4 God's Spirit tells us clearly that, in later times, some people will stop believing the message about Jesus Christ. Instead, they will listen to bad spirits who want people to believe wrong things. They will listen to the message that comes from demons. 2 The people who teach those false things are hypocrites. They no longer understand that what they teach is wrong. 3 They say that it is wrong for anyone to marry. They tell people not to eat certain kinds of food. But God made those foods for people to eat! We should understand God's true message and trust him. Then we will receive the food that he has given us and we will thank him for it. 4 Everything that God has made is good. So we should not refuse anything that he has made. Instead, we should receive it and thank God for it. 5 God has said that it is good. We should pray that he will bless it. Because of that, it becomes good and clean for us to eat. [ a ]
6 You must explain these things to the believers and teach them God's true message. If you do that, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus. Continue to study the message about Jesus that you have already learned. That will help you to be strong. 7 But you must refuse to listen to false stories. Stories like that are not from God and only silly people believe them. Instead, learn to live well in a way that makes God happy. 8 People say this: ‘If a person works to make his body strong and healthy, that will help him a little. But if a person works to live in a way that makes God happy, that will help him much more. It will help that person in his life now on earth. It will also help him in his future life with God in heaven.’ 9 We know that those words are true. Everyone should agree with them. 10 So that is why we work to serve God well. We continue to work, even when we have trouble. We do this because we believe that God will help us. He is the one who lives for ever and who saves all people. Certainly, he saves those who are believers.
11 Teach people to do these things. 12 You are still a young man, but everyone should respect you as the leader in the church. Show the believers how they should live. Be a good example to them in these ways:
what you say,
what you do,
how you love people,
how you trust God,
and how you do only what is right.
13 Until I come, be careful to read the Bible aloud to people. Teach them to understand and to obey the message about Christ. 14 Remember the gift that God's Holy Spirit has given to you. You received that gift when the group of church leaders put their hands on you. [ b ] They spoke messages from God about how you would serve him. So do not stop using that gift from God.
15 Be careful to do all these things well. Then everyone will see that you are serving God better and better. 16 Think carefully about how you live, and about the message that you teach. Continue to teach God's true message. Then God will save not only you, but also those people who listen to you.
4 The Spirit clearly says that in the last times some will turn away from what we believe. They will obey spirits that tell lies. And they will follow the teachings of demons. 2 Those teachings come through people who tell lies and trick others. These evil people cannot see what is right and what is wrong. It is like their conscience has been destroyed with a hot iron. 3 They say that it is wrong to marry. And they say that there are some foods that people must not eat. But God made these foods, and those who believe and who understand the truth can eat them with thanks. 4 Everything that God made is good. Nothing he made should be refused if it is accepted with thanks to him. 5 Everything he created is made holy by what he has said and by prayer.
6 Tell this to the brothers and sisters there. This will show that you are a good servant of Christ Jesus. You will show that you are made strong by the words of faith and good teaching you have followed. 7 People tell silly stories that don’t agree with God’s truth. Don’t follow what these stories teach. But teach yourself to be devoted to God. 8 Training your body helps you in some ways. But devotion to God helps you in every way. It brings you blessings in this life and in the future life too. 9 Here is a true statement that should be accepted without question: 10 We hope in the living God, the Savior of all people. In particular, he is the Savior of all those who believe in him. This is why we work and struggle.
11 Command and teach these things. 12 You are young, but don’t let anyone treat you as if you are not important. Be an example to show the believers how they should live. Show them by what you say, by the way you live, by your love, by your faith, and by your pure life.
13 Continue to read the Scriptures to the people, encourage them, and teach them. Do this until I come. 14 Remember to use the gift you have, which was given to you through a prophecy [ a ] when the group of elders laid their hands on you. 15 Continue to do these things. Give your life to doing them. Then everyone can see that your work is progressing. 16 Be careful in your life and in your teaching. Continue to live and teach rightly. Then you will save yourself and those who listen to your teaching.
