seducing - meaning deceiving

spirits - which in this case, means demons

doctrines - instruction or teaching

devils - meaning devils or demons

1 Timothy 4:2 (KJV) Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;

lies - means lies

hypocrisy – meaning dissimulation or hypocrisy

conscience – moral consciousness or conscience

seared with a hot iron - rendered unsensitive or branded

1 Timothy 4:3 (KJV) 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. This verse means precisely what is stated in the KJV.

1 Timothy 4:4 (KJV) For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving:

creature – creation or product

good – meaning good or valuable

sanctified – made holy, purified or consecrated

1 Timothy 4:5 (KJV) For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.

This verse means just what is stated in the KJV.

1 Timothy 4:6-16 (KJV)

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.

Brethren – brothers or brotherhood

minister – servant, attendant or teacher

Jesus – Yeshua or anointed

doctrine – instruction or teaching

attained – reached understanding, fully know or have been conformed to

⁷ But refuse profane and old wives' fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness.

profane – heathenish or wicked

fables – myths and fiction

godliness – piety or holiness

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.

NOTE: It doesn't say bodily exercise doesn't profit at all! It does profit to a certain degree, but godliness is profitable unto ALL THINGS! – Every area of our life profits from living it in godliness..

profitable – helpful or advantageous

promise – divine assurance

Not only in this present life do we have this divine assurance but in the life to come as well.

⁹ This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation. (This verse is self-explanatory)

NOTE: Who is more worthy to trust than God? He is perfect and cannot lie, so every word given through the Holy Spirit and recorded in scripture in promise to us can be and should be believed. God's perfection can't ever change because it is impossible for his perfection to be altered.

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.

labour – to work hard and be wearied or feel fatigue

reproach – reviling, defamation and/or taunts

Saviour – deliverer

There may seem to be a contradiction here because it says “of all men” and then “especially of those that believe.” One possibility is that this verse is saying he saves all men in that he saves them from famine or war or other evils in this life, but his salvation is for those who believe concerning eternal life. I personally believe this verse to mean that He came to save all men but can or will only save those who believe.

2 Peter 3:9 says, “God is not willing that any should perish but that all men should come to repentance.” We know that not all men will come to repentance even though the invitation has been extended to all mankind. So the salvation thatwe hold to be precious will be refused by most as evidenced by Christ's words in the gospel when he proclaims, “Strait is the gate and narrow is the way that leads to eternal life, and few there be that find it, but broad is the way the leads to destruction and many go in thereat.”

¹¹ These things command and teach.

Command – give a charge, declare and or command – teach is self -explanatory.

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.

I believe here that Paul is speaking of chronological age as opposed to spiritual age concerning Timothy. He does call him his son in the faith, so it could be in a spiritual sense as well.

example – a model in life as expressed concerning conversation, love, spirit, faith and purity. Our lives reflect what we believe and how much we believe it.

¹³ Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.

exhortation – consolation, encouragement and intreaty (or strong urging to live righteously)

doctrine – instruction or teaching

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.

gift – endowment, qualification or miraculous faculty

prophecy – prediction or prophecying

presbytery – the order of elders

¹⁵ Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all.

wholly – quickly, inwardly, mightily and earnestly

profiting – progress or advancement

appear – shine externally, be made manifest

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.

take heed – pay attention to

doctrine – instruction and/or teaching

continue – abide and/or perservere

save – preserve, protect and deliver

C R Lord © 1978