Προς Τιμοθεον Α΄ 4
1 Τὸ δὲ πνεῦμα ῥητῶς λέγει ὅτι ἐν ὑστέροις καιροῖς ἀποστήσονταί τινες τῆς πίστεως, προσέχοντες πνεύμασιν πλάνοις καὶ διδασκαλίαις δαιμονίων,
Now the Spirit expressly saith, that in latter times some shall apostatize from the faith, attending to seducing spirits,
2 ἐν ὑποκρίσει ψευδολόγων, κεκαυστηριασμένων τὴν ἰδίαν συνείδησιν,
and doctrines of demons founded in the hypocrisy of liars, who are seared in their own conscience, forbidding to marry,
3 κωλυόντων γαμεῖν, ἀπέχεσθαι βρωμάτων ἃ ὁ θεὸς ἔκτισεν εἰς μετάλημψιν μετὰ εὐχαριστίας τοῖς πιστοῖς καὶ ἐπεγνωκόσι τὴν ἀλήθειαν.
and enjoining abstinence from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving by those that believe and know the truth.
4 ὅτι πᾶν κτίσμα θεοῦ καλόν, καὶ οὐδὲν ἀπόβλητον μετὰ εὐχαριστίας λαμβανόμενον,
For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be rejected, if it be received with thanksgiving:
5 ἁγιάζεται γὰρ διὰ λόγου θεοῦ καὶ ἐντεύξεως.
for it is sanctified by the word of God and by prayer.
6 Ταῦτα ὑποτιθέμενος τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς καλὸς ἔσῃ διάκονος Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ, ἐντρεφόμενος τοῖς λόγοις τῆς πίστεως καὶ τῆς καλῆς διδασκαλίας ᾗ παρηκολούθηκας·
If thou lay these things before the brethren, thou wilt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, as one brought up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, to which thou hast attained.
7 τοὺς δὲ βεβήλους καὶ γραώδεις μύθους παραιτοῦ. γύμναζε δὲ σεαυτὸν πρὸς εὐσέβειαν·
But profane and groundless fables reject, and exercise thyself unto godliness.
8 ἡ γὰρ σωματικὴ γυμνασία πρὸς ὀλίγον ἐστὶν ὠφέλιμος, ἡ δὲ εὐσέβεια πρὸς πάντα ὠφέλιμός ἐστιν, ἐπαγγελίαν ἔχουσα ζωῆς τῆς νῦν καὶ τῆς μελλούσης.
For bodily exercise profiteth little, but piety is profitable unto all things, having the promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come:
9 πιστὸς ὁ λόγος καὶ πάσης ἀποδοχῆς ἄξιος·
this is a certain truth and worthy of all acceptance.
10 εἰς τοῦτο γὰρ κοπιῶμεν καὶ ἀγωνιζόμεθα, ὅτι ἠλπίκαμεν ἐπὶ θεῷ ζῶντι, ὅς ἐστιν σωτὴρ πάντων ἀνθρώπων, μάλιστα πιστῶν.
For to this end we both labour and suffer reproach, because we have hope in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, especially of the faithful.
11 Παράγγελλε ταῦτα καὶ δίδασκε.
These things declare and teach.
12 μηδείς σου τῆς νεότητος καταφρονείτω, ἀλλὰ τύπος γίνου τῶν πιστῶν ἐν λόγῳ, ἐν ἀναστροφῇ, ἐν ἀγάπῃ, ἐν πίστει, ἐν ἁγνείᾳ.
Let no one have cause to despise thy youth; but he thou an example to believers in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.
13 ἕως ἔρχομαι πρόσεχε τῇ ἀναγνώσει, τῇ παρακλήσει, τῇ διδασκαλίᾳ.
Till I come attend to reading, to exhortation, and teaching.
14 μὴ ἀμέλει τοῦ ἐν σοὶ χαρίσματος, ὃ ἐδόθη σοι διὰ προφητείας μετὰ ἐπιθέσεως τῶν χειρῶν τοῦ πρεσβυτερίου.
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 ταῦτα μελέτα, ἐν τούτοις ἴσθι, ἵνα σου ἡ προκοπὴ φανερὰ ᾖ πᾶσιν.
Meditate on these things, be wholly in them, that thy proficiency may be manifest in all.
16 ἔπεχε σεαυτῷ καὶ τῇ διδασκαλίᾳ· ἐπίμενε αὐτοῖς· τοῦτο γὰρ ποιῶν καὶ σεαυτὸν σώσεις καὶ τοὺς ἀκούοντάς σου.
Take heed to thyself, and to thy doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this, thou wilt both save thyself and those that hear thee.
