Deacons likewise must be dignified, not double-tongued or given to much wine or greedy for money.
Parallel translations
- WEB Servants, in the same way, must be reverent, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for money;
- KJV Likewise must the deacons be grave, not doubletongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre;
- NKJV Likewise deacons must be reverent, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy for money,
- NASB Deacons likewise must be men of dignity, not insincere, not prone to drink much wine, not greedy for money,
- NLT In the same way, deacons must be well respected and have integrity. They must not be heavy drinkers or dishonest with money.
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 likewise must be dignified, sincere, and free from love of drink or money. It sets serious character standards for this serving office.
Overview
Paul turns to deacons, requiring reverence, sincerity, and freedom from greed and excess. Their role of service still demands tested godliness. The verse shows that all who serve the church must be marked by integrity.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 16
- 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 5:23Stop drinking only water and use a little wine instead, because of your stomach and your frequent ailments.
- 1 Tim 3:3not dependent on wine, not violent but gentle, peaceable, and free of the love of money.
- Acts 6:3–6Therefore, brothers, select from among you seven men confirmed to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will appoint this responsibility to them
- Titus 2:3Older women, likewise, are to be reverent in their behavior, not slanderers or addicted to much wine, but teachers of good.
- Lev 10:9“You and your sons are not to drink wine or strong drink when you enter the Tent of Meeting, or else you will die; this is a permanent statute for the generations to come.
- Jas 3:10Out of the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, this should not be!
- Titus 1:7As God’s steward, an overseer must be above reproach—not self-absorbed, not quick-tempered, not given to drunkenness, not violent, not greedy for money.
- Ezek 44:21No priest may drink wine before he enters the inner court.
- 1 Tim 3:12A deacon must be the husband of but one wife, a good manager of his children and of his own household.
- Ps 52:2Your tongue devises destruction like a sharpened razor, O worker of deceit.
- Ps 12:2They lie to one another; they speak with flattering lips and a double heart.
- Rom 3:13“Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit.” “The venom of vipers is on their lips.”
- Ps 50:19You unleash your mouth for evil and unharness your tongue for deceit.
- Ps 5:9For not a word they speak can be trusted; destruction lies within them. Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit.
- 1 Pet 5:2Be shepherds of God’s flock that is among you, watching over them not out of compulsion, but because it is God’s will; not out of greed, but out of eagerness;
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 3:8 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.