American Standard Version
1 Timothy 3:1
1Faithful is the saying, If a man seeketh the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.
1 Timothy 3:1 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.
- New International Version (NIV)Here is a trustworthy saying: Whoever aspires to be an overseer desires a noble task.
- English Standard Version (ESV)The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task.
- New King James Version (NKJV)This is a faithful saying: If a man desires the position of a bishop, he desires a good work.
Context of 1 Timothy 3:1
Faithful is the saying, If a man seeketh the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work. 2The bishop therefore must be without reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, orderly, given to hospitality, apt to teach; 3no brawler, no striker; but gentle, not contentious, no lover of money;
Read all of 1 Timothy 31 Timothy 3:1 word by word
Πιστὸς ὁ λόγος· εἴ τις ἐπισκοπῆς ὀρέγεται, καλοῦ ἔργου ἐπιθυμεῖ.Read the interlinear
Cross-references for 1 Timothy 3:1
- 1 Timothy 1:15Faithful is the saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief:
- 1 Timothy 4:9Faithful is the saying, and worthy of all acceptation.
- 2 Timothy 2:11Faithful is the saying: For if we died with him, we shall also live with him:
- 1 Timothy 3:2The bishop therefore must be without reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, orderly, given to hospitality, apt to teach;
- Acts 1:20For it is written in the book of Psalms, Let his habitation be made desolate, And let no man dwell therein: and, His office let another take.
- Philippians 1:1Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, to all the saints in Christ Jesus that are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:
- 1 Peter 2:25For ye were going astray like sheep; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.
- Acts 20:28Take heed unto yourselves, and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit hath made you bishops, to feed the church of the Lord which he purchased with his own blood.
- Hebrews 12:15looking carefully lestthere beany man that falleth short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby the many be defiled;
- 1 Peter 4:15For let none of you suffer as a murderer, or a thief, or an evil-doer, or as a meddler in other men’s matters:
- 1 Peter 5:2Tend the flock of God which is among you, exercising the oversight, not of constraint, but willingly, according to the will of God; nor yet for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;
- Proverbs 11:30The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; And he that is wise winneth souls.
- Luke 15:10Even so, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.
- Romans 11:13But I speak to you that are Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am an apostle of Gentiles, I glorify my ministry;
- Ephesians 4:12for the perfecting of the saints, unto the work of ministering, unto the building up of the body of Christ:
- 1 Thessalonians 5:14And we exhort you, brethren, admonish the disorderly, encourage the fainthearted, support the weak, be longsuffering toward all.
Commentaries on 1 Timothy 3:1
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 1This is a true saying - ̔ · This is a true doctrine. These words are joined to the last verse of the preceding chapter by several of the Greek fathers, and by them referred to the doctrine there stated. The office of a bishop - · The episcopacy, overseership or superintendency. The word , which we translate desire, signifies earnest, eager, passionate desire; and , which we translate desire, also signifies earnestly to desire or covet. It is strange that…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1This is a trite saying - Greek, “Faithful is the word” - the very phrase which is used in 1 Timothy 1:15; see the notes on that verse. The idea here is, that it was worthy of credence; it was not to be doubted. If a man desire - Implying that there would be those who would wish to be put into the ministry. The Lord, undoubtedly, by his Spirit, often excites an earnest and irrepressible desire to preach the gospel - a desire so strong, that he in whom it…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1The 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…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1trustworthy saying: See study note on 1:15. an overseer: Some translations assume that overseer and church leader refer to the same role (see study note on 5:17–18; see Titus 1:5–7). In the Greek and Roman world, an overseer was a supervisor in religious, civic, or military contexts. The traditional translation of this term is "bishop" (see King James Version).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-161Ti 3:1-16. Rules as to Bishops (Overseers) AND Deacons. The Church, and the Gospel Mystery Now Revealed to It, Are the End of All Such Rules. 1. Translate as Greek, "Faithful is the saying." A needful preface to what follows: for the office of a bishop or overseer in Paul's day, attended as it was with hardship and often persecution, would not seem to the world generally a desirable and "good work." desire--literally, "stretch one's self forward to…Read the comment
Topics related to 1 Timothy 3:1
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on 1 Timothy 3
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Illustrated New Testament
- Burkitt’s Expository Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Family Bible Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- The People’s New Testament
- Robertson’s Word Pictures
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
American Standard Version — 1901 — Public Domain
Commentaries