New English Translation
1 Timothy 1:4
4nor to occupy themselves with myths and interminable genealogies. Such things promote useless speculations rather than God’s redemptive plan that operates by faith.
1 Timothy 1:4 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: so do.
- New International Version (NIV)or to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies. Such things promote controversial speculations rather than advancing God’s work—which is by faith.
- English Standard Version (ESV)nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies, which promote speculations rather than the stewardship from God that is by faith.
- New King James Version (NKJV)nor give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which cause disputes rather than godly edification which is in faith.
Context of 1 Timothy 1:4
2to Timothy, my genuine child in the faith. Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord! 3As I urged you when I was leaving for Macedonia, stay on in Ephesus to instruct certain people not to spread false teachings, nor to occupy themselves with myths and interminable genealogies. Such things promote useless speculations rather than God’s redemptive plan that operates by faith. 5But the aim of our instruction is love that comes from a pure heart, a good conscience, and a sincere faith. 6Some have strayed from these and turned away to empty discussion.
Read all of 1 Timothy 11 Timothy 1:4 word by word
μηδὲ προσέχειν μύθοις καὶ γενεαλογίαις ἀπεράντοις, αἵτινες ἐκζητήσεις παρέχουσιν μᾶλλον ἢ οἰκονομίαν θεοῦ τὴν ἐν πίστει.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Neitherμηδέmēde · norG3366
- give heed toπροσέχωprosechō · to watch outG4337
- fablesμῦθοςmuthos · mythG3454
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- endlessἀπέραντοςaperantos · endlessG562
- genealogiesγενεαλογίαgenealogia · genealogyG1076
- whichὅστιςhostis hētis ho6ti · who/whichG3748
- ministerπαρέχωparechō · to furnish occasionG3930
- questionsζήτησιςzētēsis · controversyG2214
- ratherμᾶλλονmallon · more: ratherG3123
- thanἤē · orG2228
- godlyθεόςtheos · GodG2316
- edifyingοἰκοδομίαoikodomia · edificationG3620
- which isὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
- faithπίστιςpistis · faithG4102
Cross-references for 1 Timothy 1:4
- 1 Timothy 4:7But reject those myths fit only for the godless and gullible, and train yourself for godliness.
- 1 Timothy 6:4he is conceited and understands nothing, but has an unhealthy interest in controversies and verbal disputes. This gives rise to envy, dissension, slanders, evil suspicions,
- 2 Timothy 2:14Remind people of these things and solemnly charge them before the Lord not to wrangle over words. This is of no benefit; it just brings ruin on those who listen.
- 2 Timothy 4:4And they will turn away from hearing the truth, but on the other hand they will turn aside to myths.
- 2 Peter 1:16For we did not follow cleverly concocted fables when we made known to you the power and return of our Lord Jesus Christ; no, we were eyewitnesses of his grandeur.
- 2 Timothy 2:22But keep away from youthful passions, and pursue righteousness, faithfulness, love, and peace, in company with others who call on the Lord from a pure heart.
- 1 Timothy 3:16And we all agree, our religion contains amazing revelation: He was revealed in the flesh, vindicated by the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among Gentiles, believed on in the world, taken up in glory.
- 1 Timothy 6:3If someone spreads false teachings and does not agree with sound words (that is, those of our Lord Jesus Christ) and with the teaching that accords with godliness,
- 2 Corinthians 1:12For our reason for confidence is this: the testimony of our conscience, that with pure motives and sincerity which are from God – not by human wisdom but by the grace of God – we conducted ourselves in the world, and all the more toward you.
- 2 Corinthians 7:9Now I rejoice, not because you were made sad, but because you were made sad to the point of repentance. For you were made sad as God intended, so that you were not harmed in any way by us.
- Ephesians 4:12to equip the saints for the work of ministry, that is, to build up the body of Christ,
- Hebrews 13:9Do not be carried away by all sorts of strange teachings. For it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, not ritual meals, which have never benefited those who participated in them.
Commentaries on 1 Timothy 1:4
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4Neither give heed to fables - Idle fancies; things of no moment; doctrines and opinions unauthenticated; silly legends, of which no people ever possessed a greater stock than the Jews. Their Talmud abounds with them; and the English reader may find them in abundance in Stehlin's Jewish Traditions, 2 vols. 8vo. Endless genealogies - I suppose the apostle to mean those genealogies which were uncertain - that never could be made out, either in the ascending…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4Neither give heed to fables - That is, that they should not bestow their attention on fables, or regard such trifles as of importance. The “fables” here referred to were probably the idle and puerile superstitions and conceits of the Jewish rabbies. The word rendered “fable” ( ͂ muthos) means properly “speech” or “discourse,” and then fable or fiction, or a mystic discourse. Such things abounded among the Greeks as well as the Jews, but it is probable…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4myths and endless genealogies … speculation: Paul might be dismissing their teachings as not significant, or he might rejecting their interpretations and their justification of bad behavior (1:7; see also 2 Timothy 4:3–4; Titus 1:14; 3:9; 2 Peter 1:16; 1 Timothy 1:8–11; 4:1–2, 7; see also Titus 1:15–16). endless genealogies: In Judaism, a genealogy (list of ancestors) established a person's spiritual heritage. The false teachers might have focused too…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. fables--legends about the origin and propagation of angels, such as the false teachers taught at Colosse (Col 2:18-23). "Jewish fables" (Tit 1:14). "Profane, and old wives' fables" (1Ti 4:7; 2Ti 4:4). genealogies--not merely such civil genealogies as were common among the Jews, whereby they traced their descent from the patriarchs, to which Paul would not object, and which he would not as here class with "fables," but Gnostic genealogies of spirits and…Read the comment
Topics related to 1 Timothy 1:4
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on 1 Timothy 1
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Illustrated New Testament
- Burkitt’s Expository Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Family Bible Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- The People’s New Testament
- Robertson’s Word Pictures
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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