1 Timothy 4
The Spirit expressly says that in later times some will withdraw from the faith, attending to deceiving spirits and teachings of demons; liars branded in conscience forbid marriage and bid abstaining from foods. But every creature of God is good and nothing is to be thrown away if received with thanksgiving — sanctified through word and petition. Laying this before the brothers makes a good servant; refuse profane old-womanish myths and train yourself toward piety — bodily training profits a little, piety profits in everything. We labour and are reviled because we hope on the living God, saviour of all. Timothy — let no one despise your youth; be a pattern in word, conduct, love, faith, purity; attend to reading, exhortation, teaching; do not neglect the gift given through prophecy with the eldership’s laying on of hands; practise these things so your advance is manifest; fix your attention on yourself and the teaching — so you will save yourself and those who hear you.
Why this rendering
1Tim.4.3 Observation
Syntactic observation
Τὸ δὲ πνεῦμα ῥητῶς λέγει ὅτι ἐν ὑστέροις καιροῖς ἀποστήσονταί τινες τῆς πίστεως, προσέχοντες πνεύμασι πλάνοις καὶ διδασκαλίαις δαιμονίων ἐν ὑποκρίσει ψευδολόγων, κεκαυστηριασμένων τὴν ἰδίαν συνείδησιν, κωλυόντων γαμεῖν, ἀπέχεσθαι βρωμάτων ἃ ὁ θεὸς ἔκτισεν εἰς μετάλημψιν μετὰ εὐχαριστίας τοῖς πιστοῖς καὶ ἐπεγνωκόσι τὴν ἀλήθειαν. ὅτι πᾶν κτίσμα θεοῦ καλόν, καὶ οὐδὲν ἀπόβλητον μετὰ εὐχαριστίας λαμβανόμενον, ἁγιάζεται γὰρ διὰ λόγου θεοῦ καὶ ἐντεύξεως — Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will withdraw from the faith, paying attention to deceiving spirits and teachings of demons, in hypocrisy of speakers of lies, branded in their own conscience, forbidding to marry, bidding to keep away from foods which God created for partaking with thanksgiving by those who believe and have recognised the truth. For every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be thrown away, being received with thanksgiving; for it is sanctified through the word of God and petition. ῥητῶς occurs once in the New Testament, ‘expressly’ · ὑστέροις καιροῖς ‘later times’ — the adjective of Matt 21:29 ‘afterward’ · ἀποστήσονται τῆς πίστεως ‘withdraw from the faith’ — the verb of Luke 8:13 ‘in a time of testing they withdraw’ · πνεύμασι πλάνοις ‘deceiving spirits’ — the adjective of Matt 27:63 ‘deceiver’ · ‘spirit’ (πνεῦμα) twice in v.1 — the Spirit that speaks and the spirits that deceive. ψευδολόγων occurs once in the New Testament, ‘speakers of lies’ (a different word from Rom 3:4 ψεύστης ‘liar’) · κεκαυστηριασμένων occurs once, ‘branded’ — the word of the branding iron · numbness or a mark, left open. κωλυόντων γαμεῖν, ἀπέχεσθαι βρωμάτων ‘forbidding to marry, bidding to keep away from foods’ — ‘forbid’ does not fit the second infinitive, so ‘bidding’ is supplied (recorded) · ἀπέχεσθαι is the verb of 1 Thess 4:3 ‘keep away from sexual immorality’ · μετάλημψις occurs once, ‘partaking’ · ἐπεγνωκόσι ‘have recognised’ — Col 1:6 ‘recognise’. κτίσμα ‘creature’ (four places in the New Testament) — a different word from Mark 16:15 κτίσις ‘creation’ · ἀπόβλητον occurs once, ‘to be thrown away’ (Mark 10:50 ἀποβάλλω ‘throw off’) · ἁγιάζεται ‘is sanctified’ · δι’ … ἐντεύξεως ‘through petition’ — the word of 2:1.
Rendering options · 4
Basis A compression of the text: κωλυόντων ‘forbidding’ does not fit the second infinitive — the opposite verb must be supplied.
Basis Supplying nothing.
Rejected The sense inverts — it would forbid abstaining.
Basis A different word from Mark 16:15 κτίσις ‘creation’ — kept apart.
Basis The word of the branding iron — ‘seared’ would close the reading ‘marked as owned’.
Lost in translation
πνεῦμα … πνεύμασι (v.1) — the Spirit that speaks and the spirits that deceive, one word. ‘Spirit / spirits’ shows it, capital aside.
κωλυόντων … ἀπέχεσθαι (v.3) — a compression with no second verb. ‘Bidding’ is supplied.
κεκαυστηριασμένων (v.2) — numbness or a mark. ‘Branded’ holds both.
κτίσμα (v.4) / κτίσις — ‘creature / creation’ keep two words.
