TRV
Translation
King James Version
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.
Complete Jewish Bible
They forbid marriage and require abstinence from foods which God created to be eaten with thanksgiving by those who have come to trust and to 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.
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.
World English Bible Messianic
forbidding marriage and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.
Geneva Bible (1599)
Forbidding to marrie, and commanding to abstaine from meates which God hath created to be receiued with giuing thankes of them which beleeue and knowe the trueth.
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,
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In the KJVVerse 29,751 of 31,102
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Commentary on 1 Timothy 4 verses 1–5
1 ¶ Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;
2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;
3 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.
4 For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving:
5 For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.
I. II. Main points1. 2. Sub-points
We have here a prophecy of the apostasy of the latter times, which he had spoken of as a thing expected and taken for granted among Christians, 2 Th. 2.
I. In the close of the foregoing chapter, we had the mystery of godliness summed up; and therefore very fitly, in the beginning of this chapter, we have the mystery of iniquity summed up: The Spirit speaks expressly that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith; whether he means the Spirit in the Old Testament, or the Spirit in the prophets of the New Testament, or both. The prophecies concerning antichrist, as well as the prophecies concerning Christ, came from the Spirit. The Spirit in both spoke expressly of a general apostasy from the faith of Christ and the pure worship of God. This should come in the latter times, during the Christian dispensation, for these are called the latter days; in the following ages of the church, for the mystery of iniquity now began to work. Some shall depart from the faith, or there shall be an apostasy from the faith. Some, not all; for in the worst of times God will have a remnant, according to the election of grace. They shall depart from the faith, the faith delivered to the saints (Jde 1:3), which was delivered at once, the sound doctrine of the gospel. Giving heed to seducing spirits, men who pretended to the Spirit, but were not really guided by the Spirit, Jo1 4:1. Beloved, believe not every spirit, every one who pretends to the Spirit. Now here observe,
1.One of the great instances of the apostasy, namely, giving heed to doctrines of demons, or concerning demons; that is, those doctrines which teach the worship of saints and angels, as a middle sort of deities, between the immortal God and mortal men, such as the heathen called demons, and worshipped under that notion. Now this plainly agrees to the church of Rome, and it was one of the first steps towards that great apostasy, the enshrining of the relics of martyrs, paying divine honours to them, erecting altars, burning incense, consecrating images and temples, and making prayers and praises to the honour of saints departed. This demon-worship is paganism revived, the image of the first beast.
2.The instruments of promoting and propagating this apostasy and delusion. (1.) It will be done by hypocrisy of those that speak lies, the agents and emissaries of Satan, who promote these delusions by lies and forgeries and pretended miracles, Ti1 4:2. It is done by their hypocrisy, professing honour to Christ, and yet at the same time fighting against all his anointed offices, and corrupting or profaning all his ordinances. This respects also the hypocrisy of those who have their consciences seared with a red-hot iron, who are perfectly lost to the very first principles of virtue and moral honesty. If men had not their consciences seared as with a hot iron, they could never maintain a power to dispense with oaths for the good of the catholic cause, could never maintain that no faith is to be kept with heretics, could never divest themselves of all remains of humanity and compassion, and clothe themselves with the most barbarous cruelty, under pretence of promoting the interest of the church. (2.) Another part of their character is that they forbid to marry, forbid their clergy to marry, and speak very reproachfully of marriage, though an ordinance of God; and that they command to abstain from meats, and place religion in such abstinence at certain times and seasons, only to exercise a tyranny over the consciences of men.
