1 Timothy 3:12

Let servants be husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.

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Other translations

WEBBE

Let servants be husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.

BSB

A deacon must be the husband of but one wife, a good manager of his children and of his own household.

KJV

Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.

ASV

Let deacons be husbands of one wife, ruling [their] children and their own houses well.

BBE

Let Deacons be husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their houses well.

Original Greek

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διάκονοι diakonoi Deacons G1249 ἔστωσαν estōsan should be G1510 μιᾶς mias of one G1520 γυναικὸς gunaikos wife G1135 ἄνδρες andres husbands G435 τέκνων teknōn [their] children G5043 καλῶς kalōs well G2573 προϊστάμενοι proistamenoi managing G4291 καὶ kai and G2532 τῶν tōn (the) G3588 ἰδίων idiōn [their] own G2398 οἴκων oikōn households G3624

The early church

"Let the Deacons be husbands of one wife." This must be understood therefore to relate to Deaconesses. For that order is necessary and useful and honorable in the Church. Observe how he requires the same virtue from the Deacons, as from the Bishops, for though they were not of equal rank, they must equally be blameless; equally pure. "Ruling their children and their own houses well." Everywhere they are required to rule their children well, that others may not be scandalized by their misconduct.
John Chrysostom · d. 407Homilies on 1 Timothy

Commentary

Matthew Henry · Verses 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 walk as becomes the gospel of Christ.

Read Matthew Henry on 1 Timothy 3 →

Cross-references

4

Topics

Minister, ChristianMarriageParentsFamilyPolygamy

Cross-references: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. Hebrew and Greek data from STEPBible.org (Tyndale House, Cambridge), CC BY 4.0. Library: sources.