4 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;
2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;
3 Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.
4 For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving:
5 For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.
6 If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained.
7 But refuse profane and old wives' fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness.
8 For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.
9 This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation.
10 For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe.
11 These things command and teach.
12 Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.
13 Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.
14 Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery.
15 Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all.
16 Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.
4 But ( A ) the Spirit explicitly says that ( B ) in later times some will [ a ] fall away from the faith, paying attention to ( C ) deceitful spirits and ( D ) teachings of demons, 2 by means of the hypocrisy of liars ( E ) seared in their own conscience as with a branding iron, 3 who ( F ) forbid marriage and advocate ( G ) abstaining from foods which ( H ) God has created to be ( I ) gratefully shared in by those who believe and know the truth. 4 For ( J ) everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is ( K ) received with gratitude; 5 for it is sanctified by means of ( L ) the word of God and prayer.
6 In pointing out these things to ( M ) the brothers and sisters , you will be a good ( N ) servant of Christ Jesus, constantly nourished on the words of the faith and of the ( O ) good doctrine which you ( P ) have been following. 7 But [ b ] stay away from ( Q ) worthless ( R ) stories that are typical of old women. Rather, [ c ] discipline yourself for the purpose of ( S ) godliness; 8 for ( T ) bodily training is just slightly beneficial, but ( U ) godliness is beneficial for all things, since it ( V ) holds promise for the ( W ) present life and also for the life to come. 9 ( X ) It is a trustworthy statement deserving full acceptance. 10 For it is for this we labor and strive, because we have set ( Y ) our hope on ( Z ) the living God, who is ( AA ) the Savior of all mankind, especially of believers.
11 [ d ] ( AB ) Prescribe and teach these things. 12 ( AC ) Let no one look down on your youthfulness, but rather in speech, conduct, ( AD ) love, faith, and purity, show yourself ( AE ) an example [ e ] of those who believe. 13 ( AF ) Until I come, give your attention to the public [ f ] ( AG ) reading, to exhortation, and teaching. 14 Do not neglect the spiritual gift within you, which was granted to you through words of ( AH ) prophecy with ( AI ) the laying on of hands by the [ g ] ( AJ ) council of elders. 15 Take pains with these things; be absorbed in them, so that your progress will be evident to all. 16 ( AK ) Pay close attention to yourself and to the teaching; persevere in these things, for as you do this you will ( AL ) save both yourself and those who hear you.
4 The Spirit ( A ) clearly says that in later times ( B ) some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits ( C ) and things taught by demons. 2 Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron. ( D ) 3 They forbid people to marry ( E ) and order them to abstain from certain foods, ( F ) which God created ( G ) to be received with thanksgiving ( H ) by those who believe and who know the truth. 4 For everything God created is good, ( I ) and nothing is to be rejected ( J ) if it is received with thanksgiving, 5 because it is consecrated by the word of God ( K ) and prayer.
6 If you point these things out to the brothers and sisters, [ a ] you will be a good minister of Christ Jesus, nourished on the truths of the faith ( L ) and of the good teaching that you have followed. ( M ) 7 Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales; ( N ) rather, train yourself to be godly. ( O ) 8 For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, ( P ) holding promise for both the present life ( Q ) and the life to come. ( R ) 9 This is a trustworthy saying ( S ) that deserves full acceptance. 10 That is why we labor and strive, because we have put our hope in the living God, ( T ) who is the Savior of all people, ( U ) and especially of those who believe.
11 Command and teach these things. ( V ) 12 Don’t let anyone look down on you ( W ) because you are young, but set an example ( X ) for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith ( Y ) and in purity. 13 Until I come, ( Z ) devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, ( AA ) to preaching and to teaching. 14 Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through prophecy ( AB ) when the body of elders ( AC ) laid their hands on you. ( AD )
15 Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. 16 Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save ( AE ) both yourself and your hearers.
