1 Timothy 4:3
New International Version
They forbid people to marry and order them to abstain from certain foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and who know the truth.

New Living Translation
They will say it is wrong to be married and wrong to eat certain foods. But God created those foods to be eaten with thanks by faithful people who know the truth.

English Standard Version
who forbid marriage and require abstinence from foods that God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.

Berean Standard Bible
They will prohibit marriage and require abstinence from certain foods that God has created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.

Berean Literal Bible
forbidding to marry, commanding to abstain from foods that God created for reception with thanksgiving by the faithful and those knowing the truth.

King James Bible
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.

New King James Version
forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.

New American Standard Bible
who forbid marriage and advocate abstaining from foods which God has created to be gratefully shared in by those who believe and know the truth.

NASB 1995
men who forbid marriage and advocate abstaining from foods which God has created to be gratefully shared in by those who believe and know the truth.

NASB 1977
men who forbid marriage and advocate abstaining from foods, which God has created to be gratefully shared in by those who believe and know the truth.

Legacy Standard Bible
who forbid marriage and advocate abstaining from foods which God created to be shared in with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.

Amplified Bible
who forbid marriage and advocate abstaining from [certain kinds of] foods which God has created to be gratefully shared by those who believe and have [a clear] knowledge of the truth.

Christian Standard Bible
They forbid marriage and demand abstinence from foods that God created to be received with gratitude by those who believe and know the truth.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
They forbid marriage and demand abstinence from foods that God created to be received with gratitude by those who believe and know the truth.

American Standard Version
forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by them that believe and know the truth.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And they forbid to be married and they abstain from foods which God has created for use and thanksgiving for those who believe and know the truth.

Contemporary English Version
will forbid people to marry or to eat certain foods. But God created these foods to be eaten with thankful hearts by his followers who know the truth.

Douay-Rheims Bible
Forbidding to marry, to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving by the faithful, and by them that have known the truth.

English Revised Version
forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by them that believe and know the truth.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
They will try to stop others from getting married and from eating certain foods. God created food to be received with prayers of thanks by those who believe and know the truth.

Good News Translation
Such people teach that it is wrong to marry and to eat certain foods. But God created those foods to be eaten, after a prayer of thanks, by those who are believers and have come to know the truth.

International Standard Version
They will try to stop people from marrying and from eating certain foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.

Literal Standard Version
forbidding to marry—to abstain from meats that God created to be received with thanksgiving by those believing and acknowledging the truth,

Majority Standard Bible
They will prohibit marriage and require abstinence from certain foods that God has created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.

New American Bible
They forbid marriage and require abstinence from foods that God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.

NET Bible
They will prohibit marriage and require abstinence from foods that God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.

New Revised Standard Version
They forbid marriage and demand abstinence from foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.

New Heart English Bible
forbidding marriage and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.

Webster's Bible Translation
Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving by them who believe and know the truth.

Weymouth New Testament
forbidding people to marry, and insisting on abstinence from foods which God has created to be partaken of, with thankfulness, by those who believe and have a clear knowledge of the truth.

World English Bible
forbidding marriage and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.

Young's Literal Translation
forbidding to marry -- to abstain from meats that God created to be received with thanksgiving by those believing and acknowledging the truth,

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Warnings against False Teachers
2influenced by the hypocrisy of liars, whose consciences are seared with a hot iron. 3They will prohibit marriage and require abstinence from certain foods that God has created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. 4For every creation of God is good, and nothing that is received with thanksgiving should be rejected,…

Cross References
Genesis 1:29
Then God said, "Behold, I have given you every seed-bearing plant on the face of all the earth, and every tree whose fruit contains seed. They will be yours for food.

Genesis 9:3
Everything that lives and moves will be food for you; just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you all things.

Matthew 15:11
A man is not defiled by what enters his mouth, but by what comes out of it."

Romans 14:6
He who observes a special day does so to the Lord; he who eats does so to the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who abstains does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God.

1 Corinthians 10:30
If I partake in the meal with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of that for which I give thanks?

Colossians 2:16
Therefore let no one judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a feast, a New Moon, or a Sabbath.

Colossians 2:23
Such restrictions indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-prescribed worship, their false humility, and their harsh treatment of the body; but they are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh.


Treasury of Scripture

Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God has created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.

Forbidding.

Daniel 11:37
Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers, nor the desire of women, nor regard any god: for he shall magnify himself above all.

1 Corinthians 7:28,36-39
But and if thou marry, thou hast not sinned; and if a virgin marry, she hath not sinned. Nevertheless such shall have trouble in the flesh: but I spare you…

Hebrews 13:4
Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.

to abstain.

