4 圣灵明说，在后来的时候，必有人离弃真道，听从那引诱人的邪灵和鬼魔的道理。 2 这是因为说谎之人的假冒，这等人的良心如同被热铁烙惯了一般。 3 他们禁止嫁娶，又禁戒食物[a]，就是神所造，叫那信而明白真道的人感谢着领受的。 4 凡神所造的物都是好的，若感谢着领受，就没有一样可弃的， 5 都因神的道和人的祈求成为圣洁了。
劝提摩太做信徒的榜样
6 你若将这些事提醒弟兄们，便是基督耶稣的好执事，在真道的话语和你向来所服从的善道上得了教育。 7 只是要弃绝那世俗的言语和老妇荒渺的话，在敬虔上操练自己。 8 操练身体益处还少，唯独敬虔，凡事都有益处，因有今生和来生的应许。 9 这话是可信的，是十分可佩服的。 10 我们劳苦努力，正是为此，因我们的指望在乎永生的神——他是万人的救主，更是信徒的救主。 11 这些事你要吩咐人，也要教导人。 12 不可叫人小看你年轻，总要在言语、行为、爱心、信心、清洁上，都做信徒的榜样。 13 你要以宣读、劝勉、教导为念，直等到我来。 14 你不要轻忽所得的恩赐，就是从前借着预言，在众长老按手的时候赐给你的。 15 这些事你要殷勤去做，并要在此专心，使众人看出你的长进来。 16 你要谨慎自己和自己的教训，要在这些事上恒心，因为这样行，又能救自己，又能救听你的人。
Footnotes
- 提摩太前书 4:3 或作：又叫人戒荤。
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