1 Timothy 4:7

4:7 But reject those myths ¹  fit only for the godless and gullible, ²  and train yourself for godliness.

1 Timothy 1:4

1:4 nor to occupy themselves with myths and interminable genealogies. ³  Such things promote useless speculations rather than God’s redemptive plan ⁴  that operates by faith.

¹ sn Those myths refer to legendary tales characteristic of the false teachers in Ephesus and Crete. See parallels in 1 Tim 1:4; 2 Tim 4:4; and Titus 1:14.

² tn Grk “the godless and old-wifely myths.”

³ sn Myths and interminable genealogies. These myths were legendary tales characteristic of the false teachers in Ephesus and Crete. See parallels in 1 Tim 4:7; 2 Tim 4:4; and Titus 1:14. They were perhaps built by speculation from the patriarchal narratives in the OT; hence the connection with genealogies and with wanting to be teachers of the law (v. 7).

⁴ tc A few Western mss (D* latt Ir) read οἰκοδομήν (oikodomhn, “[God’s] edification”) rather than οἰκονομίαν (oikonomian, “[God’s] redemptive plan”), which is read by the earliest and best witnesses.