3.On the whole observe, (1.) The apostasy of the latter times should not surprise us, because it was expressly foretold by the Spirit. (2.) The Spirit is God, otherwise he could not certainly foresee such distant events, which as to us are uncertain and contingent, depending on the tempers, humours, and lusts of men. (3.) The difference between the predictions of the Spirit and the oracles of the heathen is remarkable; the Spirit speaks expressly, but the oracles of the heathen were always doubtful and uncertain. (4.) It is comfortable to think that in such general apostasies all are not carried away, but only some. (5.) It is common for seducers and deceivers to pretend to the Spirit, which is a strong presumption that all are convinced that this is the most likely to work in us an approbation of what pretends to come from the Spirit. (6.) Men must be hardened, and their consciences seared, before they can depart from the faith, and draw in others to side with them. (7.) It is a sign that men have departed from the faith when they will command what God has forbidden, such as saint and angel or demon-worship; and forbid what God has allowed or commanded, such as marriage and meats.
II. Having mentioned their hypocritical fastings, the apostle takes occasion to lay down the doctrine of the Christian liberty, which we enjoy under the gospel, of using God's good creatures, - that, whereas under the law there was a distinction of meats between clean and unclean (such sorts of flesh they might eat, and such they might not eat), all this is now taken away; and we are to call nothing common or unclean, Act 10:15. Here observe, 1. We are to look upon our food as that which God has created; we have it from him, and therefore must use it for him. 2. God, in making those things, had a special regard to those who believe and know the truth, to good Christians, who have a covenant right to the creatures, whereas others have only a common right. 3. What God has created is to be received with thanksgiving. We must not refuse the gifts of God's bounty, nor be scrupulous in making differences where God has made none; but receive them, and be thankful, acknowledging the power of God the Maker of them, and the bounty of God the giver of them: Every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, Ti1 4:4. This plainly sets us at liberty from all the distinctions of meats appointed by the ceremonial law, as particularly that of swine's flesh, which the Jews were forbidden to eat, but which is allowed to us Christians, by this rule, Every creature of God is good, etc. Observe, God's good creatures are then good, and doubly sweet to us, when they are received with thanksgiving. - For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer, Ti1 4:5. It is a desirable thing to have a sanctified use of our creature-comforts. Now they are sanctified to us, (1.) By the word of God; not only his permission, allowing us the liberty of the use of these things, but his promise to feed us with food convenient for us. This gives us a sanctified use of our creature-comforts. (2.) By prayer, which blesses our meat to us. The word of God and prayer must be brought to our common actions and affairs, and then we do all in faith. Here observe, [1.] Every creature is God's, for he made all. Every beast in the forest is mine (says God), and the cattle upon a thousand hills. I know all the fowls of the mountains, and the wild beasts of the field are mine, Psa 50:10, Psa 50:11. [2.] Every creature of God is good: when the blessed God took a survey of all his works, God saw all that was made, and, behold, it was very good, Gen 1:31. [3.] The blessing of God makes every creature nourishing to us; man lives not by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God (Mat 4:4), and therefore nothing ought to be refused. [4.] We ought therefore to ask his blessing by prayer, and so to sanctify the creatures we receive by prayer.
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 1–5. Public domain.
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Irenaeus (Reporting Heretical Views)AD 202
Against Heresies Book I
And since the demons assist the most wicked, the Saviour came for the destruction of evil men and of the demons, but for the salvation of the good. They declare also, that marriage and generation are from Satan.
Clement of AlexandriaAD 215
The Stromata Book 3
And no doubt of such people it is reasonable when, "the Spirit says expressly that in the last times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to spirits of error and the teaching inspired by daemons, through hypocritical sophists who are seated in conscience and forbid marriage, and demand abstinence from foods which God created to be eaten with thanksgiving by believers who know the truth. Everything created by God is good, and none is to be rejected but accepted with thanksgiving. For it is sanctified by the Word of God and by prayer." It necessarily follows, then, that it is wrong to forbid marriage and indeed eating meat or drinking wine.
Clement of AlexandriaAD 215
The Stromata Book 3
It follows that celibacy is not particularly praiseworthy unless it arises through love of God. The blessed Paul says of those who show a distaste for marriage, "In the last days people will abandon the faith, attaching themselves to deceitful spirits and the teachings of demonic powers that they should abstain from food, at the same time forbidding marriage." Again he says, "Do not let anyone disqualify you in forced piety of self-mortification and severity to the body." Well? Did not the righteous of past days share gratefully in God's creation? Some of them married and produced children without loss of self-control.
