A deacon must be the husband of but one wife, a good manager of his children and of his own household.
Parallel translations
- WEB Let servants be husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.
- KJV Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.
- NKJV Let deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.
- NASB Deacons must be husbands of one wife, and good managers of their children and their own households.
- NLT A deacon must be faithful to his wife, and he must manage his children and household well.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Deacons must be faithful in marriage and manage their children and households well. It applies the same domestic faithfulness required of overseers.
Overview
Paul requires deacons to be 'husbands of one wife' and to lead their families well. As with overseers, the home reveals fitness for service. Faithfulness in marriage and household management marks those entrusted with serving the church.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 4
- 1 Tim 3:2An overseer, then, must be above reproach, the husband of but one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach,
- 1 Tim 3:4–5An overseer must manage his own household well and keep his children under control, with complete dignity.
- Phil 1:1Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, To all the saints in Christ Jesus at Philippi, together with the overseers and deacons:
- 1 Tim 3:8Deacons likewise must be dignified, not double-tongued or given to much wine or greedy for money.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
There is 'one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself a ransom for all' — the mystery of godliness, God manifest in the flesh.
How 1 Timothy 3:12 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.