1 Timothy 3:13

1 Timothy 3:13 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)For they that have used the office of a deacon well purchase to themselves a good degree, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.
• New International Version (NIV)Those who have served well gain an excellent standing and great assurance in their faith in Christ Jesus.
• English Standard Version (ESV)For those who serve well as deacons gain a good standing for themselves and also great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.
• New King James Version (NKJV)For those who have served well as deacons obtain for themselves a good standing and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.

Context of 1 Timothy 3:13

11Deacons' wives must live good lives, so that people respect them. They must not say bad things against people. They must think carefully about how they live. People should know that they are honest in everything they do. 12A deacon must be the husband of one wife. He must take care of his children and everyone who lives in his house. If a deacon serves God's people well, then people will respect him as a good person. He will become strong to tell people about his faith in Christ Jesus. 14I hope to come to visit you soon. But anyway, I want to write these things to you now. 15Then, even if I cannot come to you soon, you will know how people in God's family should live. That family is the church of God, who lives for ever. God's family, the church, teaches God's true message and keeps it safe.

1 Timothy 3:13 word by word

οἱ γὰρ καλῶς διακονήσαντες βαθμὸν ἑαυτοῖς καλὸν περιποιοῦνται καὶ πολλὴν παρρησίαν ἐν πίστει τῇ ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ.¶Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Forγάρgar · forG1063
• they that have used the office of a deaconδιακονέωdiakoneō · to serveG1247
• wellκαλῶςkalōs · wellG2573
• purchaseπεριποιέωperipoieomai · to gainG4046
• to themselvesἑαυτοῦheautou · themselfG1438
• a goodκαλόςkalos · goodG2570
• degreeβαθμόςbathmos · standingG898
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• greatπολύςpolus polos · muchG4183
• boldnessπαρρησίαparrhēsia · boldnessG3954
• inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• the faithπίστιςpistis · faithG4102
• ChristΧριστόςChristos · ChristG5547
• JesusἸησοῦςIēsous · JesusG2424

Cross-references for 1 Timothy 3:13

• Matthew 25:21The master said to this servant, “You are a good servant and you have done really well. You were careful with a small amount of money. Now I will give you authority over many more things. I am really happy about this and I want you to be happy with me.”
• Luke 16:10If you can trust a person with a very small thing, you can also trust him with bigger things. And if you cannot trust a person with a very small thing, you cannot trust him with big things.
• Luke 19:17The king was happy and said to his servant, “You have done well. You are a good servant that I can trust. You have used a small amount of money well. So now you will rule over ten cities.”
• Matthew 20:28Even the Son of Man himself came to earth to be a servant to other people. He did not come here to have servants who must work for him. No, he came to die so that many people can be free.’
• Romans 12:7God helps some people to serve others. They should do that well. God helps some people to be able to teach others. Those people should teach well.
• 1 Corinthians 16:15My Christian friends, you know about Stephanas and his family. They were the first people in Achaia to become Christians. They have worked hard as God's servants to help his people. So I say this to you.
• Hebrews 6:10God is always right and fair. He will not forget all the good things that you have done. You have shown that you love him very much, because you have helped the other believers. And you continue to help them as God's servants.
• 1 Peter 4:10God has helped each of you in a certain way. Think carefully about how to use that gift from God well. Remember that God has given many different gifts to his people so that they can help each other.
• Acts 21:35The soldiers then led Paul as far as the steps of their building. Then they had to carry him because the crowd was so angry.
• Acts 6:5The whole group of believers was happy with the apostles' words. So first they chose a man called Stephen. Stephen believed strongly in God and he was full of the Holy Spirit. The believers also chose six other men: Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas and Nicolas. Nicolas was from Antioch. He was not born as a Jew, but he had joined the Jews later.
• Acts 7:1The most important priest said to Stephen, ‘These men are saying things against you. Are these things true?’
• Philippians 1:14Also, because I am in a prison, most of the other believers here trust the Lord even more. The Lord has made them brave, so that they are not afraid to speak God's message to people.
• 1 Thessalonians 2:2You know what happened to us before we came to you. The people at Philippi had done bad things to us. They had caused us to have trouble. When we came to you, our God helped us to be brave. We were not afraid to tell you his good news. Many people tried to stop us, but we told you God's message.
• 2 Timothy 2:1Timothy, you are like my own child. Let God make you strong. He is kind, so trust him to help you, because you belong to Christ Jesus.

Commentaries on 1 Timothy 3:13

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 13That have used the office of a deacon well - They who, having been tried or proved, 1 Timothy 3:10, have shown by their steadiness, activity, and zeal, that they might be raised to a higher office, are here said to have purchased to themselves a good degree, · for, instead of having to administer to the bodies and bodily wants of the poor, the faithful deacons were raised to minister in holy things; and, instead of ministering the bread that perisheth…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 13For they that have used the office of a deacon well - Margin, “ministered.” The Greek word is the same as deacon, meaning ministering, or serving in this office. The sense would be well expressed by the phrase, “deaconizing well.” The “word” implies nothing as to the exact nature of the office. Purchase to themselves - Procure for themselves; see this word explained in the notes on Acts 20:28. A good degree - The word here used ( ́ bathmos) occurs nowhere…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 8-13Verses 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…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 8-13The Greek word for deacon means "servant, assistant, messenger, or agent." Its related words mean "service" or "to serve" and often refer to any kind of service (for example, 4:6; Matthew 22:13; John 2:5; 12:26; Romans 13:4; 1 Corinthians 3:5). When plainly referring to a church office, it appears only in 1 Timothy 3:8–13; Philippians 1:1; and possibly Romans 16:1. Here the passage focuses on character rather than activities. See also study note on Acts…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1313. purchase to themselves a good degree--literally, "are acquiring ... a ... step." Understood by many as "a higher step," that is, promotion to the higher office of presbyter. But ambition of rising seems hardly the motive to faithfulness which the apostle would urge; besides, it would require the comparative, "a better degree." Then the past aorist participle, "they that used the office of deacon well," implies that the present verb, "are acquiring to…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Timothy 3:13

• Church
• Commandments
• Deacon
• Minister, Christian

In the dictionaries

• Christ
• Jesus
• Christ, Messiah
• Jesus, Jesus Christ, Christ Jesus
• Christ, Jesus
• Bishop
• Blameless
• Controversy
• Covetous
• Degree

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