TertullianAD 220
The Prescription Against Heretics
Thus runs Hebion's heresy. Such also as "forbid to marry" he reproaches in his instructions to Timothy. Now, this is the teaching of Marcion and his follower Apelles.
TertullianAD 220
Against Marcion Book I
Now, whence comes this halving of salvation, if not from a failure of goodness? What could have been a better proof of a perfect goodness, than the recovery of the whole man to salvation? Totally damned by the Creator, he should have been totally restored by the most merciful god. I rather think that by Marcion's rule the body is baptized, is deprived of marriage, is cruelly tortured in confession.
TertullianAD 220
On Fasting
Xerophagies, however, (they consider) the novel name of a studied duty, and very much akin to heathenish superstition, like the abstemious rigours which purify an Apis, an Isis, and a Magna Mater, by a restriction laid upon certain kinds of food; whereas faith, free in Christ, owes no abstinence from particular meats to the Jewish Law even, admitted as it has been by the apostle once for all to the whole range of the meat-market -(the apostle, I say), that detester of such as, in like manner as they prohibit marrying, so bid us abstain from meats created by God. And accordingly (they think) us to have been even then prenoted as "in the latest times departing from the faith, giving heed to spirits which seduce the world, having a conscience inburnt with doctrines of liars.
TertullianAD 220
ON MONOGAMY 15
The apostle set a brand upon those who were inclined entirely to forbid marriage and who were determined to lay an interdict on meats which God has created. We, however, do not do away with marriage if we disavow its repetition, nor do we condemn meats if we fast oftener than others. It is one thing to regulate but another thing to do away with altogether.
Hippolytus of RomeAD 235
Hippolytus Refutation of All Heresies Book VII
You forbid marriage, the procreation of children, (and) the abstaining from meats which God has created for participation by the faithful, and those that know the truth.
, and each receives from these a sufficient portion. No one, however, tastes these before the priest utters a blessing,
Hippolytus of RomeAD 235
THE REFUTATION OF ALL HERESIES 8.20
Others, however, styling themselves Encratites, acknowledge some things concerning God and Christ consistently with the church. In respect, however, of their ascetic mode of life, they pass their days inflated with pride. They suppose that by their choice of foods they magnify themselves. They abstain from animal food, [and] being water drinkers, forbid to marry, devoting themselves during the remainder of life to habits of asceticism. But persons of this description are viewed more as cynics than as Christians, inasmuch as they do not attend to the words spoken against them by the apostle Paul.
Origen of AlexandriaAD 253
COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW 14.16
The Savior then commanded, “What God has joined together, let not man put asunder.” But man wishes to put asunder what God has joined together. He does this when, “falling away from the sound faith, he gives heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of demons, through the hypocrisy of men who speak lies, branded in their own conscience as with a hot iron, and by forbidding” them not only to commit fornication but even “to marry.” In this way he dissolves even those who before had been joined together by the providence of God.
Origen of AlexandriaAD 253
HOMILIES ON LEVITICUS 10.2
Do you still want me to show you what kind of fast it is appropriate for you to practice? Fast from every sin, take no food of malice, take no feasts of passion, do not burn with any wine of luxury. Fast from evil deeds, abstain from evil words, hold yourself from the worst evil thoughts. Do not touch the secret loaves of perverse doctrine. Do not desire the deceptive foods of philosophy which seduce you from truth. Such a fast pleases God. But “to abstain from the foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by the faithful” and to do this with those who crucified Christ cannot be acceptable to God.… However, we do not say this that we may loosen the restraints of Christian abstinence.
Basil of CaesareaAD 379
THE LONG RULES, Q.18.R.
