He warns him against heretics, and exhorts him to the exercise of piety.

¹ Now the Spirit has clearly said that, in the end times, some persons will depart from the faith, paying attention to spirits of error and the doctrines of devils,

² speaking lies in hypocrisy, and having their consciences seared,

³ prohibiting marriage, abstaining from foods, which God has created to be accepted with thanksgiving by the faithful and by those who have understood the truth.¹

1. 4:3Forbidding to marry, to abstain from meats: He speaks of the Gnostics, the Marcionites, the Eneratites, the Manicheans, and other ancient heretics, who absolutely condemned marriage, and the use of all kind of meat; because they pretended that all flesh was from an evil principle. Whereas the church of God, so far from condemning marriage, holds it a holy sacrament; and forbids it to none but such as by vow have chosen the better part: and prohibits not the use of any meats whatsoever in proper times and seasons; though she does not judge all kind of diet proper for days of fasting and penance.(Challoner)

⁴ For every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be rejected which is received with thanksgiving;

⁵ for it has been sanctified by the Word of God and by prayer.

⁶ By proposing these things to the brothers, you will be a good minister of Christ Jesus, nourished by words of faith, and by the good doctrine that you have secured.

⁷ But avoid the silly fables of old women. And exercise yourself so as to advance in piety.

⁸ For the exercise of the body is somewhat useful. But piety is useful in all things, holding the promise of life, in the present and in the future.

⁹ This is a faithful saying and worthy of full acceptance.

¹⁰ For this reason we labor and are maligned: because we hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, most especially of the faithful.

¹¹ Instruct and teach these things.

¹² Let no one despise your youth, but be an example among the faithful in word, in behavior, in charity, in faith, in chastity.

¹³ Until I arrive, attend to reading, to exhortation, and to doctrine.

¹⁴ Do not be willing to neglect the grace that is within you, which was given to you through prophecy, with the imposition of the hands of the priesthood.

¹⁵ Meditate on these things, so that your progress may be manifest to all.

¹⁶ Pay attention to yourself and to doctrine. Pursue these things. For in doing so, you will save both yourself and those who listen to you.¹

1. 4:16The phrase ‘insta in illis’ could also be rendered as: ‘be urgent in these things,’ or ‘press on in these things,’ or ‘keep these things close by.’(Conte)