Romans 14:3,17
Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him…

1 Corinthians 8:8
But meat commendeth us not to God: for neither, if we eat, are we the better; neither, if we eat not, are we the worse.

Colossians 2:20-23
Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances, …

which.

Genesis 1:29,30
And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat…

Genesis 9:3
Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things.

Ecclesiastes 5:18
Behold that which I have seen: it is good and comely for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labour that he taketh under the sun all the days of his life, which God giveth him: for it is his portion.

with.

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

1 Samuel 9:13
As soon as ye be come into the city, ye shall straightway find him, before he go up to the high place to eat: for the people will not eat until he come, because he doth bless the sacrifice; and afterwards they eat that be bidden. Now therefore get you up; for about this time ye shall find him.

Matthew 14:19
And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass, and took the five loaves, and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed, and brake, and gave the loaves to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude.

believe.

1 Timothy 2:4
Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.

John 8:31,32
Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; …

2 Thessalonians 2:13,14
But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: …

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1 Timothy 4
1. He foretells that in the latter times there shall be a departure from the faith.
6. And to the end that Timothy might not fail in doing his duty, he furnishes him with various precepts.














(3) Forbidding to marry.--This strange and unnatural "counsel of perfection," St. Paul, thinking and writing in the Spirit, looked forward to as a perilous delusion which would, as time went on, grow into the impious dogma of certain of the great Gnostic schools. This teaching was probably, even in those early days, creeping into the churches. The Jewish sects of Essenes and Therapeutae had already taught that "abstinence from marriage" was meritorious. Men belonging to these sects doubtless were to be found in every populous centre where Jews congregated, and it was always in these centres of Judaism that Christianity at first found a home. St. Paul, however, saw no reason to dwell on this point at any length; the gross absurdity of such a "counsel "as a rule of life was too apparent; it was a plain contradiction of the order of Divine Providence. But the next question which presented itself in the teaching of these false ascetics, as we shall see, required more careful handling.

And commanding to abstain from meats.--Once more we must look to those famous Jewish religious communities of Egypt (the Essenes and Therapeutae), the precursors of the great monastic systems of Christianity, as the home whence these perverted ascetic tendencies issued. These precepts too, like the counsel respecting marriage, were adopted in after years by several of the principal Gnostic sects; and it was especially those times St. Paul looked on to, although, no doubt, the seeds of their false asceticism had already been sown broadcast in the principal Christian congregations.

It has been asked why, in these solemn warnings against a false asceticism which St. Paul foresaw might and would be substituted for a really earnest Godfearing life, the question of celibacy was dismissed with one short sentence, while the apparently less-important question of abstaining from particular kinds of food was discussed with some detail. The reason is easily discoverable. The counsel to abstain from marriage was a strange and unnatural suggestion, one contrary to the plain scheme of creation. Any teaching which taught that the celibate's life was a life peculiarly pleasing to God would, at the same time, throw a slur upon all home and family life, and the Apostle felt that men's ordinary common sense would soon relegate any such strange teaching to obscurity; but with the question of abstaining from meats--that was connected with the precepts of the Mosaic law, which dealt at some length (probably from reasons connected with the public health) with these restrictions in the matter of meats.

These false teachers, while they urged such abstinence as a likely way to win God's favour, would probably base, or at all events support, their arguments by reference to certain portions of the Mosaic law, rightly understood or wrongly understood.

These points, then, might have risen into the dignity of a controverted question between the (Pauline) Gentile and the Jewish congregations. So St. Paul at once removed it to a higher platform. All food was from the hand of one Maker--nothing, then, could really be considered common or unclean without throwing a slur upon the All-Creator.

Which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving.--God's primeval intention is thus sharply contrasted with men's arbitrary restrictions. This divine intention is repeated with still greater emphasis in 1Timothy 4:4.

Of them which believe and know the truth.--The true "Gnostics," in St. Paul's eyes, were not those self-sufficient men who were out of their own corrupt imagination devising these strange and unnatural methods of pleasing God, but those holy, humble men of heart who believed on His crucified Son, and knew the truth of the glorious gospel.

