1 Timothy 3:2

1 Timothy 3:2 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;
• New International Version (NIV)Now the overseer is to be above reproach, faithful to his wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach,
• English Standard Version (ESV)Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach,
• New King James Version (NKJV)A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach;

Context of 1 Timothy 3:2

1It is a trustworthy statement: if any man aspires to the office of overseer, it is a fine work he desires to do. An overseer, then, must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, skillful in teaching, 3not overindulging in wine, not a bully, but gentle, not contentious, free from the love of money. 4He must be one who manages his own household well, keeping his children under control with all dignity

1 Timothy 3:2 word by word

δεῖ οὖν τὸν ἐπίσκοπον ἀνεπίλημπτον εἶναι, μιᾶς γυναικὸς ἄνδρα, νηφάλιον, σώφρονα, κόσμιον, φιλόξενον, διδακτικόν,Read the interlinear

• An overseerἐπίσκοποςepiskopos · overseerG1985
• thenοὖνoun · therefore/thenG3767
• mustδεῖdei · be necessaryG1163
• be aboveἀνεπίληπτοςanepilēptos · irreproachableG423
• the husbandἀνήρanēr · man: husbandG435
• of oneεἷςheis · oneG1520
• wifeγυνήgunē · woman: wifeG1135
• temperateνηφαλέοςnēphaleos nēphalios · soberG3524
• self-controlledσώφρωνsōphrōn · self-controlledG4998
• respectableκόσμιοςkosmios · respectableG2887
• hospitableφιλόξενοςphiloxenos · hospitableG5382
• skillfulδιδακτικόςdidaktikos · able to teachG1317

Cross-references for 1 Timothy 3:2

• 1 Timothy 3:10These men must also first be tested; then have them serve as deacons if they are beyond reproach.
• Luke 1:6They were both righteous in the sight of God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and requirements of the Lord.
• Philippians 2:15so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world,
• 1 Timothy 4:3who forbid marriage and advocate abstaining from foods which God has created to be gratefully shared in by those who believe and know the truth.
• 1 Timothy 5:9A widow is to be put on the list only if she is not less than sixty years old, having been the wife of one man,
• Hebrews 3:14For we have become partakers of Christ if we keep the beginning of our commitment firm until the end,
• Isaiah 56:10His watchmen are blind, All of them know nothing. All of them are mute dogs unable to bark, Dreamers lying down, who love to slumber;
• 1 Peter 4:7The end of all things is near; therefore, be of sound judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer.
• 1 Peter 5:8Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
• Romans 12:13contributing to the needs of the saints, practicing hospitality.
• Hebrews 13:2Do not neglect hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it.
• 1 Peter 4:9Be hospitable to one another without complaint.
• 2 Timothy 2:24The Lord’s bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, skillful in teaching, patient when wronged,

Commentaries on 1 Timothy 3:2

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 2A bishop then must be blameless - Our term bishop comes from the Anglo-Saxon, which is a mere corruption of the Greek , and the Latin episcopus; the former being compounded of , over, and , to look or inspect, signifies one who has the inspection or oversight of a place, persons, or business; what we commonly term a superintendent. The New Testament writers have borrowed the term from the Septuagint, it being the word by which they translate the פקיד…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 2A bishop - A minister of religion, according to the foregoing remarks, who has the charge or oversight of any Christian church. The reference here is doubtless to one who had the government of the church entrusted to him 1 Timothy 3:4-5, and who was also a preacher of the gospel. Must be blameless - This is a different word ( ̓́ anepilēmpton) from that rendered “blameless” in Luke 1:6; Philemon 2:15; Philemon 3:6 ( ̓́ amemptos); compare however, Luke 1:6…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 2must be above reproach: This is a key requirement for a church leader and public representative (see 3:7, 10; 5:7; 6:14; Titus 1:6–7; 2:8). the husband of but one wife (or be married only once; literally be the husband of one wife; also in 1 Timothy 3:12): This suggests, but does not require, a married man. It focuses on pure character and loyalty in marriage. This was not always assumed in the surrounding culture. It probably does not forbid marrying…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 22. The existence of Church organization and presbyters at Ephesus is presupposed (1Ti 5:17, 19). The institution of Church widows (1Ti 5:3-25) accords with this. The directions here to Timothy, the president or apostolic delegate, are as to filling up vacancies among the bishops and deacons, or adding to their number. New churches in the neighborhood also would require presbyters and deacons. Episcopacy was adopted in apostolic times as the most expedient…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Timothy 3:2

• Avarice
• Bishop
• Church
• Commandments
• Family
• Hospitality
• Marriage
• Meekness
• Minister, Christian
• Patience
• Polygamy
• Sobriety
• Strife
• Temperance

In the dictionaries

• Bishop
• Blameless
• Controversy
• Covetous
• Degree
• Hospitality
• Mystery
• Novice
• Rule
• Wife

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