It should also be laid down as essential that continency is inexorably demanded of combatants for godliness, so that they may bring the body into subjection, “for every athlete exercises self-control in all things.” However, to avoid being classed with the enemies of God who are seared in their conscience and, therefore, abstain from food which God has made for the faithful to partake of with thanksgiving, we should taste each dish when occasion offers so as to indicate to those looking on that “all things are clean to the clean” and that “every creature of God is good and nothing to be rejected that is received with thanksgiving; for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.” The aim of continency must nevertheless be kept in mind also, to the extent that we satisfy our need with the plainer foods and those necessary to sustain life, avoiding the evil of taking our fill of them and abstaining absolutely from those foods whose sole purpose is to give delight.
Cyril of JerusalemAD 386
Catechetical Lecture 4:27
Do not abhor meats as if they were taboo. The apostle evidently knew people like that, since he says that there are those “who forbid to marry and command to abstain from meats which God has created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe.” If therefore you are abstaining from these things, let it not be as from things abominated, or your reward is lost, but as good things let them be transcended, in the quest of the fairer spiritual rewards that are set before you.
Gregory of NyssaAD 395
ON VIRGINITY 7
Let no one think … we are disregarding the institution of marriage. We are not ignorant of the fact that this also is not deprived of God’s blessing. But since there is sufficient support for it and since the common nature of man, bestowed on all who come to birth through marriage, automatically inclines in this direction—whereas virginity somehow goes against nature—it would be superfluous to go to the trouble of writing a plea for marriage or a eulogy of it. It is pointless to emphasize its indisputable inducement, I mean pleasure, unless there should be need of such words because of some people who tamper with the teachings of the church on marriage, whom the apostle calls “those having their conscience branded.”
John ChrysostomAD 407
Homily on 1 Timothy 12
"Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats." Why then has he mentioned no other heresies? Though not particularized, they are implied by the expressions of "seducing spirits and doctrines of demons." But he did not wish to instill these things into the minds of men before the time; but that which had already commenced, the case of meats, he specifies. "Which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth." Why did he not say, by the unbelievers too? How by the unbelievers, when they exclude themselves from them by their own rules? But is not luxury forbidden? Certainly it is. But why? if good things are created to be received. Because He created bread, and yet too much is forbidden; and wine also, and yet excess is forbidden; and we are not commanded to avoid dainties as if they were unclean in themselves, but as they corrupt the soul by excess.
It is then the last time. For "in the latter times," he says, "some shall depart from the faith." "Forbidding to marry." And do not we forbid to marry? God forbid. We do not forbid those who wish to marry, but those who do not wish to marry, we exhort to virginity. It is one thing to forbid, and another to leave one to his own free choice. He that forbids, does it once for all, but he who recommends virginity as a higher state, does not forbid marriage, because he prefers virginity.
"Forbidding to marry," he says, "and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth." It is well said, "who know the truth." The former things then were a type. For nothing is unclean by nature, but it becomes so through the conscience of him that partakes of it. And what was the object of the prohibition of so many meats? To restrain excessive luxury. But had it been said, "eat not for the sake of luxury," it would not have been borne. They were therefore shut up under the necessity of the law, that they might abstain from the stronger principle of fear. The fish was not forbidden, though it was manifestly more unclean than the swine. But they might have learned how pernicious luxury was from that saying of Moses, "Jeshurun waxed fat, and kicked." (Deut. xxxii. 15) Another cause of these prohibitions might be, that being straitened for other food, they might be reduced to slaughter sheep and oxen; he therefore restrained them from other things, on account of Apis and the calf, which was an abomination, ungrateful, polluted, and profane.
John ChrysostomAD 407
HOMILIES ON MATTHEW 7.7
“Well,” someone says, “what do you expect us to do? To live in the mountains and become monks?” This question saddens me for this reason, that some think only monks to be truly concerned with decency and chastity. Yet surely Christ made his laws to apply to everyone.… Indeed, I do not “forbid marriage,” nor do I mean to block your access to pleasure, but I want you to have it in a chaste way, not shamefully or in a way deserving reproach and subject to endless misgivings. I do not insist that you live in the mountains and the deserts but that you be good and moderate and chaste, while dwelling in the midst of the city.
