But the Spirit says expressly that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to seducing spirits and doctrines of demons,
This phrase is not the same as "the last days" of Acts 2:17; 2 Timothy 3:1; Hebrews 1:2; 2 Peter 3:3. All of these have reference to the Christian age extending from Pentecost to the second coming of Christ. In 1 Timothy 4:1, however, Paul has in mind recurring seasons in the future. That, precisely, was what he had warned the elders of Ephesus about earlier when he gave his farewell speech to them (Acts 20:29-31).