1 Timothy 3:15

1 Timothy 3:15 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.
• New International Version (NIV)if I am delayed, you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in God’s household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth.
• English Standard Version (ESV)if I delay, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth.
• New King James Version (NKJV)but if I am delayed, I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.

Context of 1 Timothy 3:15

13Those deacons who serve well gain an excellent reputation and will have confidence as a result of their faith in Christ Jesus. 14I hope to visit you soon. However, I’m writing this to you in case I’m delayed. I want you to know how people who are members of God’s family must live. God’s family is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth. 16The mystery that gives us our reverence for God is acknowledged to be great: He appeared in his human nature, was approved by the Spirit, was seen by angels, was announced throughout the nations, was believed in the world, and was taken to heaven in glory.

1 Timothy 3:15 word by word

ἐὰν δὲ βραδύνω, ἵνα εἰδῇς πῶς δεῖ ἐν οἴκῳ θεοῦ ἀναστρέφεσθαι, ἥτις ἐστὶν ἐκκλησία θεοῦ ζῶντος, στῦλος καὶ ἑδραίωμα τῆς ἀληθείας.¶Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Butδέde · thenG1161
• ifἐάνean · ifG1437
• I tarry longβραδύνωbradunō · to delayG1019
• thatἵναhina · in order that/toG2443
• thou mayest knowεἴδωeidō · to perceive: understandG1492
• howπῶςpōs · how?!G4459
• thou oughtestδεῖdei · be necessaryG1163
• to behave thyselfἀναστρέφωanastrepho · to live/returnG390
• inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• the houseοἶκοςoikos · house: householdG3624
• of Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
• whichὅστιςhostis hētis ho6ti · who/whichG3748
• isεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• the churchἐκκλησίαekklēsia · assemblyG1577
• of the livingζάωzaō · to liveG2198
• the pillarστῦλοςstulos · pillarG4769
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• groundἑδραίωμαhedraiōma · foundationG1477
• of the truthὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• of the truthἀλήθειαalētheia · truthG225

Cross-references for 1 Timothy 3:15

• 1 Timothy 3:2A bishop must have a good reputation. He must have only one wife, be sober, use good judgment, be respectable, be hospitable, and be able to teach.
• Deuteronomy 31:23The Lord gave this command to Joshua, son of Nun: “Be strong and courageous, because you will bring the Israelites into the land that I swore to give them, and I will be with you.”
• 1 Kings 2:2“I’m about to leave this world. Be strong and mature.
• 1 Chronicles 22:13Then you will succeed if you will carefully obey the laws and decrees the Lord commanded Moses to give to Israel. Be strong and courageous. Don’t be afraid or terrified.
• 1 Chronicles 28:9“And you, my son Solomon, learn to know your father’s God. Serve the Lord wholeheartedly and willingly because he searches every heart and understands every thought ⌞we have⌟. If you dedicate your life to serving him, he will accept you. But if you abandon him, he will reject you from then on.
• Acts 1:2until the day he was taken to heaven. Before he was taken to heaven, he gave instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles, whom he had chosen.
• Ephesians 2:21In him all the parts of the building fit together and grow into a holy temple in the Lord.
• 2 Timothy 2:20In a large house there are not only objects made of gold and silver, but also those made of wood and clay. Some objects are honored when they are used; others aren’t.
• Hebrews 3:2Jesus is faithful to God, who appointed him, in the same way that Moses was faithful when he served in God’s house.
• 1 Peter 2:5You come to him as living stones, a spiritual house that is being built into a holy priesthood. So offer spiritual sacrifices that God accepts through Jesus Christ.
• 1 Timothy 3:5(If a man doesn’t know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God’s church?)
• 1 Timothy 4:10Certainly, we work hard and struggle to live a godly life, because we place our confidence in the living God. He is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe.
• 1 Timothy 6:16He is the only one who cannot die. He lives in light that no one can come near. No one has seen him, nor can they see him. Honor and power belong to him forever! Amen.
• Deuteronomy 5:26Who has ever heard the voice of the living God speak from a fire, as we did, and lived?
• Joshua 3:10Joshua continued, “This is how you will know that the living God is among you and that he will certainly force the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites, and Jebusites out of your way.
• 1 Samuel 17:26David asked the men who were standing near him, “What will be done for the man who kills this Philistine and gets rid of Israel’s disgrace? Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should challenge the army of the living God?”

Commentaries on 1 Timothy 3:15

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 15But if I tarry long - That is: Not withstanding I hope to come to thee shortly, and therefore do not feel the necessity of writing at large; yet, lest I should be delayed, I write what I judge necessary to direct thy conduct in the Church of God. The house of God - This is spoken in allusion to the ancient tabernacle; which was God's house, and in which the symbol of the Divine Majesty dwelt. So the Christian Church is God's house, and every believer is a…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 15But if I tarry long - Paul appears to have been uncertain how long circumstances would require him to be absent. He expected to return, but it was possible that his hope of returning soon would be disappointed. That thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself - That is, that he might have just views about settling the affairs of the church. In the house of God - This does not mean in a place of public worship, nor does it refer to propriety of…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 14-16Verses 14-16 The church is the house of God; he dwells there. The church holds forth the Scripture and the doctrine of Christ, as a pillar holds forth a proclamation. When a church ceases to be the pillar and ground of truth, we may and ought to forsake her; for our regard to truth should be first and greatest. The mystery of godliness is Christ. He is God, who was made flesh, and was manifest in the flesh. God was pleased to manifest himself to man, by…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 15God’s household: The earliest churches were churches that met in homes (Romans 16:5; 1 Corinthians 16:19; Colossians 4:15; Philemon 1:2). They followed similar rules of behavior to Greek and Roman households (see study note on 1 Tim 3:4–5). Breaking the rules brought shame to the whole household and its leader. The same applies to the church (compare Ephesians 2:19–22; Hebrews 3:6; 10:21; 1 Peter 4:17). the pillar and foundation of the truth: This idea…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1515. But if I tarry long--before coming to thee. that--that is, I write (1Ti 3:14) "that thou mayest know," &c. behave thyself--in directing the Church at Ephesus (1Ti 4:11). the house of God--the Church (He 3:2, 5, 6; 10:21; 1Pe 4:17; 1Co 3:16, "the temple of God"; Ep 2:22). which is--that is, inasmuch as it is. the church--"the congregation." The fact that the sphere of thy functions is "the congregation of the living God" (who is the ever living Master…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Timothy 3:15

• Church
• House
• Minister, Christian
• Truth

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• House of God
• Bishop
• Blameless
• Controversy
• Covetous
• Degree
• Hospitality
• Mystery

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