(for if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?);
Parallel translations
- WEB (but if a man doesn’t know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the assembly of God?)
- KJV (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)
- BSB For if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how can he care for the church of God?
- NASB (but if a man does not know how to manage his own household, how will he take care of the church of God?),
- NLT For if a man cannot manage his own household, how can he take care of God’s church?
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
If a man cannot manage his own home, he cannot care for God's church. It draws a direct line from household to church leadership.
Overview
Paul reasons that ability to lead a family is a test for caring for 'the assembly of God.' The church is pictured as God's household needing godly oversight. Domestic faithfulness is no minor matter but evidence of pastoral fitness.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 8
- 1 Sam 3:13For I have told him that I will judge his house forever, for the iniquity which he knew, because his sons brought a curse on themselves, and he didn’t restrain them.
- Eph 5:24But as the assembly is subject to Christ, so let the wives also be to their own husbands in everything.
- Acts 20:28Take heed, therefore, to yourselves, and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the assembly of the Lord and God which he purchased with his own blood.
- Eph 5:32This mystery is great, but I speak concerning Christ and of the assembly.
- 1 Tim 3:15but if I wait long, that you may know how men ought to behave themselves in God’s house, which is the assembly of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.
- Eph 1:22He put all things in subjection under his feet, and gave him to be head over all things for the assembly,
- 1 Sam 2:29–30Why do you kick at my sacrifice and at my offering, which I have commanded in my habitation, and honor your sons above me, to make yourselves fat with the best of all the offerings of Israel my people?’
- 1 Cor 10:32Give no occasion for stumbling, either to Jews, or to Greeks, or to the assembly of God;
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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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 3:5 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.