The First Epistle of Paul the Apostle to Timothy

⭑ Catholic Public Domain Version 2009 ⭑

- 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)