New King James Version
1 Timothy 3:15
15but if I am delayed, I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.
1 Timothy 3:15 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.
- New International Version (NIV)if I am delayed, you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in God’s household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth.
- English Standard Version (ESV)if I delay, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth.
- New Living Translation (NLT)so that if I am delayed, you will know how people must conduct themselves in the household of God. This is the church of the living God, which is the pillar and foundation of the truth.
Context of 1 Timothy 3:15
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. 14These things I write to you, though I hope to come to you shortly; but if I am delayed, I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth. 16And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh, Justified in the Spirit, Seen by angels, Preached among the Gentiles, Believed on in the world, Received up in glory.
Read all of 1 Timothy 31 Timothy 3:15 word by word
ἐὰν δὲ βραδύνω, ἵνα εἰδῇς πῶς δεῖ ἐν οἴκῳ θεοῦ ἀναστρέφεσθαι, ἥτις ἐστὶν ἐκκλησία θεοῦ ζῶντος, στῦλος καὶ ἑδραίωμα τῆς ἀληθείας.¶Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Butδέde · thenG1161
- ifἐάνean · ifG1437
- I tarry longβραδύνωbradunō · to delayG1019
- thatἵναhina · in order that/toG2443
- thou mayest knowεἴδωeidō · to perceive: understandG1492
- howπῶςpōs · how?!G4459
- thou oughtestδεῖdei · be necessaryG1163
- to behave thyselfἀναστρέφωanastrepho · to live/returnG390
- inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
- the houseοἶκοςoikos · house: householdG3624
- of Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
- whichὅστιςhostis hētis ho6ti · who/whichG3748
- isεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
- the churchἐκκλησίαekklēsia · assemblyG1577
- of the livingζάωzaō · to liveG2198
- the pillarστῦλοςstulos · pillarG4769
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- groundἑδραίωμαhedraiōma · foundationG1477
- of the truthὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- of the truthἀλήθειαalētheia · truthG225
Cross-references for 1 Timothy 3:15
- 1 Timothy 3:2A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach;
- Deuteronomy 31:23Then He inaugurated Joshua the son of Nun, and said, “Be strong and of good courage; for you shall bring the children of Israel into the land of which I swore to them, and I will be with you.”
- 1 Kings 2:2“I go the way of all the earth; be strong, therefore, and prove yourself a man.
- 1 Chronicles 22:13Then you will prosper, if you take care to fulfill the statutes and judgments with which the Lord charged Moses concerning Israel. Be strong and of good courage; do not fear nor be dismayed.
- 1 Chronicles 28:9“As for you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father, and serve Him with a loyal heart and with a willing mind; for the Lord searches all hearts and understands all the intent of the thoughts. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will cast you off forever.
- Acts 1:2until the day in which He was taken up, after He through the Holy Spirit had given commandments to the apostles whom He had chosen,
- Ephesians 2:21in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord,
- 2 Timothy 2:20But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some for honor and some for dishonor.
- Hebrews 3:2who was faithful to Him who appointed Him, as Moses also was faithful in all His house.
- 1 Peter 2:5you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
- 1 Timothy 3:5(for if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?);
- 1 Timothy 4:10For to this end we both labor and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of those who believe.
- 1 Timothy 6:16who alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see, to whom be honor and everlasting power. Amen.
- Deuteronomy 5:26For who is there of all flesh who has heard the voice of the living God speaking from the midst of the fire, as we have, and lived?
- Joshua 3:10And Joshua said, “By this you shall know that the living God is among you, and that He will without fail drive out from before you the Canaanites and the Hittites and the Hivites and the Perizzites and the Girgashites and the Amorites and the Jebusites:
- 1 Samuel 17:26Then David spoke to the men who stood by him, saying, “What shall be done for the man who kills this Philistine and takes away the reproach from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?”
Commentaries on 1 Timothy 3:15
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 15But if I tarry long - That is: Not withstanding I hope to come to thee shortly, and therefore do not feel the necessity of writing at large; yet, lest I should be delayed, I write what I judge necessary to direct thy conduct in the Church of God. The house of God - This is spoken in allusion to the ancient tabernacle; which was God's house, and in which the symbol of the Divine Majesty dwelt. So the Christian Church is God's house, and every believer is a…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 15But if I tarry long - Paul appears to have been uncertain how long circumstances would require him to be absent. He expected to return, but it was possible that his hope of returning soon would be disappointed. That thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself - That is, that he might have just views about settling the affairs of the church. In the house of God - This does not mean in a place of public worship, nor does it refer to propriety of…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 14-16Verses 14-16 The church is the house of God; he dwells there. The church holds forth the Scripture and the doctrine of Christ, as a pillar holds forth a proclamation. When a church ceases to be the pillar and ground of truth, we may and ought to forsake her; for our regard to truth should be first and greatest. The mystery of godliness is Christ. He is God, who was made flesh, and was manifest in the flesh. God was pleased to manifest himself to man, by…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 15God’s household: The earliest churches were churches that met in homes (Romans 16:5; 1 Corinthians 16:19; Colossians 4:15; Philemon 1:2). They followed similar rules of behavior to Greek and Roman households (see study note on 1 Tim 3:4–5). Breaking the rules brought shame to the whole household and its leader. The same applies to the church (compare Ephesians 2:19–22; Hebrews 3:6; 10:21; 1 Peter 4:17). the pillar and foundation of the truth: This idea…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1515. But if I tarry long--before coming to thee. that--that is, I write (1Ti 3:14) "that thou mayest know," &c. behave thyself--in directing the Church at Ephesus (1Ti 4:11). the house of God--the Church (He 3:2, 5, 6; 10:21; 1Pe 4:17; 1Co 3:16, "the temple of God"; Ep 2:22). which is--that is, inasmuch as it is. the church--"the congregation." The fact that the sphere of thy functions is "the congregation of the living God" (who is the ever living Master…Read the comment
Topics related to 1 Timothy 3:15
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