1 Timothy 3:6

1 Timothy 3:6 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.
• New International Version (NIV)He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same judgment as the devil.
• English Standard Version (ESV)He must not be a recent convert, or he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil.
• New King James Version (NKJV)not a novice, lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the same condemnation as the devil.

Context of 1 Timothy 3:6

4He must manage his own family well, having children who respect and obey him. 5For if a man cannot manage his own household, how can he take care of God’s church? A 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. 8In the same way, deacons must be well respected and have integrity. They must not be heavy drinkers or dishonest with money.

1 Timothy 3:6 word by word

μὴ νεόφυτον, ἵνα μὴ τυφωθεὶς εἰς κρίμα ἐμπέσῃ τοῦ διαβόλου.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• ·ἵναhina · in order that/toG2443
• Notμήmē · notG3361
• a noviceνεόφυτοςneophutos · new convertG3504
• being lifted up with prideτυφόωtuphoō · be conceitedG5187
• he fallἐμπίπτωempiptō · to fall intoG1706
• intoεἰςeis · towardG1519
• the condemnationκρίμαkrima · judgmentG2917
• of the devilδιάβολοςdiabolos · devilish/the DevilG1228

Cross-references for 1 Timothy 3:6

• 1 Corinthians 3:1Dear brothers and sisters, when I was with you I couldn’t talk to you as I would to spiritual people. I had to talk as though you belonged to this world or as though you were infants in Christ.
• Hebrews 5:12You have been believers so long now that you ought to be teaching others. Instead, you need someone to teach you again the basic things about God’s word. You are like babies who need milk and cannot eat solid food.
• 1 Peter 2:2Like newborn babies, you must crave pure spiritual milk so that you will grow into a full experience of salvation. Cry out for this nourishment,
• Deuteronomy 8:14Do not become proud at that time and forget the Lord your God, who rescued you from slavery in the land of Egypt.
• Deuteronomy 17:20This regular reading will prevent him from becoming proud and acting as if he is above his fellow citizens. It will also prevent him from turning away from these commands in the smallest way. And it will ensure that he and his descendants will reign for many generations in Israel.
• 2 Kings 14:10“You have indeed defeated Edom, and you are proud of it. But be content with your victory and stay at home! Why stir up trouble that will only bring disaster on you and the people of Judah?”
• 2 Chronicles 26:16But when he had become powerful, he also became proud, which led to his downfall. He sinned against the Lord his God by entering the sanctuary of the Lord’s Temple and personally burning incense on the incense altar.
• 2 Chronicles 32:25But Hezekiah did not respond appropriately to the kindness shown him, and he became proud. So the Lord’s anger came against him and against Judah and Jerusalem.
• Proverbs 16:18Pride goes before destruction, and haughtiness before a fall.
• Proverbs 18:12Haughtiness goes before destruction; humility precedes honor.
• Proverbs 29:23Pride ends in humiliation, while humility brings honor.
• Isaiah 2:12For the Lord of Heaven’s Armies has a day of reckoning. He will punish the proud and mighty and bring down everything that is exalted.
• 1 Corinthians 4:6Dear brothers and sisters, I have used Apollos and myself to illustrate what I’ve been saying. If you pay attention to what I have quoted from the Scriptures, you won’t be proud of one of your leaders at the expense of another.
• 1 Corinthians 8:1Now regarding your question about food that has been offered to idols. Yes, we know that “we all have knowledge” about this issue. But while knowledge makes us feel important, it is love that strengthens the church.
• 2 Corinthians 12:7even though I have received such wonderful revelations from God. So to keep me from becoming proud, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan to torment me and keep me from becoming proud.
• 1 Peter 5:5In the same way, you who are younger must accept the authority of the elders. And all of you, dress yourselves in humility as you relate to one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

Commentaries on 1 Timothy 3:6

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 6Fifteenth - It is required that he be not a novice - · Not a young plant, not recently ingrafted, that is, one not newly converted to the faith; (old MS. Bible); one who has been of considerable standing in the Christian Church, if he have the preceding qualifications, may be safely trusted with the government of that Church. It is impossible that one who is not long and deeply experienced in the ways of God can guide others in the way of life. Hence…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 6Not a novice - Margin, “one newly come to the faith.” The Greek word, which occurs nowhere else in the New Testament, means, properly, that which is “newly planted.” Thus it would mean a plant that was not strong, or not fitted to bear the severity of storms; that had not as yet struck its roots deep, and could not resist the fierceness of a cold blast. Then the word comes to mean a new convert; one who has had little opportunity to test his own faith, or…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-13The topic shifts to church leadership by overseers and deacons (3:1–7; 8–13). Timothy’s role in the appointments is less plain than that of Titus (see 5:17–22; Titus 1:5). This may be because the church in Ephesus was more mature and better able to manage the process (see Acts 6:2–6). The criteria listed here focus on character rather than function. It partly responds to the local false teachers and their followers. Reading this letter in the churches…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 66. not a novice--one just converted. This proves the Church of Ephesus was established now for some time. The absence of this rule in the Epistle to Titus, accords with the recent planting of the Church at Crete. Greek, "neophyte," literally, "a young plant"; luxuriantly verdant (Ro 6:5; 11:17; 1Co 3:6). The young convert has not yet been disciplined and matured by afflictions and temptations. Contrast Ac 21:16, "an old disciple." lifted up with…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Timothy 3:6

• Bishop
• Church
• Commandments
• Minister, Christian
• Pride
• Satan

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