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Thursday, July 31st, 2025
the Week of Proper 12 / Ordinary 17
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Read the Bible

Bishop's Bible

1 Timothy 3:5

For yf a man knowe not to rule his owne house, howe shall he care for the Churche of God?

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Bishop;   Church;   Commandments;   Family;   Minister, Christian;   Parents;   Scofield Reference Index - Churches;   Elders;   Sanctification;   Thompson Chain Reference - Church;   Government;   Leaders;   Ministers;   Religious;   The Topic Concordance - Bishop;   Drunkenness;   Sobriety;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Families;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Church;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Elder;   Family;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Church, the;   Elder;   Ministry, Minister;   Overseer;   Teach, Teacher;   Timothy, First and Second, Theology of;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Deacon;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Bishop;   Eli;   Synagogue;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Bishop;   Church;   Elder;   Offices in the New Testament;   Titus, Epistle to;   1 Timothy;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Bishop;   Church Government;   Deacon;   Minister;   Ministry;   Novice;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Bishop, Elder, Presbyter;   Clement of Rome, Epistle of;   Home;   Timothy and Titus Epistles to;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Bishop;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Elder;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Care;   Church;   Spiritual Gifts;  

Devotionals:

- Every Day Light - Devotion for December 1;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
(If anyone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he take care of God’s church?)
King James Version (1611)
(For if a man know not how to rule his owne house, how shall he take care of the Church of God?)
King James Version
(For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)
English Standard Version
for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God's church?
New American Standard Bible
(but if a man does not know how to manage his own household, how will he take care of the church of God?),
New Century Version
(If someone does not know how to lead the family, how can that person take care of God's church?)
New American Standard Bible (1995)
(but if a man does not know how to manage his own household, how will he take care of the church of God?),
Legacy Standard Bible
(but if a man does not know how to lead his own household, how will he take care of the church of God?),
Berean Standard Bible
For if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how can he care for the church of God?
Contemporary English Version
If they don't know how to control their own families, how can they look after God's people?
Complete Jewish Bible
for if a man can't manage his own household, how will he be able to care for God's Messianic Community?
Darby Translation
(but if one does not know how to conduct his own house, how shall he take care of the assembly of God?)
Easy-to-Read Version
If a man does not know how to lead his own family, he will not be able to take care of God's church.
Geneva Bible (1587)
For if any cannot rule his owne house, how shall he care for the Church of God?
George Lamsa Translation
For if a man does not know how to rule well his own household, how shall he take care of the church of God?
Good News Translation
For if a man does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of the church of God?
Lexham English Bible
(but if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he take care of the church of God?),
Literal Translation
But if anyone does not know how to rule his own house, how will he care for an assembly of God?
Amplified Bible
(for if a man does not know how to manage his own household, how will he take care of the church of God?).
American Standard Version
(but if a man knoweth not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)
Bible in Basic English
(For if a man has not the art of ruling his house, how will he take care of the church of God?)
Hebrew Names Version
(but if a man doesn't know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the assembly of God?)
International Standard Version
For if a man does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God's church?
Etheridge Translation
For if his own house he know not to rule well, how is he able to rule the church of Aloha ?
Murdock Translation
For if he knoweth not how to guide his own house well, how can he guide the church of God.
English Revised Version
(but if a man knoweth not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)
World English Bible
(but if a man doesn't know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the assembly of God?)
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?
Weymouth's New Testament
(If a man does not know how to rule his own household, how shall he have the Church of God given into his care?)
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
for if ony man kan not gouerne his house, hou schal he haue diligence of the chirche of God? not new conuertid to the feith,
Update Bible Version
(but if a man doesn't know how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)
Webster's Bible Translation
(For if a man knoweth not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)
New English Translation
But if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for the church of God?
New King James Version
(for if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?);
New Living Translation
For if a man cannot manage his own household, how can he take care of God's church?
New Life Bible
If a man cannot be a good leader in his own home, how can he lead the church?
New Revised Standard
for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how can he take care of God's church?
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Whereas, if anyone, over his own house, cannot, preside, how, of an assembly of God, shall he take care?
Douay-Rheims Bible
But if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?
Revised Standard Version
for if a man does not know how to manage his own household, how can he care for God's church?
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
For yf a man cannot rule his owne housse how shall he care for the congregacion of God.
Young's Literal Translation
(and if any one his own house [how] to lead hath not known, how an assembly of God shall he take care of?)
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
(But yf a man can not rule his owne house, how shal he care for the congregacion of God?)
Mace New Testament (1729)
for if a man is incapable of governing his own family, how can he take care of the church of God?
Simplified Cowboy Version
If you can't run a small outfit of those who love you, you won't last long in a bigger outfit.

