1 Timothy 3

Overseers and Deacons

1 1It is a trustworthy statement: if any man aspires to the 2office of overseer, it is a fine work he desires to do.
2 3An overseer, then, must be above reproach, 4the husband of one wife, 5temperate, prudent, respectable, 6hospitable, 7able to teach,
3 8not addicted to wine or pugnacious, but gentle, peaceable, 9free from the love of money.
4 He must be one who 10manages his own household well, keeping his children under control with all dignity
5 (but if a man does not know how to manage his own household, how will he take care of 11the church of God?),
6 and not a new convert, so * that he will not become 12conceited and fall into the 13condemnation incurred by the devil.
7 And he must 14have a good reputation with 15those outside the church, so that he will not fall into reproach and 16the snare of the devil.
8 17Deacons likewise must be men of dignity, not double-tongued, 18or addicted to much wine 19or fond of sordid gain,
9 20but holding to the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience.
10 21These men must also first be tested; then let them serve as deacons if they are beyond reproach.
11 Women must likewise be dignified, 22not malicious gossips, but 23temperate, faithful in all things.
12 24Deacons must be 25husbands of only one wife, and 26good managers of their children and their own households.
13 For those who have served well as deacons 27obtain for themselves a high standing and great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.
14 I am writing these things to you, hoping to come to you before long;
15 but in case I am delayed, I write so that you will know how one ought to conduct himself in 28the household of God, which is the 29church of 30the living God, the 31pillar and support of the truth.
16 By common confession, great is 32the mystery of godliness: He who was 33revealed in the flesh, Was 34vindicated in the Spirit, 35Seen by angels, 36Proclaimed among the nations, 37Believed on in the world, 38Taken up in glory.

Cross References 38

  • 1. 1 Timothy 1:15
  • 2. Acts 20:28; Philippians 1:1
  • 3. 1 Timothy 3:2-4; Titus 1:6-8
  • 4. Luke 2:36; 1 Timothy 5:9; Titus 1:6
  • 5. 1 Timothy 3:8, 11; Titus 2:2
  • 6. Romans 12:13; Titus 1:8; Hebrews 13:2; 1 Peter 4:9
  • 7. 2 Timothy 2:24
  • 8. Titus 1:7
  • 9. 1 Timothy 3:8; 1 Timothy 6:10; Titus 1:7; Hebrews 13:5
  • 10. 1 Timothy 3:12
  • 11. 1 Corinthians 10:32; 1 Timothy 3:15
  • 12. 1 Timothy 6:4; 2 Timothy 3:4
  • 13. 1 Timothy 3:7
  • 14. 2 Corinthians 8:21
  • 15. Mark 4:11
  • 16. 1 Timothy 6:9; 2 Timothy 2:26
  • 17. Philippians 1:1; 1 Timothy 3:12
  • 18. 1 Timothy 5:23; Titus 2:3
  • 19. 1 Timothy 3:3; Titus 1:7; 1 Peter 5:2
  • 20. 1 Timothy 1:5, 19
  • 21. 1 Timothy 5:22
  • 22. 2 Timothy 3:3; Titus 2:3
  • 23. 1 Timothy 3:2
  • 24. Philippians 1:1; 1 Timothy 3:8
  • 25. 1 Timothy 3:2
  • 26. 1 Timothy 3:4
  • 27. Matthew 25:21
  • 28. 1 Corinthians 3:16; 2 Corinthians 6:16; Ephesians 2:21; 1 Peter 2:5; 1 Peter 4:17
  • 29. 1 Timothy 3:5
  • 30. Matthew 16:16; 1 Timothy 4:10
  • 31. Galatians 2:9; 2 Timothy 2:19
  • 32. Romans 16:25
  • 33. John 1:14; 1 Peter 1:20; 1 John 3:5, 8
  • 34. Romans 3:4
  • 35. Luke 2:13; Luke 24:4; 1 Peter 1:12
  • 36. Romans 16:26; 2 Corinthians 1:19; Colossians 1:23
  • 37. 2 Thessalonians 1:10
  • 38. Mark 16:19; Acts 1:9

Footnotes 14

1 Timothy 3 Commentaries

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