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1 Timothy 3

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📖 1 Timothy introduction

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1This is a trustworthy saying: “If someone aspires to be a church leader, he desires an honorable position.” ✦ 2So a church leader must be a man whose life is above reproach. He must be faithful to his wife. He must exercise self-control, live wisely, and have a good reputation. He must enjoy having guests in his home, and he must be able to teach. ✦ 3He must not be a heavy drinker or be violent. He must be gentle, not quarrelsome, and not love money. ✦ 4He must manage his own family well, having children who respect and obey him. ✦ 5For if a man cannot manage his own household, how can he take care of God’s church? ✦ 6A church leader must not be a new believer, because he might become proud, and the devil would cause him to fall. ✦ 7Also, people outside the church must speak well of him so that he will not be disgraced and fall into the devil’s trap. ✦ 8In the same way, deacons must be well respected and have integrity. They must not be heavy drinkers or dishonest with money. ✦ 9They must be committed to the mystery of the faith now revealed and must live with a clear conscience. ✦ 10Before they are appointed as deacons, let them be closely examined. If they pass the test, then let them serve as deacons. ✦ 11In the same way, their wives must be respected and must not slander others. They must exercise self-control and be faithful in everything they do. ✦ 12A deacon must be faithful to his wife, and he must manage his children and household well. ✦ 13Those who do well as deacons will be rewarded with respect from others and will have increased confidence in their faith in Christ Jesus. ✦ 14I am writing these things to you now, even though I hope to be with you soon, ✦ 15so that if I am delayed, you will know how people must conduct themselves in the household of God. This is the church of the living God, which is the pillar and foundation of the truth. ✦ 16Without question, this is the great mystery of our faith: Christ was revealed in a human body and vindicated by the Spirit. He was seen by angels and announced to the nations. He was believed in throughout the world and taken to heaven in glory. ✦

Tap any verse for its study page. Underlined terms mark a concept, person, or place; ✦ marks verses with cross-references.

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.

Where this chapter connects

1 Tim 3 ·19Titus 2 ·8Titus 1 ·71 Pet 5 ·6Acts 6 ·62 Tim 2 ·6Col 1 ·61 Tim 5 ·5

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 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.

Resources, by level

Lay

  • ★ Start hereAudioThrough the WordThrough the Word · ~10 min/chapter · Free · evangelical

    A clear ~10-minute audio teaching for every one of the Bible's 1,189 chapters — the most systematic free way to study chapter by chapter.

Pastoral

  • SermonChuck Smith — C2000 SeriesChuck Smith · Free · evangelical

    Free verse-by-verse audio through the entire Bible from the founder of Calvary Chapel.

Commentaries & study tools

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