Contextual Overview

1 This is] a faithful saying: Yf a man desire ye office of a bishop, he desireth a good worke. 2 A bishop therfore must be blamelesse, the husband of one wyfe, watchyng, sober, comely apparelled, a louer of hospitalitie, apt to teache, 3 Not geuen to ouermuch wine, no striker, not greedy of fylthy lucre: but gentle, abhorryng fyghtyng, abhorryng couetousnesse: 4 One that ruleth well his owne house, hauyng chyldren in subiection, with all grauitie. 5 For yf a man knowe not to rule his owne house, howe shall he care for the Churche of God? 6 Not a young scoler, lest he, beyng puffed vp, fall into the condempnation of the deuyll. 7 He must also haue a good report of the which are without, lest he fall into the rebuke and snare of the deuyll.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

if: 1 Samuel 2:29, 1 Samuel 2:30, 1 Samuel 3:13

the church: 1 Timothy 3:15, Acts 20:28, Ephesians 1:22, Ephesians 5:24, Ephesians 5:32

Reciprocal: Genesis 18:19 - command Leviticus 21:9 - the daughter 1 Kings 13:11 - came Psalms 101:2 - walk Ezekiel 44:22 - a widow Malachi 2:15 - That he Matthew 16:18 - my Romans 12:8 - ruleth 1 Corinthians 7:34 - careth 1 Corinthians 10:32 - the church 1 Corinthians 11:22 - or 2 Corinthians 7:12 - that our 1 Timothy 3:12 - General 1 Timothy 5:17 - rule Titus 1:6 - having Hebrews 12:23 - the general Hebrews 13:7 - which

Cross-References

Genesis 2:17
But as touching the tree of knowlege of good and euyll thou shalt not eate of it: For in what daye so euer thou eatest therof, thou shalt dye the death.
Genesis 3:2
And the woman sayde vnto the serpent: We eate of ye fruite of the trees of the garden.
Genesis 3:3
But as for the fruite of the tree which is in the myddes of the garden, God hath sayde, ye shall not eate of it, neither shal ye touche of it, lest peraduenture ye dye.
Genesis 3:6
And so the woman, seing that the same tree was good to eate of, and pleasaunt to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, toke of the fruite therof, and dyd eate, and gaue also vnto her husbande beyng with her, and he dyd eate.
Genesis 3:7
Then the eyes of them both were opened, and they knewe that they were naked, and they sowed fygge leaues together, & made them selues apernes.
Genesis 3:10
Which sayde: I hearde thy voyce in the garden, and was afrayde because I was naked, and hyd my selfe.
Genesis 3:13
And the Lord God sayd vnto the woman: Why hast thou done this? And the woman sayde: the serpent begyled me, and I dyd eate.
Genesis 3:14
And the lord god said vnto ye serpent: Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed aboue all cattel, and aboue euery beast of the fielde: vpon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eate all the dayes of thy lyfe.
Genesis 3:15
I wyll also put enmitie betweene thee & the woman, betweene thy seede and her seede: and it shall treade downe thy head, and thou shalt treade vpon his heele.
Genesis 3:22
And the Lorde God sayde: Beholde, the man is become as one of vs, in knowing good and euyll: And now lest peraduenture he put foorth his hande, and take also of the tree of lyfe and eate, and lyue for euer.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

For if a man know not how to rule his own house,.... Which is an affair of less importance, and more easy to be done; not requiring so much resolution, prudence, care, and thought:

how shall he take care of the church of God? preside over it, rule in it, provide for it, and see that everything is in its proper place, and done according to the will of God. The argument is from the lesser to the greater.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

For if a man know not how to rule - This is a beautiful and striking argument. A church resembles a family. It is, indeed, larger, and there is a greater variety of dispositions in it than there is in a family. The authority of a minister of the gospel in a church is also less absolute than that of a father. But still there is a striking resemblance. The church is made up of an assemblage of brothers and sisters. They are banded together for the same purposes, and have a common object to aim at. They have common feelings and common needs. They have sympathy, like a family, with each other in their distresses and afflictions. The government of the church also is designed to be “paternal.” It should be felt that he who presides over it has the feelings of a father; that he loves all the members of the great family; that he has no prejudices, no partialities, no selfish aims to gratify.

Now, if a man cannot govern his own family well; if he is severe, partial, neglectful, or tyrannical at home, how can he be expected to take charge of the more numerous “household of faith” with proper views and feelings? If, with all the natural and strong ties of affection which bind a father to his own children; if, when they are few comparatively in number, and where his eye is constantly upon them, he is unable to govern them aright, how can he be expected to preside in a proper manner over the larger household where he will be bound with comparatively feebler ties, and where he will be exposed more to the influence of passion, and where he will have a much less constant opportunity of supervision? Confucius, as quoted by Doddridge, has a sentiment strikingly resembling that before us: “It is impossible that he who knows not how to govern and reform his own family, should rightly govern and reform a people.” We may remark, also, in this verse, a delicate and beautiful use of words by the apostle to prevent the possibility of misapprehension. While he institutes a comparison between the government of a family and that of the church, he guards against the possibility of its being supposed that he would countenance “arbitrary” authority in the church, even such authority as a father must of necessity employ in his own family. Hence, he uses different words. He speaks of the father as “ruling” over his own family, or “presiding over it” - προστῆναι prostēnai; he describes the minister of religion as “having a tender care for the church” - ἐπιμελὴσεται epimelēsetai.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 1 Timothy 3:5. For if a man know notMethod is a matter of great importance in all the affairs of life. It is a true saying, He that does little with his head must do much with his hands; and even then the business is not half done for want of method. Now, he who has a proper method of doing business will show it in every affair of life, even the least. He who has a disorderly family has no government of that family; he probably has none because he has no method, no plan, of presiding. It was natural for the apostle to say, If a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the Church of God? Look at a man's domestic arrangements; if they be not good, he should not be trusted with any branch of government, whether ecclesiastical or civil.


 
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