ἀπέχεσθαι (v.3) / 1 Thess 4:3 — ‘keep away from’ shows the same verb.
Why this rendering
1Tim.4.8 Observation
Syntactic observation
Ταῦτα ὑποτιθέμενος τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς καλὸς ἔσῃ διάκονος Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ, ἐντρεφόμενος τοῖς λόγοις τῆς πίστεως καὶ τῆς καλῆς διδασκαλίας ᾗ παρηκολούθηκας, τοὺς δὲ βεβήλους καὶ γραώδεις μύθους παραιτοῦ. γύμναζε δὲ σεαυτὸν πρὸς εὐσέβειαν· ἡ γὰρ σωματικὴ γυμνασία πρὸς ὀλίγον ἐστὶν ὠφέλιμος, ἡ δὲ εὐσέβεια πρὸς πάντα ὠφέλιμός ἐστιν, ἐπαγγελίαν ἔχουσα ζωῆς τῆς νῦν καὶ τῆς μελλούσης. πιστὸς ὁ λόγος καὶ πάσης ἀποδοχῆς ἄξιος, εἰς τοῦτο γὰρ κοπιῶμεν καὶ ὀνειδιζόμεθα, ὅτι ἠλπίκαμεν ἐπὶ θεῷ ζῶντι, ὅς ἐστιν σωτὴρ πάντων ἀνθρώπων, μάλιστα πιστῶν — Laying these things before the brothers, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, nourished on the words of the faith and of the good teaching which you have followed closely. But the profane and old-womanish myths refuse. Rather, train yourself toward piety; for bodily training is profitable for a little, but piety is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come. Faithful is the word and worthy of all acceptance; for to this end we labour and are reviled, because we have hoped on the living God, who is saviour of all men, most of all of those who believe. ὑποτιθέμενος ‘laying before’ — the verb of Rom 16:4 ‘laid down their neck’ (two places in the New Testament · middle) · διάκονος ⸂Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ⸃ (the Received Text ‘Jesus Christ’) · ἐντρεφόμενος occurs once in the New Testament, ‘nourished’ — Matt 6:26 τρέφω ‘feed’ · παρηκολούθηκας is the verb of Luke 1:3 ‘followed closely’ (perfect). βεβήλους (1:9 profane) · γραώδεις occurs once, ‘old-womanish’ · μύθους (1:4 myths) · παραιτοῦ is Luke 14:18 ‘refuse’. γύμναζε … γυμνασία ‘train … training’ — verb (four places in the New Testament) and noun (once) on one root · the word of exercising stripped · σωματική ‘bodily’ — Luke 3:22 ‘bodily form’ · πρὸς ὀλίγον ‘for a little’ — a little while or a little way, left open · ὠφέλιμος ‘profitable’ (four places — the adjective of Rom 2:25 ὠφελέω ‘profit’) · ἐπαγγελίαν ἔχουσα ζωῆς τῆς νῦν καὶ τῆς μελλούσης ‘promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come’ — Rom 8:38 ‘things to come’. πιστὸς ὁ λόγος καὶ πάσης ἀποδοχῆς ἄξιος has the words of 1:15 — whether it points back (v.8) or forward (v.10) is open. ⸀γάρ · ⸀ὀνειδιζόμεθα ‘are reviled’ (other editions read the verb ‘strive’) — the passive of Matt 5:11 ‘revile’ · ἠλπίκαμεν ἐπὶ θεῷ ζῶντι ‘we have hoped on the living God’ — perfect · σωτὴρ πάντων ἀνθρώπων, μάλιστα πιστῶν ‘saviour of all men, most of all of those who believe’ — taking up 2:4 ‘all men’ · Gal 6:10 ‘most of all’.
Rendering options · 4
Basis Verb and noun share a root — not split into ‘exercise’ and ‘training’.
Basis The base text’s reading — other editions’ ‘strive’ not rendered · the passive of Matt 5:11 ‘revile’.
Basis ‘Lay down’ as fixed at Rom 16:4 — the two New Testament places on one word · not glossed as ‘remind’.
Basis The familiar rendering.
Rejected ‘Remind’ is another word’s; the tie to Rom 16:4 is cut.
Lost in translation
γύμναζε / γυμνασία (vv.7-8) — ‘train / training’ keep one root.
ὑποτιθέμενος (v.6) / Rom 16:4 ὑπέθηκαν — ‘lay before / laid down’ share the verb ‘lay’.
πρὸς ὀλίγον (v.8) — a little while or a little way. ‘For a little’ leaves it open.
πιστὸς ὁ λόγος (v.9) — back or forward. A free-standing sentence keeps both.
ἐντρεφόμενος (v.6) — the piece of τρέφω ‘feed’ does not show in ‘nourished’.
πάντων ἀνθρώπων (v.10) / 2:4 — ‘all men’ shows the echo.
