1 Timothy 4:3

1 Timothy 4:3

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.

a. NLT: 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.

b. NIV: 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.

    

c. YLT: Forbidding to marry -- to abstain from meats that God created to be received with thanksgiving by those believing and acknowledging the truth,

d. Amplified Bible Classic: Who forbid people to marry and [teach them] to abstain from [certain kinds of] foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and have [an increasingly clear] knowledge of the truth.

e. Worrell Translation: Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from foods, which God created  for reception with thanksgiving by those who believe and  have full knowledge of the truth.

f. Wuest Translation: Forbidding to marry, commanding abstinence from foods, which things God created for those to receive with thanksgiving who are believers and who have a precise and experiential knowledge of the truth.

1. “Forbidding to marry…”

a. forbidding [Strong: 2967 koluo ko-loo'-o from the base of 2849; to estop, i.e. prevent (by word or act):--forbid, hinder, keep from, let, not suffer, withstand.]  [Zodhiates: To cut off, weaken, and hence to hinder, prevent, restrain.]

b. marry [Strong: 1060 gameo gam-eh'-o from 1062; to wed (of either sex):--marry (a wife).] [Zodhiates: to marry, to take as a wife.]

1). Vincent’s Word Studies, p245. “The prohibitions above named were imposed by later Gnosticism of the second century.”

2). The Roman Catholic doctrines of not eating meat on Fridays, stopped in the 1970’s, and not allowing clergy to marry which are still current, are both doctrines of demons.

2. “…and commanding to abstain from meats which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving…”

a. [and commanding] to abstain from [Strong: apechomai ap-ekh'-om-ahee middle voice (reflexively) of 568; to hold oneself off, i.e. refrain:--abstain.]

b. meats [Strong: 1033 broma bro'-mah from the base of 977; food (literally or figuratively), especially (ceremonially) articles allowed or forbidden by the Jewish law:--meat, victuals.]

c. which [Strong: 3739 hos hos, including feminine he hay, and neuter ho ho probably a primary word (or perhaps a form of the article 3588); the relatively (sometimes demonstrative) pronoun, who, which, what, that:--one, (an-, the) other, some, that, what, which, who(-m, -se), etc.]

d. God [Strong2316 theos theh'-os of uncertain affinity; a deity, especially (with 3588) the supreme Divinity; figuratively, a magistrate; by Hebraism, very:--X exceeding, God, god(-ly, -ward).]

e. hath created [Strong: 2936 ktizo ktid'-zo probably akin to 2932 (through the idea of proprietorship of the manufacturer); to fabricate, i.e. found (form originally):--create, Creator, make.]

f. to [Strong: 1519  eis ice a primary preposition; to or into (indicating the point reached or entered), of place, time, or (figuratively) purpose (result, etc.); also in adverbial phrases:--(abundant-)ly, against, among, as, at, (back-)ward, before, by, concerning, + continual, + far more exceeding, for (intent, purpose), fore, + forth, in (among, at, unto, -so much that, -to), to the intent that, + of one mind, + never, of, (up-)on, + perish, + set at one again, (so) that, therefore(-unto), throughout, til, to (be, the end, -ward), (here-)until(-to), ...ward, (where-)fore, with. Often used in composition with the same general import, but only with verbs (etc.) expressing motion (literally or figuratively).]

g. be received [Strong: 3336 metalepsis met-al'-ape-sis from 3335; participation:--taking.]

h. with [Strong: 3326 meta met-ah' a primary preposition (often used adverbially); properly, denoting accompaniment; "amid" (local or causal); modified variously according to the case (genitive association, or accusative succession) with which it is joined; occupying an intermediate position between 575 or 1537 and 1519 or 4314; less intimate than 1722 and less close than 4862):--after(-ward), X that he again, against, among, X and, + follow, hence, hereafter, in, of, (up-)on, + our, X and setting, since, (un-)to, + together, when, with (+ -out). Often used in composition, in substantially the same relations of participation or proximity, and transfer or sequence.]

i. thanksgiving [Strong: 2169 eucharistia yoo-khar-is-tee'-ah from 2170; gratitude; actively, grateful language (to God, as an act of worship):--thankfulness, (giving of) thanks(-giving).]

1). The wording of this verse is very critical. He clearly says, “meats which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving”.

2). Paul here completely ignores the dietary laws of the Old Covenant. Those laws will be looked at in the next verse, 1 Timothy 4:4

3. “…of them which believe and know the truth.”

a. [of them] which [Strong: 3588 ho ho, including the feminine he hay, and the neuter to to in all their inflections; the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom):--the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.]

b. believe [Strong: 4103 pistos pis-tos' from 3982; objectively, trustworthy; subjectively, trustful:--believe(-ing, -r), faithful(-ly), sure, true.]

c. and [Strong: 2532 kai kahee apparently, a primary particle, having a copulative and sometimes also a cumulative force; and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words:--and, also, both, but, even, for, if, or, so, that, then, therefore, when, yet.]

d. know [Strong: 1921 epiginosko ep-ig-in-oce'-ko from 1909 and 1097; to know upon some mark, i.e. recognize; by implication, to become fully acquainted with, to acknowledge:--(ac-, have, take)know(-ledge, well), perceive.]

e. the [Strong: 3588 ho ho, including the feminine he hay, and the neuter to to in all their inflections; the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom):--the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.]

f. truth [Strong: 225 aletheia al-ay'-thi-a from 227; truth:--true, X truly, truth, verity.]