New International Version
1 Timothy 5:17
17The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching.
1 Timothy 5:17 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and doctrine.
- New Living Translation (NLT)Elders who do their work well should be respected and paid well, especially those who work hard at both preaching and teaching.
Context of 1 Timothy 5:17
15Some have in fact already turned away to follow Satan. 16If any woman who is a believer has widows in her care, she should continue to help them and not let the church be burdened with them, so that the church can help those widows who are really in need. The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching. 18For Scripture says, “Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain,” and “The worker deserves his wages.” 19Do not entertain an accusation against an elder unless it is brought by two or three witnesses.
Read all of 1 Timothy 51 Timothy 5:17 word by word
Οἱ καλῶς προεστῶτες πρεσβύτεροι διπλῆς τιμῆς ἀξιούσθωσαν μάλιστα οἱ κοπιῶντες ἐν λόγῳ καὶ διδασκαλίᾳ·Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- Letἀξιόωaxioō · to deem worthyG515
- the eldersπρεσβύτεροςpresbuteros · elder (leader)G4245
- that ruleπροΐστημιproistēmi · to set beforeG4291
- wellκαλῶςkalōs · wellG2573
- of doubleδιπλοῦςdiplous · doubleG1362
- honourτιμήtimē · honorG5092
- especiallyμάλισταmalista · especiallyG3122
- they who labourκοπιάωkopiaō · to laborG2872
- inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
- the wordλόγοςlogos · wordG3056
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- doctrineδιδασκαλίαdidaskalia · teachingG1319
Cross-references for 1 Timothy 5:17
- 1 Timothy 5:1Do not rebuke an older man harshly, but exhort him as if he were your father. Treat younger men as brothers,
- 1 Timothy 3:5(If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God’s church?)
- Matthew 24:25See, I have told you ahead of time.
- Luke 12:42The Lord answered, “Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom the master puts in charge of his servants to give them their food allowance at the proper time?
- Romans 12:8if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.
- 1 Thessalonians 5:12Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, to acknowledge those who work hard among you, who care for you in the Lord and who admonish you.
- Hebrews 13:7Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith.
- 1 Timothy 5:3Give proper recognition to those widows who are really in need.
- Acts 28:10They honored us in many ways; and when we were ready to sail, they furnished us with the supplies we needed.
- Romans 15:27They were pleased to do it, and indeed they owe it to them. For if the Gentiles have shared in the Jews’ spiritual blessings, they owe it to the Jews to share with them their material blessings.
- 1 Corinthians 9:5Don’t we have the right to take a believing wife along with us, as do the other apostles and the Lord’s brothers and Cephas?
- Galatians 6:6Nevertheless, the one who receives instruction in the word should share all good things with their instructor.
- Philippians 2:29So then, welcome him in the Lord with great joy, and honor people like him,
- 2 Kings 2:9When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “Tell me, what can I do for you before I am taken from you?” “Let me inherit a double portion of your spirit,” Elisha replied.
- Isaiah 40:2Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her hard service has been completed, that her sin has been paid for, that she has received from the Lord’s hand double for all her sins.
- Jeremiah 16:18I will repay them double for their wickedness and their sin, because they have defiled my land with the lifeless forms of their vile images and have filled my inheritance with their detestable idols.”
Commentaries on 1 Timothy 5:17
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 17Let the elders that rule well - Elder is probably here the name of an ecclesiastical officer, similar to what we now term presbyter. See on 1 Timothy 5:1; (note). Dr. Macknight has remarked that, "in the first age, the name , elder, was given to all who exercised any sacred office in the Church, as is plain from Acts 20:28, where the persons are called , bishops, who, Acts 20:17, were called , elders. The same thing appears from Titus 1:5, where those are…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 17Let the elders that rule well - Greek, ́ presbuteroiPresbyters. The apostle had given full instructions respecting bishops 1 Timothy 3:1-7; deacons 1 Timothy 3:8-13; widows 1 Timothy 5:3-16; and he here proceeds to prescribe the duty of the church toward those who sustain the office of elder. The word used - “elder” or “presbyter” - properly refers to age, and is then used to denote the officers of the church, probably because the aged were at first…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. 1717. The transition from the widow presbyteresses (1Ti 5:9) to the presbyters here, is natural. rule well--literally, "preside well," with wisdom, ability, and loving faithfulness, over the flock assigned to them. be counted worthy of double honour--that is, the honor which is expressed by gifts (1Ti 5:3, 18) and otherwise. If a presbyter as such, in virtue of his office, is already worthy of honor, he who rules well is doubly so [Wiesinger] (1Co 9:14; Ga…Read the comment
Topics related to 1 Timothy 5:17
In the dictionaries
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
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