Προς Τιμοθεον Α΄ 4
1 Τὸ δὲ πνεῦμα ῥητῶς λέγει, ὅτι ἐν ὑστέροις καιροῖς ἀποστήσονταί τινες τῆς πίστεως, προσέχοντες πνεύμασι πλάνοις καὶ διδασκαλίαις δαιμονίων,
But the Spirit says expressly that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons,
2 ἐν ὑποκρίσει ψευδολόγων, κεκαυτηριασμένων τὴν ἰδίαν συνείδησιν,
speaking lies in hypocrisy, their own conscience having been seared with a hot iron,
3 κωλυόντων γαμεῖν, ἀπέχεσθαι βρωμάτων, ἃ ὁ Θεὸς ἔκτισεν εἰς μετάληψιν μετὰ εὐχαριστίας τοῖς πιστοῖς καὶ ἐπεγνωκόσι τὴν ἀλήθειαν.
forbidding to marry, to abstain from foods, which God created for partaking with thankfulness by those who believe and know the truth.
4 Ὅτι πᾶν κτίσμα Θεοῦ καλόν, καὶ οὐδὲν ἀπόβλητον, μετὰ εὐχαριστίας λαμβανόμενον·
Because every creation of God is good, and nothing rejected that is received with thankfulness,
5 ἁγιάζεται γὰρ διὰ λόγου Θεοῦ καὶ ἐντεύξεως.
for it is sanctified through the word of God and prayer.
6 Ταῦτα ὑποτιθέμενος τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς καλὸς ἔσῃ διάκονος Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, ἐντρεφόμενος τοῖς λόγοις τῆς πίστεως, καὶ τῆς καλῆς διδασκαλίας ᾗ παρηκολούθηκας.
Laying these things down to the brothers, thou will be a good helper of Jesus Christ, reared up in the words of the faith, and of the good doctrine that thou have followed.
7 Τοὺς δὲ βεβήλους καὶ γραώδεις μύθους παραιτοῦ. Γύμναζε δὲ σεαυτὸν πρὸς εὐσέβειαν·
But reject the profane and old wives' fables, and exercise thyself to piety.
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 is profitable for a little, but piety is profitable for all things, having promise of the present life, and of that which is coming.
9 Πιστὸς ὁ λόγος καὶ πάσης ἀποδοχῆς ἄξιος.
Faithful is the saying, and worthy of all acceptance.
10 Εἰς τοῦτο γὰρ καὶ κοπιῶμεν καὶ ὀνειδιζόμεθα, ὅτι ἠλπίκαμεν ἐπὶ Θεῷ ζῶντι, ὅς ἐστι σωτὴρ πάντων ἀνθρώπων, μάλιστα πιστῶν.
For we both labor and are reproached for this, because we have hoped in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of the faithful.
11 Παράγγελλε ταῦτα καὶ δίδασκε.
These things command and teach.
12 Μηδείς σου τῆς νεότητος καταφρονείτω, ἀλλὰ τύπος γίνου τῶν πιστῶν ἐν λόγῳ, ἐν ἀναστροφῇ, ἐν ἀγάπῃ, ἐν πνεύματι, ἐν πίστει, ἐν ἁγνείᾳ.
Let no man disparage thy youth, but become an example of the faithful, in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity.
13 Ἕως ἔρχομαι, πρόσεχε τῇ ἀναγνώσει, τῇ παρακλήσει, τῇ διδασκαλίᾳ.
Until I come, give attention to reading, to exhortation, to teaching.
14 Μὴ ἀμέλει τοῦ ἐν σοὶ χαρίσματος, ὃ ἐδόθη σοι διὰ προφητείας μετὰ ἐπιθέσεως τῶν χειρῶν τοῦ πρεσβυτερίου.
Do not neglect the gift in thee, which was given thee by prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the eldership.
15 Ταῦτα μελέτα, ἐν τούτοις ἴσθι, ἵνα σου ἡ προκοπὴ φανερὰ ᾖ ἐν πᾶσιν.
Think on these things-exist within these things-so that thy progress may be visible among all.
16 Ἔπεχε σεαυτῷ καὶ τῇ διδασκαλίᾳ. Ἐπίμενε αὐτοῖς· τοῦτο γὰρ ποιῶν καὶ σεαυτὸν σώσεις καὶ τοὺς ἀκούοντάς σου.
Hold firm to thyself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this thou will save both thyself and those who hear thee.
