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.
• 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.
• New Living Translation (NLT)A church leader must not be a new believer, because he might become proud, and the devil would cause him to fall.

Context of 1 Timothy 3:6

4He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him, and he must do so in a manner worthy of full respect. 5(If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God’s church?) He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same judgment as the devil. 7He must also have a good reputation with outsiders, so that he will not fall into disgrace and into the devil’s trap. 8In the same way, deacons are to be worthy of respect, sincere, not indulging in much wine, and not pursuing dishonest 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 3:1Brothers and sisters, I could not address you as people who live by the Spirit but as people who are still worldly—mere infants in Christ.
• Hebrews 5:12In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food!
• 1 Peter 2:2Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation,
• Deuteronomy 8:14then your heart will become proud and you will forget the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.
• Deuteronomy 17:20and not consider himself better than his fellow Israelites and turn from the law to the right or to the left. Then he and his descendants will reign a long time over his kingdom in Israel.
• 2 Kings 14:10You have indeed defeated Edom and now you are arrogant. Glory in your victory, but stay at home! Why ask for trouble and cause your own downfall and that of Judah also?”
• 2 Chronicles 26:16But after Uzziah became powerful, his pride led to his downfall. He was unfaithful to the Lord his God, and entered the temple of the Lord to burn incense on the altar of incense.
• 2 Chronicles 32:25But Hezekiah’s heart was proud and he did not respond to the kindness shown him; therefore the Lord’s wrath was on him and on Judah and Jerusalem.
• Proverbs 16:18Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.
• Proverbs 18:12Before a downfall the heart is haughty, but humility comes before honor.
• Proverbs 29:23Pride brings a person low, but the lowly in spirit gain honor.
• Isaiah 2:12The Lord Almighty has a day in store for all the proud and lofty, for all that is exalted (and they will be humbled),
• 1 Corinthians 4:6Now, brothers and sisters, I have applied these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, so that you may learn from us the meaning of the saying, “Do not go beyond what is written.” Then you will not be puffed up in being a follower of one of us over against the other.
• 1 Corinthians 8:1Now about food sacrificed to idols: We know that “We all possess knowledge.” But knowledge puffs up while love builds up.
• 2 Corinthians 12:7or because of these surpassingly great revelations. Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me.
• 1 Peter 5:5In the same way, you who are younger, submit yourselves to your elders. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud but shows favor 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