1 Timothy 5:17

1 Timothy 5:17 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine.
• New International Version (NIV)The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and doctrine.

Context of 1 Timothy 5:17

15Some of the younger widows have already turned away from Christ, so that they can obey Satan. 16A woman who believes in Christ should take care of any widows in her own family. Then the church will not have to do that work. Instead, the church will be able to help those widows who are really alone. Everyone should respect leaders of the believers who lead the church well. The church should also pay them properly for their work. That is certainly true for leaders who teach God's people and speak God's message to them. 18The Bible says: ‘Do not tie shut the mouth of a bull while it walks on your wheat seeds.’ The Bible also says: ‘You must pay a worker what his work is worth.’ 19Somebody may tell you that a leader of the believers has done something wrong. But do not accept that as true, unless two or three people say the same thing.

1 Timothy 5:17 word by word

Οἱ καλῶς προεστῶτες πρεσβύτεροι διπλῆς τιμῆς ἀξιούσθωσαν μάλιστα οἱ κοπιῶντες ἐν λόγῳ καὶ διδασκαλίᾳ·Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Letἀξιόωaxioō · to deem worthyG515
• the eldersπρεσβύτεροςpresbuteros · elder (leader)G4245
• that ruleπροΐστημιproistēmi · to set beforeG4291
• wellκαλῶςkalōs · wellG2573
• of doubleδιπλοῦςdiplous · doubleG1362
• honourτιμήtimē · honorG5092
• especiallyμάλισταmalista · especiallyG3122
• they who labourκοπιάωkopiaō · to laborG2872
• inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• the wordλόγοςlogos · wordG3056
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• doctrineδιδασκαλίαdidaskalia · teachingG1319

Cross-references for 1 Timothy 5:17

• 1 Timothy 5:1Do not speak strongly to an older man and tell him what he must do. Instead, ask him in a kind way, as you would speak to your father. Speak to younger men as you would speak to your brothers.
• 1 Timothy 3:5A man must know how to take care of his own family. If he cannot do that, he will not be able to take care of God's people in the church.
• Matthew 24:25So be careful! I have told you about these things before they happen.
• Luke 12:42Jesus replied, ‘Be a wise servant. Be someone that the master can trust. The master will choose a man like that. He will say to him, “I want you to rule my house and the other servants. Give them the food that they need at the right time.”
• Romans 12:8If God has helped you to make others strong, then you should do that. If God has helped you to share your things with others, do that seriously. If God has helped you to be a leader, do that carefully. If God has helped you to be kind to others, do that happily.
• 1 Thessalonians 5:12Our friends, we ask you to respect your leaders who work hard among you. They lead you and they teach you what is right on the Lord's behalf.
• Hebrews 13:7Remember your leaders, who taught God's message to you. Think about the way in which they have lived and the good things that they have done. They have trusted God, so you should have faith like they have.
• 1 Timothy 5:3Respect those widows in the church who are really alone.
• Acts 28:10The people gave us many gifts. Later, we got ready to leave the island on another ship. They gave us the things that we needed for the journey.
• Romans 15:27The Christians in Macedonia and Achaia were happy to share what they had. But really, they have a duty to help the Jewish Christians in Jerusalem. It is the Jews who shared good things from God to help the Gentiles in their spirits. So now the Gentiles ought to help the Jewish Christians with things that they need for their bodies.
• 1 Corinthians 9:5If we have a Christian wife, we should take her with us as we travel. The other apostles do this. So do the Lord's brothers, and also Peter. We have the same authority that they have.
• Galatians 6:6Everyone who is learning about God's message from a teacher should help his teacher. The student should share all the good things that he has with his teacher.
• Philippians 2:29Receive Epaphroditus well when he comes, and be happy. Like you, he belongs to the Lord's people. You should respect people like him and be kind to them.
• 2 Kings 2:9After they had crossed the river, Elijah said to Elisha, ‘The Lord will soon take me away from you. What do you want me to do for you before that happens?’ Elisha replied, ‘Please let me have twice as much of your spirit.’
• Isaiah 40:2Speak kindly to the people in Jerusalem. Tell them that their time of trouble has now finished. Their punishment has been enough. The Lord has made them pay for their sins. He has made them pay twice.’
• Jeremiah 16:18I will punish them for their sins. I will make them pay twice for the wrong things that they have done. That is because they have spoiled my land. They have made it unclean with their disgusting idols that have no life. They have filled my special land with the evil things that they have done.’

Commentaries on 1 Timothy 5:17

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 17Let the elders that rule well - Elder is probably here the name of an ecclesiastical officer, similar to what we now term presbyter. See on 1 Timothy 5:1; (note). Dr. Macknight has remarked that, "in the first age, the name , elder, was given to all who exercised any sacred office in the Church, as is plain from Acts 20:28, where the persons are called , bishops, who, Acts 20:17, were called , elders. The same thing appears from Titus 1:5, where those are…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 17Let the elders that rule well - Greek, ́ presbuteroiPresbyters. The apostle had given full instructions respecting bishops 1 Timothy 3:1-7; deacons 1 Timothy 3:8-13; widows 1 Timothy 5:3-16; and he here proceeds to prescribe the duty of the church toward those who sustain the office of elder. The word used - “elder” or “presbyter” - properly refers to age, and is then used to denote the officers of the church, probably because the aged were at first…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 17-25Verses 17-25 Care must be taken that ministers are maintained. And those who are laborious in this work are worthy of double honour and esteem. It is their just due, as much as the reward of the labourer. The apostle charges Timothy solemnly to guard against partiality. We have great need to watch at all times, that we do not partake of other men's sins. Keep thyself pure, not only from doing the like thyself, but from countenancing it, or any way helping…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 17-18are worthy of double honor: Compare Galatians 6:6. There is no evidence of paid leadership at this time. The word used here never refers to a continuous salary. But it does imply more than just respect. The quotations from Scripture suggest gifts of money (Deuteronomy 25:4; Luke 10:7).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1717. The transition from the widow presbyteresses (1Ti 5:9) to the presbyters here, is natural. rule well--literally, "preside well," with wisdom, ability, and loving faithfulness, over the flock assigned to them. be counted worthy of double honour--that is, the honor which is expressed by gifts (1Ti 5:3, 18) and otherwise. If a presbyter as such, in virtue of his office, is already worthy of honor, he who rules well is doubly so [Wiesinger] (1Co 9:14; Ga…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Timothy 5:17

• Church
• Commandments
• Elder
• Minister, Christian
• Reverence

In the dictionaries

• Beforehand
• Deny
• Guide
• Marry
• Reproachfully
• Requite
• Reward
• Bishop
• Church Government
• Doctrine

Commentaries on 1 Timothy 5

• 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