1 Timothy 3:2

1 Timothy 3:2 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;
• New International Version (NIV)Now the overseer is to be above reproach, faithful to his wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach,
• English Standard Version (ESV)Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach,
• New Living Translation (NLT)So a church leader must be a man whose life is above reproach. He must be faithful to his wife. He must exercise self-control, live wisely, and have a good reputation. He must enjoy having guests in his home, and he must be able to teach.

Context of 1 Timothy 3:2

1This is a faithful saying: If a man desires the position of a bishop, he desires a good work. A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach; 3not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous; 4one who rules his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence

1 Timothy 3:2 word by word

δεῖ οὖν τὸν ἐπίσκοπον ἀνεπίλημπτον εἶναι, μιᾶς γυναικὸς ἄνδρα, νηφάλιον, σώφρονα, κόσμιον, φιλόξενον, διδακτικόν,Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• A bishopὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• A bishopἐπίσκοποςepiskopos · overseerG1985
• thenοὖνoun · therefore/thenG3767
• mustδεῖdei · be necessaryG1163
• beεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• blamelessἀνεπίληπτοςanepilēptos · irreproachableG423
• the husbandἀνήρanēr · man: husbandG435
• of oneεἷςheis · oneG1520
• wifeγυνήgunē · woman: wifeG1135
• vigilantνηφαλέοςnēphaleos nēphalios · soberG3524
• soberσώφρωνsōphrōn · self-controlledG4998
• of good behaviourκόσμιοςkosmios · respectableG2887
• given to hospitalityφιλόξενοςphiloxenos · hospitableG5382
• apt to teachδιδακτικόςdidaktikos · able to teachG1317

Cross-references for 1 Timothy 3:2

• 1 Timothy 3:10But let these also first be tested; then let them serve as deacons, being found blameless.
• Luke 1:6And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.
• Philippians 2:15that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,
• 1 Timothy 4:3forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.
• 1 Timothy 5:9Do not let a widow under sixty years old be taken into the number, and not unless she has been the wife of one man,
• Hebrews 3:14For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end,
• Isaiah 56:10His watchmen are blind, They are all ignorant; They are all dumb dogs, They cannot bark; Sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber.
• 1 Peter 4:7But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers.
• 1 Peter 5:8Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.
• Romans 12:13distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality.
• Hebrews 13:2Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels.
• 1 Peter 4:9Be hospitable to one another without grumbling.
• 2 Timothy 2:24And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient,

Commentaries on 1 Timothy 3:2

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 2A bishop then must be blameless - Our term bishop comes from the Anglo-Saxon, which is a mere corruption of the Greek , and the Latin episcopus; the former being compounded of , over, and , to look or inspect, signifies one who has the inspection or oversight of a place, persons, or business; what we commonly term a superintendent. The New Testament writers have borrowed the term from the Septuagint, it being the word by which they translate the פקיד…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 2A bishop - A minister of religion, according to the foregoing remarks, who has the charge or oversight of any Christian church. The reference here is doubtless to one who had the government of the church entrusted to him 1 Timothy 3:4-5, and who was also a preacher of the gospel. Must be blameless - This is a different word ( ̓́ anepilēmpton) from that rendered “blameless” in Luke 1:6; Philemon 2:15; Philemon 3:6 ( ̓́ amemptos); compare however, Luke 1:6…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 2must be above reproach: This is a key requirement for a church leader and public representative (see 3:7, 10; 5:7; 6:14; Titus 1:6–7; 2:8). the husband of but one wife (or be married only once; literally be the husband of one wife; also in 1 Timothy 3:12): This suggests, but does not require, a married man. It focuses on pure character and loyalty in marriage. This was not always assumed in the surrounding culture. It probably does not forbid marrying…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 22. The existence of Church organization and presbyters at Ephesus is presupposed (1Ti 5:17, 19). The institution of Church widows (1Ti 5:3-25) accords with this. The directions here to Timothy, the president or apostolic delegate, are as to filling up vacancies among the bishops and deacons, or adding to their number. New churches in the neighborhood also would require presbyters and deacons. Episcopacy was adopted in apostolic times as the most expedient…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Timothy 3:2

• Avarice
• Bishop
• Church
• Commandments
• Family
• Hospitality
• Marriage
• Meekness
• Minister, Christian
• Patience
• Polygamy
• Sobriety
• Strife
• Temperance

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