Verse 3. - Created for hath created, A.V.; by for of, A.V.; that for which, A.V. Forbidding to marry. This is mentioned as showing itself first among the Essenes and Therapeutic by Josephus ('Bell. Jud.,' it. 8:2, and 'Ant. Jud.,' 18, 1:5). It became later a special tenet of the Gnostics, as stated by Clem. Alex., 'Strom.,' 3:6; Irenaeus, "Haer.," 1:22, etc. (quoted by Ellicott). See other quotations in Pole's Synopsis. Commanding to abstain from meats; βρωμάτων (1 Corinthians 8:8; Hebrews 9:10; comp. βρώσει, Colossians 2:16; Romans 14:17). The word "commanding" has to be supplied from the preceding κωλυόντων, "commanding not." Some of the sects prohibited the use of animal food. A trace of this asceticism in regard to food is found in Colossians 2:16, 21, 23. (For a full list of authorities on the asceticism of the Jewish sects, see Bishop Lightfoot, 'Introduction to the Epistle to the Coloss.,' pp. 83, 84.) The chief passages relating to it are those referred to above from Josephus: Γάμου ὑπεροψία παρ αὐτοῖς, "They despise marriage;" Ἐσσαίων οὐδεὶς ἄγεται γυναῖκα, "None of the Essenes marry" (Philo, 'Fragm.,' p. 633); "Gens sine ulla femina, venere abdicata" - "A people without a single woman, for they renounce marriage" (Plin., 'Nat. Hist.,' 5:15). As regards their food, Bishop Lightfoot says, "The Essene drank no wine; he did not touch animal food. His meal consisted of a piece of bread, and a single mess of vegetables" ('Introd.,' p. 86). Professor Burton (in Kitto's 'Cyclopaedia,' art. "Gnosticism') says of the later Gnostics that, from their principle of the utter malignity of matter, and the elevating nature of γνῶσις, two very opposite results ensued - one that many Gnostics led very profligate lives; the other that many practiced great austerities in order to mortify the body and its sensual appetites (p. 770). Some of our modern Eneratites, in their language concerning the use of wine and beer, approach Gnosticism very closely. To be received (εἰς μετάληψιν); a classical word, but only found here in the New Testament, not used by the LXX. With thanksgiving. Observe the identity of thought with Romans 14:6. These passages, together with our Lord's action at the last Supper (Luke 22:17, 19), at the multiplication of the loaves and fishes (Luke 9:16), and St. Paul's on board ship (Acts 27:35), are conclusive as to the Christian duty of giving thanks, commonly called "saying grace" at meals. The truth (see 1 Timothy 3:15; John 18:37; Ephesians 4:21, etc.).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
They will prohibit
κωλυόντων (kōlyontōn)
Verb - Present Participle Active - Genitive Masculine Plural
Strong's 2967: To prevent, debar, hinder; with infin: from doing so and so. From the base of kolazo; to estop, i.e. Prevent.

marriage
γαμεῖν (gamein)
Verb - Present Infinitive Active
Strong's 1060: To marry, used of either sex. From gamos; to wed.

[and require] abstinence
ἀπέχεσθαι (apechesthai)
Verb - Present Infinitive Middle
Strong's 568: To have in full, be far, it is enough. From apo and echo; to have out, i.e. Receive in full; to keep away, i.e. Be distant.

from certain foods
βρωμάτων (brōmatōn)
Noun - Genitive Neuter Plural
Strong's 1033: Food of any kind. From the base of bibrosko; food, especially articles allowed or forbidden by the Jewish law.

that
(ha)
Personal / Relative Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Plural
Strong's 3739: Who, which, what, that.

God
Θεὸς (Theos)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2316: A deity, especially the supreme Divinity; figuratively, a magistrate; by Hebraism, very.

has created
ἔκτισεν (ektisen)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 2936: To create, form, shape, make, always of God. Probably akin to ktaomai; to fabricate, i.e. Found.

to
εἰς (eis)
Preposition
Strong's 1519: A primary preposition; to or into, of place, time, or purpose; also in adverbial phrases.

be received
μετάλημψιν (metalēmpsin)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 3336: Participation, sharing in, receiving. From metalambano; participation.

with
μετὰ (meta)
Preposition
Strong's 3326: (a) gen: with, in company with, (b) acc: (1) behind, beyond, after, of place, (2) after, of time, with nouns, neut. of adjectives.

thanksgiving
εὐχαριστίας (eucharistias)
Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular
Strong's 2169: Thankfulness, gratitude; giving of thanks, thanksgiving. From eucharistos; gratitude; actively, grateful language.

by those who
τοῖς (tois)
Article - Dative Masculine Plural
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

believe
πιστοῖς (pistois)
Adjective - Dative Masculine Plural
Strong's 4103: Trustworthy, faithful, believing. From peitho; objectively, trustworthy; subjectively, trustful.

and
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

know
ἐπεγνωκόσι (epegnōkosi)
Verb - Perfect Participle Active - Dative Masculine Plural
Strong's 1921: From epi and ginosko; to know upon some mark, i.e. Recognize; by implication, to become fully acquainted with, to acknowledge.

the
τὴν (tēn)
Article - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

truth.
ἀλήθειαν (alētheian)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 225: From alethes; truth.


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NT Letters: 1 Timothy 4:3 Forbidding marriage and commanding to abstain (1 Tim. 1Ti iTi 1tim i Tm)
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