Why this rendering
1Tim.4.14 Observation
Syntactic observation
Παράγγελλε ταῦτα καὶ δίδασκε. μηδείς σου τῆς νεότητος καταφρονείτω, ἀλλὰ τύπος γίνου τῶν πιστῶν ἐν λόγῳ, ἐν ἀναστροφῇ, ἐν ἀγάπῃ, ἐν πίστει, ἐν ἁγνείᾳ. ἕως ἔρχομαι πρόσεχε τῇ ἀναγνώσει, τῇ παρακλήσει, τῇ διδασκαλίᾳ. μὴ ἀμέλει τοῦ ἐν σοὶ χαρίσματος, ὃ ἐδόθη σοι διὰ προφητείας μετὰ ἐπιθέσεως τῶν χειρῶν τοῦ πρεσβυτερίου. ταῦτα μελέτα, ἐν τούτοις ἴσθι, ἵνα σου ἡ προκοπὴ φανερὰ ᾖ πᾶσιν· ἔπεχε σεαυτῷ καὶ τῇ διδασκαλίᾳ· ἐπίμενε αὐτοῖς· τοῦτο γὰρ ποιῶν καὶ σεαυτὸν σώσεις καὶ τοὺς ἀκούοντάς σου — Charge these things and teach them. Let no one despise your youth, but become a pattern for those who believe — in word, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. Until I come, pay attention to the reading, to the exhortation, to the teaching. Do not neglect the gift of grace in you, which was given to you through prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the eldership. Practise these things, be in them, so that your advance may be manifest to all. Fix your attention on yourself and on the teaching; stay on in them; for doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you. Verses 11-16 run ten imperatives — to one person, so the Korean plain style. νεότητος ‘youth’ — the word of Mark 10:20 ‘from my youth’, here of age itself (site-rule) · καταφρονείτω is Matt 6:24 ‘despise’ · τύπος γίνου ‘become a pattern’ — 1 Thess 1:7 ‘pattern’ · five ἐν (⸀ — the Received Text adds ‘in spirit’) · ἁγνεία ‘purity’ (here and 5:2 — the noun of 2 Cor 7:11 ἁγνός ‘pure’) · ἀναστροφῇ is Gal 1:13 ‘conduct’. ἕως ἔρχομαι ‘until I come’ — taking up 3:14 · τῇ ἀναγνώσει, τῇ παρακλήσει, τῇ διδασκαλίᾳ ‘the reading, the exhortation, the teaching’ — the two words of Acts 13:15 ‘after the reading … a word of exhortation’ · three articles. ἀμέλει ‘neglect’ — the verb of Matt 22:5 ‘paid no attention’ (site-rule) · χάρισμα is Rom 1:11 ‘gift of grace’ · διὰ προφητείας ‘through prophecy’ — taking up 1:18 ‘the prophecies that went before’ · μετὰ ἐπιθέσεως τῶν χειρῶν τοῦ πρεσβυτερίου ‘with the laying on of the hands of the eldership’ — Acts 8:18 ‘laying on of hands’ · Luke 22:66 ‘eldership’. μελέτα ‘practise’ — the verb of Acts 4:25 ‘devise empty things’, here of good things (site-rule) · ἐν τούτοις ἴσθι ‘be in them’ — the imperative ‘be’ as it stands · προκοπή is Phil 1:12 ‘advance’ · φανερὰ ⸀ᾖ πᾶσιν ‘manifest to all’. ἔπεχε σεαυτῷ ‘fix your attention on yourself’ — Acts 3:5 ‘fix one’s attention’ · ἐπίμενε αὐτοῖς is Col 1:23 ‘stay on’ · σεαυτὸν σώσεις καὶ τοὺς ἀκούοντάς σου ‘save both yourself and those who hear you’ — ‘save’ of a person (1:15 had Christ saving sinners).
Rendering options · 4
Basis As fixed at Acts 13:15 ‘after the reading … a word of exhortation’ — the synagogue’s three steps.
Basis The verb of Acts 4:25 ‘devise’ said of good things — ‘practise’ by site-rule.
Basis The familiar rendering.
Rejected μελετάω is nearer to drilling than to musing — the grain of v.8 ‘training’.
Basis Mark 10:20 ‘from my youth’ is an idiom — here age itself, so ‘youth’.
Lost in translation
Ten imperatives (vv.11-16) — ten imperatives in English too.
ἀναγνώσει · παρακλήσει (v.13) / Acts 13:15 — ‘reading · exhortation’ show the same two words.
προφητείας (v.14) / 1:18 — ‘prophecy’ shows the echo.
σώσεις (v.16) / 1:15 σῶσαι — ‘save’ shows the same verb.
ἐν τούτοις ἴσθι (v.15) — the imperative of ‘be’. ‘Be in them’ as it stands.