OET interlinear 1 TIM 4:1

4:1a

Now: This word indicates the way that this paragraph connects with what Paul had just said. It indicates a contrast. The church was “the pillar and foundation of the truth” (3:15d), and this truth “was believed on in the world” (3:16f). Even though that was true, some people were going to abandon this truth and even teach against it. If you have a suitable way in your language to indicate this connection you should use it here.

Paul was not writing to warn Timothy that someday false teachers would come to Ephesus. They were already there, as Paul had written in 1:3–7.

the Spirit: That is, the Holy Spirit.

expressly states: What the Holy Spirit communicated was clear, precise, and easy to understand.

states: The Greek verb that the BSB translates as states is in the present tense. Paul probably used the present tense in order to indicate that the Holy Spirit oftenThis is an instance of the customary or habitual present, which refers to “repeated activity on a regular or habitual basis.” See Perschbacher, page 281. said this.

Paul was probably referring to the way that the Holy Spirit communicated through the prophets within the Christian community.The Holy Spirit also revealed this information through Jesus’ teaching (see Mark 13:22 and Matthew 24:10–11). And Paul himself had prophesied this in his farewell to the Ephesian elders recorded in Acts 20:29–30.

It is not clear in the Greek text how much of the following verses was spoken by the Holy Spirit. It is recommended that you not make explicit where the quotation ends. If you have to make it explicit, you should probably make the quotation end at the end of 4:2.

4:1b

later times: Scholars understand the phrase that the BSB translates as later times in two main ways:

1. The phrase refers to the time between Christ’s resurrection and his return. This period is sometimes called the “last days” in the Bible. So the later times were not still in the future in Paul’s day. They had already begun. For example, the NJB says:

   during the last times (NJB, KJV, NLT, CEV, NCV)

2. The phrase refers to time that was later than or after the time when the Holy Spirit spoke the message. For example, the REB says:

   in time to come (BSB, REB, NIV, GNT, RSV, NASB, NET, GW)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). Paul was saying that people were already abandoning the faith even at the time when he was writing. He also expected more people to abandon it after he finished writing.

4:1c

abandon the faith: The Greek word that the BSB translates as abandon means “to desert/discard something.” In this context, it refers to a person who no longer believes in or obeys the Christian faith.

the faith: Paul was referring in general to everything that people believe and do in order to follow Christ. See faith, meaning 2, in the Glossary.

4:1d

to follow deceitful spirits: The Greek word that the BSB translates as follow can also mean “being devoted to” or “paying close attention to.” Believers had followed the true teaching about Christ. Other people had chosen to abandon that teaching (4:1c) and follow the teachings of deceiving spirits instead.

deceitful spirits: The word that the BSB translates as spirits is a general word and can be used for human spirits, the Holy Spirit, and also evil spirits. By itself it does not indicate good or evil. But the adjective that the BSB translates as deceitful, as well as the context, show that Paul was referring to evil spiritual beings.

These beings have the following characteristics:

1. They are spiritual beings, not the spirits of people who have died. Therefore, do not use a term that you use to refer to ancestor spirits.

2. These spirits serve and work for Satan.

3. They can take control of a human being.

Compare the term you use here with the term you use elsewhere for “evil/unclean spirits.” Also see the note on “demons” in 4:1e.

deceitful: This indicates that the spirits deliberately attempted to make people believe lies.

4:1e

the teachings of demons: Paul probably meant that false teachers were going to teach things that demons wanted them to teach. In some languages, a literal translation of the teachings of demons would make people think that the demons themselves actually taught the people. If this is true in your language, you could say:

They will believe people who teach false ideas that demons want people to believe.

demons: The terms deceiving spirits and demons refer to the same sort of spiritual beings. If you do not have two different terms you can use, use the same term for “spirit” and “demon.”