JeromeAD 420
Letters 48.2
Have I not, I would ask, in the very forefront of my work set the following preface: “We are no disciples of Marcion or of Manichaeus, to detract from marriage. Nor are we deceived by the error of Tatian, the chief of the Encratites, into supposing all cohabitation unclean. For he condemns and reprobates not marriage only but foods also which God has created for us to enjoy. We know that in a large house there are vessels not only of silver and of gold but of wood also and of earth. We know, too, that on the foundation of Christ which Paul the master builder has laid, some build up gold, silver and precious stones; others, on the contrary, hay, wood and stubble.”
Augustine of HippoAD 430
TRACTATES ON JOHN 9.2
The fact that the Lord was invited and came to the wedding, even without considering the mystical meaning, was meant to affirm what he himself created. For there were going to be those, about whom the apostle spoke, who would forbid marriage and say that marriage is an evil and that the devil created it, although the same Lord in the Gospel, when asked whether a man is allowed to divorce his wife for any reason, replied that he is not allowed except in the case of fornication.
Augustine of HippoAD 430
LETTERS 55.19.35-20.36
The church of God, established in the midst of much chaff and much cockle, tolerates many things, yet it does not approve or accept in silence or practice those things that are contrary to faith and good living. Therefore, what you wrote of certain brothers refraining from meat because they believe it to be unclean is very clearly against faith and sound doctrine.
OecumeniusAD 990
COMMENTARY ON 1 TIMOTHY
who forbid marriage, abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by the faithful who know the truth.
who forbid marriage. What then? Do Christians not hinder from marrying? By no means. "Marriage is honorable in all things, and the bed undefiled." (Heb. 13:4) But those who do not wish to marry are urged to abstinence. And those who hinder marriage are said to hinder on account of impurity.
abstain from foods. It is not a mistake or a lapse in elegance of speech when it says, "to abstain from foods", which seemed to some not even a matter of apostolic vision, but rightly expressed according to the Attic custom (dialect). Just as the phrase, "He prevented him from doing improper things," does not mean that he encouraged him to do improper things; and likewise, "He deterred him from offending friends," does not mean offending friends, but rather the opposite. And again, "He prevented him from stealing," does not mean that he permitted theft. And, "He prevented ceasing from speaking," instead of, "He kept away from such an action." Thus also, "They prevented abstaining from foods," instead of, "They prevented from eating." And this usage is also frequent among outsiders.
created to be received [μετάληψιν] with thanksgiving. See how Paul expelled luxury in the name of participation [μεταλήψεως]. For to be received [μετάληψιν] signifies a measured reception [μεμετρημένην]. And he did not expel luxury as something unclean, but as something obstructive due to excess and, as it were, a rupture of the soul.
To the faithful, God has created foods to be received [μετάληψιν] thankfully. But not to the unbelievers anymore. For by their own laws they shut themselves off from them.
