1 Timothy 5:18

1 Timothy 5:18 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)For the scripture saith, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn. And, The labourer is worthy of his reward.
• New International Version (NIV)For Scripture says, “Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain,” and “The worker deserves his wages.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)For the Scripture says, "You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain," and, "The laborer deserves his wages."
• New King James Version (NKJV)For the Scripture says, “You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain,” and, “The laborer is worthy of his wages.”

Context of 1 Timothy 5:18

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. 17Everyone 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. The 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. 20If a leader is really guilty and continues to do wrong things, you must warn him. Do that when everyone in the church is there. They will hear what you say, and they will be afraid to do wrong things themselves.

1 Timothy 5:18 word by word

λέγει γὰρ ἡ γραφή· βοῦν ἀλοῶντα οὐ φιμώσεις· καὶ ἄξιος ὁ ἐργάτης τοῦ μισθοῦ αὐτοῦ.¶Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Forγάρgar · forG1063
• the scriptureὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• the scriptureγραφήgraphē · a writingG1124
• saithλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• Thou shaltφιμόωphimoō · to muzzleG5392
• notοὐou · noG3756
• the oxβοῦςbous · oxG1016
• that treadeth out the cornἀλοάωaloaō · to threshG248
• Andκαίkai · andG2532
• The labourerἐργάτηςergatēs · workerG2040
• worthyἄξιοςaxios · worthyG514
• of hisαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• rewardμισθόςmisthos · wageG3408

Cross-references for 1 Timothy 5:18

• 1 Timothy 4:3They say that it is wrong for anyone to marry. They tell people not to eat certain kinds of food. But God made those foods for people to eat! We should understand God's true message and trust him. Then we will receive the food that he has given us and we will thank him for it.
• Galatians 3:8The Bible already said what would happen at a future time. It said that God would make the Gentiles right with himself, if they believed in him. God showed this good news to Abraham a long time before it happened. He said to Abraham, ‘I will bless people from all countries because of you.’
• James 4:5The Bible says, ‘God has caused his Spirit to live in us. He wants very much to keep us for himself.’ Do you think that is not true?
• Deuteronomy 25:4Do not tie shut the mouth of your ox while it walks on your grain to prepare it for you.
• 1 Corinthians 9:9God's Law that he gave to Moses says this: ‘Do not tie shut the mouth of your ox while it walks on your grain.’ But God's Law does not teach this only to help bulls.
• Leviticus 19:13You must not rob another person. You must not keep a slave's money until the morning.
• Deuteronomy 24:14Do not be cruel to any poor or helpless person who works for you. Be kind to him, whether he is an Israelite or a foreigner who lives in one of your towns.
• Matthew 10:10Do not take a bag with you, or extra clothes. Do not take extra shoes or a stick. You are working to help people. So people should give you what you need to live.
• Luke 10:7Stay in the same house there until you leave that town. Accept the food and drink that the people in the house give to you. You are working to help them. So they should give you what you need to live. Do not visit different houses to get food.

Commentaries on 1 Timothy 5:18

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 18The Scripture saith, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox - This is a manifest proof that by , honor, in the preceding verse, the apostle means salary or wages: "Let the elders that rule well be accounted worthy of double honor," a larger salary than any of the official widows mentioned before, for "the laborer is worthy of his hire." The maintenance of every man in the Church should be in proportion to his own labor, and the necessities of his family. He that…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 18For the Scripture saith - This is adduced as a reason why a church should show all due respect and care for its ministers. The reason is, that as God took care to make provision for the laboring ox, much more should due attention be paid to those who labor for the welfare of the church. Thou shalt not muzzle the ox - see this passage explained, and its bearing on such an argument shown, in the notes on 1 Corinthians 9:8-10. And, The labourer is worthy of…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. 1818. the scripture--(De 25:4; quoted before in 1Co 9:9). the ox that treadeth out--Greek, An ox while treading. The labourer is worthy of his reward--or "hire"; quoted from Lu 10:7, whereas Mt 10:10 has "his meat," or "food." If Paul extends the phrase, "Scripture saith," to this second clause, as well as to the first, he will be hereby recognizing the Gospel of Luke, his own helper (whence appears the undesigned appositeness of the quotation), as inspired…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Timothy 5:18

• Animals
• Bullock
• Commandments
• Elder
• Employee
• Employer
• Labor
• Master
• Minister, Christian
• Quotations and Allusions
• Servant
• Threshing

In the dictionaries

• Beforehand
• Deny
• Guide
• Marry
• Reproachfully
• Requite
• Reward
• Bible, the
• Chronology of the New Testament
• Inspiration

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