1 Timothy 4–6

The Great Apostasy

4Now the Spirit ¹expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed ^ato deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, ^2bspeaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience ^cseared with a hot iron, ³forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. ⁴For every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be refused if it is received with thanksgiving; ⁵for it is ²sanctified by the word of God and prayer.

A Good Servant of Jesus Christ

⁶If you instruct the brethren in these things, you will be a good minister of Jesus Christ, ^dnourished in the words of faith and of the good doctrine which you have carefully followed. ⁷But ^ereject profane and old wives’ fables, and ^fexercise yourself toward godliness. ⁸For ^gbodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, ^hhaving promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come. ⁹This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance. ¹⁰For to this end ³we both labor and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, ⁱwho is the Savior of all men, especially of those who believe. ¹¹These things command and teach.

Take Heed to Your Ministry

¹²Let no one ⁴despise your youth, but be an ^jexample to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, ⁵in spirit, in faith, in purity. ¹³Till I come, give attention to reading, to exhortation, to ⁶doctrine. ^14kDo not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you by prophecy ^lwith the laying on of the hands of the eldership. ¹⁵Meditate on these things; give yourself entirely to them, that your progress may be evident to all. ¹⁶Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you.

Treatment of Church Members

5Do not rebuke an older man, but exhort him as a father, younger men as brothers, ²older women as mothers, younger women as sisters, with all purity.

Honor True Widows

³Honor widows who are really widows. ⁴But if any widow has children or grandchildren, let them first learn to show piety at home and ^ato repay their parents; for this is ¹good and acceptable before God. ⁵Now she who is really a widow, and left alone, trusts in God and continues in supplications and prayers ^bnight and day. ⁶But she who lives in ²pleasure is dead while she lives. ⁷And these things command, that they may be blameless. ⁸But if anyone does not provide for his own, ^cand especially for those of his household, ^dhe has denied the faith ^eand is worse than an unbeliever.

⁹Do not let a widow under sixty years old be taken into the number, and not unless she has been the wife of one man, ¹⁰well reported for good works: if she has brought up children, if she has lodged strangers, if she has washed the saints’ feet, if she has relieved the afflicted, if she has diligently followed every good work.

¹¹But ³refuse the younger widows; for when they have begun to grow wanton against Christ, they desire to marry, ¹²having condemnation because they have cast off their first ⁴faith. ¹³And besides they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house, and not only idle but also gossips and busybodies, saying things which they ought not. ¹⁴Therefore I desire that the younger widows marry, bear children, manage the house, give no opportunity to the adversary to speak reproachfully. ¹⁵For some have already turned aside after Satan. ¹⁶If any believing ⁵man or woman has widows, let them ⁶relieve them, and do not let the church be burdened, that it may relieve those who are really widows.

Honor the Elders

¹⁷Let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and doctrine. ¹⁸For the Scripture says, ^f“You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain,” and, ^g“The laborer is worthy of his wages.” ¹⁹Do not receive an accusation against an elder except ^hfrom two or three witnesses. ²⁰Those who are sinning rebuke in the presence of all, that the rest also may fear.

²¹I charge you before God and the Lord Jesus Christ and the ⁷elect angels that you observe these things without ⁱprejudice, doing nothing with partiality. ²²Do not lay hands on anyone hastily, nor ^jshare in other people’s sins; keep yourself pure.

²³No longer drink only water, but use a little wine for your stomach’s sake and your frequent ⁸infirmities.

²⁴Some men’s sins are ^kclearly evident, preceding them to judgment, but those of some men follow later. ²⁵Likewise, the good works of some are clearly evident, and those that are otherwise cannot be hidden.

Honor Masters

6Let as many ^abondservants as are under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honor, so that the name of God and His doctrine may not be blasphemed. ²And those who have believing masters, let them not despise them because they are brethren, but rather serve them because those who are benefited are believers and beloved. Teach and exhort these things.

Error and Greed

³If anyone teaches otherwise and does not consent to ^bwholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, ^cand to the ¹doctrine which accords with godliness, ⁴he is proud, knowing nothing, but is obsessed with disputes and arguments over words, from which come envy, strife, reviling, evil suspicions, ⁵²useless wranglings of men of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain. ³From ^dsuch withdraw yourself.

⁶Now godliness with ^econtentment is great gain. ⁷For we brought nothing into this world, ⁴and it is ^fcertain we can carry nothing out. ⁸And having food and clothing, with these we shall be ^gcontent. ⁹But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. ¹⁰For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

The Good Confession

¹¹But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness. ¹²Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. ¹³I urge you in the sight of God who gives life to all things, and before Christ Jesus ^hwho witnessed the good confession before Pontius Pilate, ¹⁴that you keep this commandment without spot, blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ’s appearing, ¹⁵which He will manifest in His own time, He who is the blessed and only ⁵Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords, ¹⁶who alone has immortality, dwelling in ⁱunapproachable light, ^jwhom no man has seen or can see, to whom be honor and everlasting power. Amen.

Instructions to the Rich

¹⁷Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain ^kriches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things ^lto enjoy. ¹⁸Let them do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share, ^19mstoring up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.

Guard the Faith

²⁰O Timothy! ⁿGuard what was committed to your trust, ^oavoiding the profane and ⁶idle babblings and contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge—²¹by professing it some have strayed concerning the faith.

Grace be with you. Amen.