1 Timothy Chapter 4

Future Heresies

¹ The Spirit says that later on people will abandon the faith. They’ll pay attention to deceiving spirits and demons’ doctrines, and indulge ² in the hypocrisy of liars that have a seared conscience. ³ They’ll forbid marriage and require abstinence from food that God created for faithful people to receive with gratitude. ⁴ Everything he created is good, and nothing should be rejected if people that know the truth receive it gratefully. ⁵ God’s word and our prayers sanctify everything he created.                                          

1 Tim 4:1-5

⁶ If you point this out to the disciples, you’ll be serving Christ Jesus well, and you’ll be fed by the message about faith and the good teaching you’ve been following. ⁷ Stay away from profane, silly myths. Exercise yourself for godliness. ⁸ Bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness profits a lot because it promises life now and later. ⁹ The saying is reliable and deserves full acceptance: ¹⁰ “We labor and struggle because we’ve placed our hope in a living God, everybody’s Savior, especially believers.” ¹¹ Teach and command that.               

1 Tim 4:6-11

Timothy’s Interim Ministry

¹² Don’t let anybody disregard you because you’re young. Set an example for the faithful in what you say and do—in love, faith, purity. ¹³ Till I get there, give attention to the public reading of scripture, to encouragement, to teaching. ¹⁴ Don’t neglect your spiritual gift that you received by prophecy and the laying on of hands by the eldership. ¹⁵ Cultivate it; immerse yourself in it so everybody will see your progress. ¹⁶ Pay close attention to how you live and to your teaching work. Stay true to the truth so you’ll save yourself and your listeners. 

1 Tim 4:12-16