New King James Version
1 Timothy 3:11
11Likewise, their wives must be reverent, not slanderers, temperate, faithful in all things.
1 Timothy 3:11 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Even so must their wives be grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things.
- New International Version (NIV)In the same way, the women are to be worthy of respect, not malicious talkers but temperate and trustworthy in everything.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Their wives likewise must be dignified, not slanderers, but sober-minded, faithful in all things.
- New Living Translation (NLT)In the same way, their wives must be respected and must not slander others. They must exercise self-control and be faithful in everything they do.
Context of 1 Timothy 3:11
9holding the mystery of the faith with a pure conscience. 10But let these also first be tested; then let them serve as deacons, being found blameless. Likewise, their wives must be reverent, not slanderers, temperate, faithful in all things. 12Let deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well. 13For those who have served well as deacons obtain for themselves a good standing and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.
Read all of 1 Timothy 31 Timothy 3:11 word by word
Γυναῖκας ὡσαύτως σεμνάς, μὴ διαβόλους, νηφαλίους, πιστὰς ἐν πᾶσιν.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for 1 Timothy 3:11
- Leviticus 21:7They shall not take a wife who is a harlot or a defiled woman, nor shall they take a woman divorced from her husband; for the priest is holy to his God.
- Ezekiel 44:22They shall not take as wife a widow or a divorced woman, but take virgins of the descendants of the house of Israel, or widows of priests.
- Luke 1:5There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the division of Abijah. His wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.
- 1 Timothy 3:4one who rules his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence
- Psalms 15:3He who does not backbite with his tongue, Nor does evil to his neighbor, Nor does he take up a reproach against his friend;
- Psalms 50:20You sit and speak against your brother; You slander your own mother’s son.
- Psalms 101:5Whoever secretly slanders his neighbor, Him I will destroy; The one who has a haughty look and a proud heart, Him I will not endure.
- Proverbs 10:18Whoever hides hatred has lying lips, And whoever spreads slander is a fool.
- Proverbs 25:13Like the cold of snow in time of harvest Is a faithful messenger to those who send him, For he refreshes the soul of his masters.
- Jeremiah 9:4“Everyone take heed to his neighbor, And do not trust any brother; For every brother will utterly supplant, And every neighbor will walk with slanderers.
- Matthew 4:1Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.
- John 6:70Jesus answered them, “Did I not choose you, the twelve, and one of you is a devil?”
- 2 Timothy 3:3unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good,
- Revelation 12:9So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
- 1 Timothy 3:2A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach;
- 1 Thessalonians 5:6Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober.
Commentaries on 1 Timothy 3:11
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 11Even so must their wives be grave - I believe the apostle does not mean here the wives either of the bishops or deacons in particular, but the Christian women in general. The original is simply: ̔ · Let the women likewise be grave. Whatever is spoken here becomes women in general; but if the apostle had those termed deaconesses in his eye, which is quite possible, the words are peculiarly suitable to them. That there was such an order in the apostolic and…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 11Even so must their wives be grave - Chrysostom, Theophylact, Grotius, Bloomfield, and many others, suppose that by the word “wives,” here, ( ͂ gunaikas), the apostle means “deaconesses.” Clarke supposes that it refers to women in general. The reason assigned for supposing that it does not refer to the wives of deacons, as such, is, that nothing is said of the qualifications of the wives of bishops - a matter of as much importance as that of the character…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 8-13Verses 8-13 The deacons were at first appointed to distribute the charity of the church, and to manage its concerns, yet pastors and evangelists were among them. The deacons had a great trust reposed in them. They must be grave, serious, prudent men. It is not fit that public trusts should be lodged in the hands of any, till they are found fit for the business with which they are to be trusted. All who are related to ministers, must take great care to…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 11the women (or the women deacons, or their wives): The Greek word can mean women or wives. Supporting the interpretation of their wives, 3:8–13 discusses male deacons. Switching to "women deacons" here would change the context. However, there might have been women deacons in the early church (see Romans 16:1). If so, this verse might parallel 1 Timothy 3:8.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1111. their wives--rather, "the women," that is, the deaconesses. For there is no reason that special rules should be laid down as to the wives of the deacons, and not also as to the wives of the bishops or overseers. Moreover, if the wives of the deacons were meant, there seems no reason for the omission of "their" (not in the Greek). Also the Greek for "even so" (the same as for "likewise," 1Ti 3:8, and "in like manner," 1Ti 2:9), denotes a transition to…Read the comment
Topics related to 1 Timothy 3:11
In the dictionaries
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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries