Deacons likewise must be men of dignity, not insincere, not prone to drink much wine, not 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;
- BSB Deacons likewise must be dignified, not double-tongued or given to much wine or greedy for money.
- NKJV Likewise deacons must be reverent, not double-tongued, not given to 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 Jesus Christ; To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and servants:
- 1 Tim 5:23Be no longer a drinker of water only, but use a little wine for your stomach’s sake and your frequent infirmities.
- 1 Tim 3:3not a drinker, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous;
- Acts 6:3–6Therefore select from among you, brothers, seven men of good report, full of the Holy Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business.
- Titus 2:3and that older women likewise be reverent in behavior, not slanderers nor enslaved to much wine, teachers of that which is good;
- Lev 10:9“You and your sons are not to drink wine or strong drink whenever you go into the Tent of Meeting, or you will die. This shall be a statute forever throughout your generations.
- Jas 3:10Out of the same mouth comes blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so.
- Titus 1:7For the overseer must be blameless, as God’s steward; not self-pleasing, not easily angered, not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for dishonest gain;
- Ezek 44:21Neither shall any of the priests drink wine, when they enter into the inner court.
- 1 Tim 3:12Let servants be husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.
- Ps 52:2Your tongue plots destruction, like a sharp razor, working deceitfully.
- Ps 12:2Everyone lies to his neighbor. They speak with flattering lips, and with a double heart.
- Rom 3:13“Their throat is an open tomb. With their tongues they have used deceit.” “The poison of vipers is under their lips”;
- Ps 50:19“You give your mouth to evil. Your tongue frames deceit.
- Ps 5:9For there is no faithfulness in their mouth. Their heart is destruction. Their throat is an open tomb. They flatter with their tongue.
- 1 Pet 5:2Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, exercising the oversight, not under compulsion, but voluntarily, not for dishonest gain, but willingly;
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.