Focused Passage

1 Timothy 3:1-7

Qualified Leadership and Conduct in the Household of God

Paul moves from overseer qualifications, to deacon qualifications, to the theological reason for ordered church conduct: the church is God's household, the pillar and foundation of the truth, confessing the mystery of Christ.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

1This is a trustworthy saying: If anyone aspires to be an overseer, he desires a noble task.

2An overseer, then, must be above reproach, the husband of but one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach,

3not dependent on wine, not violent but gentle, peaceable, and free of the love of money.

4An overseer must manage his own household well and keep his children under control, with complete dignity.

5For if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how can he care for the church of God?

6He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same condemnation as the devil.

7Furthermore, he must have a good reputation with outsiders, so that he will not fall into disgrace and into the snare of the devil.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 1

Original words

[This is] a trustworthyΠιστὸςG4103Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular-G3588Article - Nominative Masculine SingularsayingλόγοςG3056Noun - Nominative Masculine SingularIfεἴG1487ConjunctionanyoneτιςG5100Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Singularaspires to beὀρέγεταιG3713Verb - Present Indicative Middle - 3rd Person Singularan overseerἐπισκοπῆςG1984Noun - Genitive Feminine Singularhe desiresἐπιθυμεῖG1937Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singulara nobleκαλοῦG2570Adjective - Genitive Neuter SingulartaskἔργουG2041Noun - Genitive Neuter Singular
Verse 2

Original words

AnτὸνG3588Article - Accusative Masculine SingularoverseerἐπίσκοπονG1985Noun - Accusative Masculine SingularthenοὖνG3767ConjunctionmustδεῖG1163Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingularbeεἶναιG1510Verb - Present Infinitive Activeabove reproachἀνεπίλημπτονG423Adjective - Accusative Masculine Singular[the] husbandἄνδραG435Noun - Accusative Masculine Singularof but oneμιᾶςG1520Adjective - Genitive Feminine SingularwifeγυναικὸςG1135Noun - Genitive Feminine SingulartemperateνηφάλιονG3524Adjective - Accusative Masculine Singularself-controlledσώφροναG4998Adjective - Accusative Masculine SingularrespectableκόσμιονG2887Adjective - Accusative Masculine SingularhospitableφιλόξενονG5382Adjective - Accusative Masculine Singularable to teachδιδακτικόνG1317Adjective - Accusative Masculine Singular

BSB notes

  • Or faithful to his wife; also in verse 12
Verse 3

Original words

notμὴG3361Adverbdependent on wineπάροινονG3943Adjective - Accusative Masculine SingularnotμὴG3361AdverbviolentπλήκτηνG4131Noun - Accusative Masculine SingularbutἀλλὰG235ConjunctiongentleἐπιεικῆG1933Adjective - Accusative Masculine SingularpeaceableἄμαχονG269Adjective - Accusative Masculine Singular[and] free of the love of moneyἀφιλάργυρονG866Adjective - Accusative Masculine Singular
Verse 4

Original words

[An overseer must] manageπροϊστάμενονG4291Verb - Present Participle Middle - Accusative Masculine Singular[his]τοῦG3588Article - Genitive Masculine SingularownἰδίουG2398Adjective - Genitive Masculine SingularhouseholdοἴκουG3624Noun - Genitive Masculine SingularwellκαλῶςG2573Adverb[and] keepἔχονταG2192Verb - Present Participle Active - Accusative Masculine Singular[his] childrenτέκναG5043Noun - Accusative Neuter PluralunderἐνG1722PrepositioncontrolὑποταγῇG5292Noun - Dative Feminine SingularwithμετὰG3326PrepositioncompleteπάσηςG3956Adjective - Genitive Feminine SingulardignityσεμνότητοςG4587Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular
Verse 5

Original words

[For]δέG1161ConjunctionifεἰG1487ConjunctionsomeoneτιςG5100Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Singular{does} notοὐκG3756AdverbknowοἶδενG1492Verb - Perfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingularhowπῶςG4459Adverbto manageπροστῆναιG4291Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active[his]τοῦG3588Article - Genitive Masculine SingularownἰδίουG2398Adjective - Genitive Masculine SingularhouseholdοἴκουG3624Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular[how] can he care forἐπιμελήσεταιG1959Verb - Future Indicative Passive - 3rd Person Singular[the] churchἐκκλησίαςG1577Noun - Genitive Feminine Singularof GodΘεοῦG2316Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular
Verse 6

Original words

[He must] not [be]μὴG3361Adverba recent convertνεόφυτονG3504Adjective - Accusative Masculine SingularvvvἵναG2443ConjunctionvvvμὴG3361Adverbor he may become conceitedτυφωθεὶςG5187Verb - Aorist Participle Passive - Nominative Masculine Singular[and] fallἐμπέσῃG1706Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person SingularunderεἰςG1519Preposition[ the same ] condemnationκρίμαG2917Noun - Accusative Neuter Singularas theτοῦG3588Article - Genitive Masculine SingulardevilδιαβόλουG1228Adjective - Genitive Masculine Singular
Verse 7

Original words

FurthermoreδὲG1161Conjunction. . .καὶG2532Conjunctionhe mustδεῖG1163Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingularhaveἔχεινG2192Verb - Present Infinitive Activea goodκαλὴνG2570Adjective - Accusative Feminine SingularreputationμαρτυρίανG3141Noun - Accusative Feminine SingularwithἀπὸG575PrepositionvvvτῶνG3588Article - Genitive Masculine PluraloutsidersἔξωθενG1855Adverbso thatἵναG2443ConjunctionvvvμὴG3361Adverbhe will not fallἐμπέσῃG1706Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person SingularintoεἰςG1519PrepositiondisgraceὀνειδισμὸνG3680Noun - Accusative Masculine SingularandκαὶG2532Conjunction[into the] snareπαγίδαG3803Noun - Accusative Feminine Singularof theτοῦG3588Article - Genitive Masculine SingulardevilδιαβόλουG1228Adjective - Genitive Masculine Singular

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.