1 Timothy 3

Listen to 1 Timothy 3

Qualifications for Overseers

1 The saying is 1trustworthy: If anyone aspires to 2the office of overseer, he desires a noble task.
2 Therefore 3an overseer[a] must be above reproach, 4the husband of one wife,[b]5sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, 6hospitable, 7able to teach,
3 not a drunkard, not violent but 8gentle, not quarrelsome, 9not a lover of money.
4 He must manage his own household well, with all dignity 10keeping his children submissive,
5 for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for 11God's church?
6 He must not be a recent convert, or he may 12become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil.
7 Moreover, he must be well thought of by 13outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace, into 14a snare of the devil.

Qualifications for Deacons

8 15Deacons likewise must be dignified, not double-tongued,[c]16not addicted to much wine, 17not greedy for dishonest gain.
9 They must 18hold the mystery of the faith with 19a clear conscience.
10 And 20let them also be tested first; then let them serve as deacons if they prove themselves blameless.
11 21Their wives likewise must[d] be dignified, not slanderers, but sober-minded, 22faithful in all things.
12 Let deacons each be 23the husband of one wife, 24managing their children and their own households well.
13 For 25those who serve well as deacons gain a good standing for themselves and also great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.

The Mystery of Godliness

14 I hope to come to you soon, but I am writing these things to you so that,
15 if I delay, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth.
16 Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness: 26He[e] was manifested in the flesh, vindicated[f] by the Spirit,[g] 27seen by angels, 28proclaimed among the nations, 29believed on in the world, 30taken up in glory.

1 Timothy 3 Commentary

Chapter 3

The qualifications and behaviour of gospel bishops. (1-7) And of deacons and their wives. (8-13) The reason of writing about these, and other church affairs. (14-16)

Verses 1-7 If a man desired the pastoral office, and from love to Christ, and the souls of men, was ready to deny himself, and undergo hardships by devoting himself to that service, he sought to be employed in a good work, and his desire should be approved, provided he was qualified for the office. A minister must give as little occasion for blame as can be, lest he bring reproach upon his office. He must be sober, temperate, moderate in all his actions, and in the use of all creature-comforts. Sobriety and watchfulness are put together in Scripture, they assist one the other. The families of ministers ought to be examples of good to all other families. We should take heed of pride; it is a sin that turned angels into devils. He must be of good repute among his neighbours, and under no reproach from his former life. To encourage all faithful ministers, we have Christ's gracious word of promise, Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world, ( Matthew 28:20 ) . And he will fit his ministers for their work, and carry them through difficulties with comfort, and reward their faithfulness.

Verses 8-13 The deacons were at first appointed to distribute the charity of the church, and to manage its concerns, yet pastors and evangelists were among them. The deacons had a great trust reposed in them. They must be grave, serious, prudent men. It is not fit that public trusts should be lodged in the hands of any, till they are found fit for the business with which they are to be trusted. All who are related to ministers, must take great care to walk as becomes the gospel of Christ.

Verses 14-16 The church is the house of God; he dwells there. The church holds forth the Scripture and the doctrine of Christ, as a pillar holds forth a proclamation. When a church ceases to be the pillar and ground of truth, we may and ought to forsake her; for our regard to truth should be first and greatest. The mystery of godliness is Christ. He is God, who was made flesh, and was manifest in the flesh. God was pleased to manifest himself to man, by his own Son taking the nature of man. Though reproached as a sinner, and put to death as a malefactor, Christ was raised again by the Spirit, and so was justified from all the false charges with which he was loaded. Angels ministered to him, for he is the Lord of angels. The Gentiles welcomed the gospel which the Jews rejected. Let us remember that God was manifest in the flesh, to take away our sins, to redeem us from all iniquity, and to purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. These doctrines must be shown forth by the fruits of the Spirit in our lives.

Cross References 30

Footnotes 7

  • [a]. Or bishop; Greek episkopos; a similar term occurs in verse 1
  • [b]. Or a man of one woman; also verse 12
  • [c]. Or devious in speech
  • [d]. Or Wives, likewise, must, or Women, likewise, must
  • [e]. Greek Who; some manuscripts God; others Which
  • [f]. Or justified
  • [g]. Or vindicated in spirit

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO 1 TIMOTHY 3

In this chapter the apostle treats of the qualifications of officers of churches, bishops and deacons, and of their wives; and points at the principal reason of writing this epistle to Timothy: and first, he commends the office of a bishop, as a good and desirable one; and asserts it to be such in the strongest manner, 1Ti 3:1 and then follow the qualifications for it, some of which are of the economical or domestic kind, and regard him as an husband and parent, and the head of the family; others of a moral nature, and relate to sobriety, hospitality, temperance, patience, and liberality; and others of the ecclesiastical sort, as aptness to teach, and that he should not be a novice in religion; and in general, that he should be a man of a blameless life, and of good report in the world, 1Ti 3:2-7, next an account is given of the qualifications of deacons; some which concern their moral character; others their soundness in the faith; and others their domestic affairs, and their conduct in their families; about which they should be first examined, before they were put into their office; the characters of their wives are also given; and for their encouragement in the faithful performance of their office, it is observed, that they hereby obtain a good degree of honour and boldness in the faith of Christ, 1Ti 3:8-13. And the end of the apostle's writing this epistle, and particularly of giving Timothy this account of the qualifications of the officers of the church of God, is, that he might know whom to appoint over it, and how to conduct himself in it; which he commends from its being the house of God, the church of the living God, and the pillar and ground of truth, 1Ti 3:14,15. Of which truth he gives a summary, in several particulars of it, which open the great mystery of godliness, 1Ti 3:16.

1 Timothy 3 Commentaries

The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.