1 Timothy 3:5

1 Timothy 3:5 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)(For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)
• New International Version (NIV)(If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God’s church?)
• English Standard Version (ESV)for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God's church?
• New King James Version (NKJV)(for if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?);

Context of 1 Timothy 3:5

3He must not be a heavy drinker or be violent. He must be gentle, not quarrelsome, and not love money. 4He must manage his own family well, having children who respect and obey him. For if a man cannot manage his own household, how can he take care of God’s church? 6A church leader must not be a new believer, because he might become proud, and the devil would cause him to fall. 7Also, people outside the church must speak well of him so that he will not be disgraced and fall into the devil’s trap.

1 Timothy 3:5 word by word

Εἰ δέ τις τοῦ ἰδίου οἴκου προστῆναι οὐκ οἶδεν, πῶς ἐκκλησίας θεοῦ ἐπιμελήσεται;Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Forδέde · thenG1161
• ifεἰei · ifG1487
• a manτιςtis · oneG5100
• knowεἴδωeidō · to perceive: understandG1492
• notοὐou · noG3756
• to ruleπροΐστημιproistēmi · to set beforeG4291
• his ownἴδιοςidios · one's own/privateG2398
• houseοἶκοςoikos · house: householdG3624
• howπῶςpōs · how?!G4459
• shall he take careἐπιμελέομαιepimeleomai · to careG1959
• of the churchἐκκλησίαekklēsia · assemblyG1577
• of Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316

Cross-references for 1 Timothy 3:5

• 1 Samuel 2:29So why do you scorn my sacrifices and offerings? Why do you give your sons more honor than you give me—for you and they have become fat from the best offerings of my people Israel!
• 1 Samuel 3:13I have warned him that judgment is coming upon his family forever, because his sons are blaspheming God and he hasn’t disciplined them.
• 1 Timothy 3:15so 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.
• Acts 20:28“So guard yourselves and God’s people. Feed and shepherd God’s flock—his church, purchased with his own blood—over which the Holy Spirit has appointed you as leaders.
• Ephesians 1:22God has put all things under the authority of Christ and has made him head over all things for the benefit of the church.
• Ephesians 5:24As the church submits to Christ, so you wives should submit to your husbands in everything.

Commentaries on 1 Timothy 3:5

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 5For if a man know not - Method is a matter of great importance in all the affairs of life. It is a true saying, He that does little with his head must do much with his hands; and even then the business is not half done for want of method. Now, he who has a proper method of doing business will show it in every affair of life, even the least. He who has a disorderly family has no government of that family; he probably has none because he has no method, no…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 5For if a man know not how to rule - This is a beautiful and striking argument. A church resembles a family. It is, indeed, larger, and there is a greater variety of dispositions in it than there is in a family. The authority of a minister of the gospel in a church is also less absolute than that of a father. But still there is a striking resemblance. The church is made up of an assemblage of brothers and sisters. They are banded together for the same…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4-5The church, seen as a household, shared similarities with a family household (3:15). An overseer's ability to manage one area showed his skill in the other (see also 3:12; 5:17; Romans 12:8; 1 Thessalonians 5:12). Greek and Roman households were united by family bonds with shared responsibilities, roles, and management. The household included relatives by blood living together and other dependents, such as household servants.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 55. For--Greek, "But." the church--rather, "a church" or congregation. How shall he who cannot perform the lesser function, perform the greater and more difficult?Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Timothy 3:5

• Bishop
• Church
• Commandments
• Family
• Minister, Christian
• Parents

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Bishop
• Blameless
• Controversy
• Covetous
• Degree
• Hospitality
• Mystery
• Novice

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