who know the truth. The Jewish rites were indeed a shadow; now the truth has come. Many things were forbidden to them, not because they were impure, but to restrain indulgences. But the truth speaks of the faith which is in Christ.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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SUMMARY
In 1 Timothy 4:3, Paul warns against false teachers who will arise in the latter times, characterized by their prohibition of marriage and their command to abstain from certain foods. He emphatically states that these practices contradict God's design, as God created both marriage and food to be received with gratitude by those who believe in and understand the truth of the Gospel. This verse serves as a foundational text against ascetic legalism and for the affirmation of God's good creation.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Paul employs several literary devices to convey his message in 1 Timothy 4:3. A prominent device is Antithesis, directly contrasting the false teachers' prohibitions ("forbidding to marry," "commanding to abstain from meats") with God's benevolent design ("which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving"). This stark opposition highlights the ungodly nature of the false doctrines. There is also an element of Theological Affirmation, as Paul grounds his argument in the very act of creation ("God hath created"), appealing to a foundational biblical truth to refute the error. The phrase "know the truth" also implies Epistemological Contrast, distinguishing between those who are deceived by false doctrines and those who possess genuine understanding, rooted in divine revelation rather than human tradition or philosophy.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
1 Timothy 4:3 serves as a vital theological safeguard against legalism and Gnostic tendencies that seek to diminish the goodness of God's material creation. It underscores the biblical principle that true spirituality is not achieved through self-imposed asceticism or adherence to human traditions, but through faith in Christ and a grateful reception of all that God has provided. This verse stands as a testament to the holistic nature of biblical faith, affirming that God's redemptive work extends to every aspect of life, including the physical, and that His creation is inherently good, designed for humanity's blessing and His glory. The problem lies not with the created things themselves, but with a distorted understanding of God's will and the nature of true holiness.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
For believers today, 1 Timothy 4:3 remains a powerful and relevant warning against any form of legalism or unbiblical asceticism that attempts to add human-made rules as requirements for spiritual growth or acceptance before God. We are called to exercise discernment, carefully evaluating teachings that impose burdens not found in Scripture, especially those that demonize aspects of God's good creation, such as marriage, family, or the enjoyment of food and other physical blessings. Instead of a spirit of deprivation, this verse encourages a spirit of profound gratitude, recognizing that everything we have is a gift from our benevolent Creator. Our spiritual maturity is not measured by what we abstain from, but by how we receive and steward God's provisions with a thankful heart, living in the freedom and truth of the Gospel. It reminds us that true holiness is found in Christ, not in external regulations, and that a joyful, grateful heart is a hallmark of genuine faith.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Does this verse condemn celibacy or fasting?
Answer: No, 1 Timothy 4:3 does not condemn celibacy or fasting in themselves. Paul himself practiced celibacy for the sake of ministry (1 Corinthians 7:7), and Jesus taught about fasting (Matthew 6:16-18). The issue addressed here is the prohibition or commanding of these practices as a universal, mandatory requirement for all believers or as a means of achieving spiritual superiority. The false teachers were imposing these as legalistic rules, denying the freedom and goodness of God's creation. The verse condemns the forced abstinence and the false teaching behind it, not the voluntary and Spirit-led practice of celibacy or fasting for specific spiritual purposes, which are to be undertaken with the right heart and motive.
What "meats" (foods) are being referred to in this verse?
Answer: The term "meats" (Greek: brōma) here refers to food in general, but specifically to certain types of food that the false teachers were commanding abstinence from. This likely included foods deemed "unclean" under Old Testament dietary laws or those associated with pagan sacrifices, which some early Christians struggled with (Acts 15:29). Paul's point is not about the specific food items but about the imposition of such dietary restrictions as a spiritual requirement. He asserts that God created all food to be received with thanksgiving by believers, implying that such distinctions are no longer binding under the New Covenant, as Christ declared all foods clean (Mark 7:19).
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
1 Timothy 4:3 finds its ultimate fulfillment in Christ, who is the embodiment of truth and the liberator from legalism. The false teachers' prohibitions on marriage and certain foods represent a distortion of God's good creation and an attempt to earn righteousness through human effort, a system from which Christ has set us free. Jesus, through His life, death, and resurrection, perfectly fulfilled the Law and inaugurated a new covenant of grace, where believers are no longer bound by external regulations but by the Spirit's leading and the truth of the Gospel (Romans 8:2). He is the one through whom "all things were created" (Colossians 1:16), affirming the inherent goodness of creation, including marriage and food, as gifts to be received with thanksgiving. Our freedom to enjoy these gifts responsibly is a direct result of Christ's work, which frees us from the "elementary principles of the world" (Colossians 2:20) and empowers us to live lives of grateful obedience, acknowledging Him as the source of all blessings. In Christ, we "know the truth" that God's kingdom is not about "eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit" (Romans 14:17).