1 Timothy 3:6

1 Timothy 3:6 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.
• New International Version (NIV)He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same judgment as the devil.
• English Standard Version (ESV)He must not be a recent convert, or he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil.
• New King James Version (NKJV)not a novice, lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the same condemnation as the devil.

Context of 1 Timothy 3:6

4He must manage his own household well and keep his children in control without losing his dignity. 5But if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for the church of God? He must not be a recent convert or he may become arrogant and fall into the punishment that the devil will exact. 7And he must be well thought of by those outside the faith, so that he may not fall into disgrace and be caught by the devil’s trap. 8Deacons likewise must be dignified, not two-faced, not given to excessive drinking, not greedy for gain,

1 Timothy 3:6 word by word

μὴ νεόφυτον, ἵνα μὴ τυφωθεὶς εἰς κρίμα ἐμπέσῃ τοῦ διαβόλου.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• ·ἵναhina · in order that/toG2443
• Notμήmē · notG3361
• a noviceνεόφυτοςneophutos · new convertG3504
• being lifted up with prideτυφόωtuphoō · be conceitedG5187
• he fallἐμπίπτωempiptō · to fall intoG1706
• intoεἰςeis · towardG1519
• the condemnationκρίμαkrima · judgmentG2917
• of the devilδιάβολοςdiabolos · devilish/the DevilG1228

Cross-references for 1 Timothy 3:6

• 1 Corinthians 3:1So, brothers and sisters, I could not speak to you as spiritual people, but instead as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ.
• Hebrews 5:12For though you should in fact be teachers by this time, you need someone to teach you the beginning elements of God’s utterances. You have gone back to needing milk, not solid food.
• 1 Peter 2:2And yearn like newborn infants for pure, spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up to salvation,
• Deuteronomy 8:14be sure you do not feel self-important and forget the Lord your God who brought you from the land of Egypt, the place of slavery,
• Deuteronomy 17:20Then he will not exalt himself above his fellow citizens or turn from the commandments to the right or left, and he and his descendants will enjoy many years ruling over his kingdom in Israel.
• 2 Kings 14:10You thoroughly defeated Edom and it has gone to your head! Gloat over your success, but stay in your palace. Why bring calamity on yourself? Why bring down yourself and Judah along with you?”
• 2 Chronicles 26:16But once he became powerful, his pride destroyed him. He disobeyed the Lord his God. He entered the Lord’s temple to offer incense on the incense altar.
• 2 Chronicles 32:25But Hezekiah was ungrateful; he had a proud attitude, provoking God to be angry at him, as well as Judah and Jerusalem.
• Proverbs 16:18Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.
• Proverbs 18:12Before destruction the heart of a person is proud, but humility comes before honor.
• Proverbs 29:23A person’s pride will bring him low, but one who has a lowly spirit will gain honor.
• Isaiah 2:12Indeed, the Lord who commands armies has planned a day of judgment, for all the high and mighty, for all who are proud – they will be humiliated;
• 1 Corinthians 4:6I have applied these things to myself and Apollos because of you, brothers and sisters, so that through us you may learn “not to go beyond what is written,” so that none of you will be puffed up in favor of the one against the other.
• 1 Corinthians 8:1With regard to food sacrificed to idols, we know that “we all have knowledge.” Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.
• 2 Corinthians 12:7even because of the extraordinary character of the revelations. Therefore, so that I would not become arrogant, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to trouble me – so that I would not become arrogant.
• 1 Peter 5:5In the same way, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. And all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.

Commentaries on 1 Timothy 3:6

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 6Fifteenth - It is required that he be not a novice - · Not a young plant, not recently ingrafted, that is, one not newly converted to the faith; (old MS. Bible); one who has been of considerable standing in the Christian Church, if he have the preceding qualifications, may be safely trusted with the government of that Church. It is impossible that one who is not long and deeply experienced in the ways of God can guide others in the way of life. Hence…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 6Not a novice - Margin, “one newly come to the faith.” The Greek word, which occurs nowhere else in the New Testament, means, properly, that which is “newly planted.” Thus it would mean a plant that was not strong, or not fitted to bear the severity of storms; that had not as yet struck its roots deep, and could not resist the fierceness of a cold blast. Then the word comes to mean a new convert; one who has had little opportunity to test his own faith, or…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-13The topic shifts to church leadership by overseers and deacons (3:1–7; 8–13). Timothy’s role in the appointments is less plain than that of Titus (see 5:17–22; Titus 1:5). This may be because the church in Ephesus was more mature and better able to manage the process (see Acts 6:2–6). The criteria listed here focus on character rather than function. It partly responds to the local false teachers and their followers. Reading this letter in the churches…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 66. not a novice--one just converted. This proves the Church of Ephesus was established now for some time. The absence of this rule in the Epistle to Titus, accords with the recent planting of the Church at Crete. Greek, "neophyte," literally, "a young plant"; luxuriantly verdant (Ro 6:5; 11:17; 1Co 3:6). The young convert has not yet been disciplined and matured by afflictions and temptations. Contrast Ac 21:16, "an old disciple." lifted up with…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Timothy 3:6

• Bishop
• Church
• Commandments
• Minister, Christian
• Pride
• Satan

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