Lectionary Calendar
Wednesday, July 9th, 2025
the Week of Proper 9 / Ordinary 14
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Read the Bible

King James Version (1611 Edition)

1 Timothy 3:9

Holding the mysterie of the faith in a pure conscience.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Church;   Commandments;   Conscience;   Deacon;   Integrity;   Minister, Christian;   Mysteries;   Purity;   Thompson Chain Reference - Conscience;   Good;   Leaders;   Ministers;   Religious;   The Topic Concordance - Deacons;   Drunkenness;   Sobriety;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Conscience;   Ministers;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Conscience;   Deacon;   Mystery;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Deacon;   Mystery;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Church, the;   Conscience;   Ministry, Minister;   Timothy, First and Second, Theology of;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Deacon;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Faith;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Minister;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Church;   Conscience;   Deacon;   Offices in the New Testament;   1 Timothy;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Bishop;   Church Government;   Conscience;   Deacon;   Minister;   Ministry;   Psychology;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Conscience ;   Deacon, Deaconess;   Faith;   Mystery ;   Timothy and Titus Epistles to;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Conscience;   Deacon,;   Mystery;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Deacon;   Mystery;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Deacon;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Mystery;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Church;   Church Government;   Deacon;   Holding;   Mystery;   Spiritual Gifts;  

Devotionals:

- Every Day Light - Devotion for December 1;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
holding the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience.
King James Version
Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.
English Standard Version
They must hold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience.
New American Standard Bible
but holding to the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience.
New Century Version
With a clear conscience they must follow the secret of the faith that God made known to us.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
but holding to the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience.
Legacy Standard Bible
but holding to the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience.
Berean Standard Bible
They must hold to the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience.
Contemporary English Version
And they must have a clear conscience and hold firmly to what God has shown us about our faith.
Complete Jewish Bible
They must possess the formerly hidden truth of the faith with a clean conscience.
Darby Translation
holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.
Easy-to-Read Version
They must follow the true faith that God has now made known to us and always do what they know is right.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Hauing the mysterie of the faith in pure conscience.
George Lamsa Translation
But they must uphold the divine mystery of faith with a pure conscience.
Good News Translation
they should hold to the revealed truth of the faith with a clear conscience.
Lexham English Bible
holding the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience,
Literal Translation
having the mystery of the faith with a pure conscience.
Amplified Bible
but upholding and fully understanding the mystery [that is, the true doctrine] of the [Christian] faith with a clear conscience [resulting from behavior consistent with spiritual maturity].
American Standard Version
holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.
Bible in Basic English
Keeping the secret of the faith in a heart free from sin.
Hebrew Names Version
holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.
International Standard Version
They must hold firmly to the secret of the faith with clear consciences.1 Timothy 1:19;">[xr]
Etheridge Translation
But they shall hold the mystery of the faith with a pure conscience.
Murdock Translation
but should hold the mystery of the faith with a pure conscience.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Holdyng the misterie of the fayth in a pure conscience.
English Revised Version
holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.
World English Bible
holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
And let these be proved first,
Weymouth's New Testament
but holding the secret truths of the faith with a clear conscience.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
that han the mysterie of feith in clene conscience.
Update Bible Version
holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.
Webster's Bible Translation
Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.
New English Translation
holding to the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience.
New King James Version
holding the mystery of the faith with a pure conscience.
New Living Translation
They must be committed to the mystery of the faith now revealed and must live with a clear conscience.
New Life Bible
They must have their faith in Christ and be His follower with a heart that says they are right.
New Revised Standard
they must hold fast to the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Holding the sacred secret of the faith in a pure conscience;
Douay-Rheims Bible
Holding the mystery of faith in a pure conscience.
Revised Standard Version
they must hold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience.
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
but havynge the mistery of the fayth in pure consciece.
Young's Literal Translation
having the secret of the faith in a pure conscience,
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
but hauynge the mystery of faith in pure conscience.
Mace New Testament (1729)
but by their integrity maintain the reverence due to the gospel.
Simplified Cowboy Version
They need to be tied hard and fast to the truths of the faith and have a clean conscience.

Contextual Overview

8 Likewise must the Deacons bee graue, not double tongued, not giuen to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre, 9 Holding the mysterie of the faith in a pure conscience. 10 And let these also first be proued; then let them vse the office of a Deacon, being found blamelesse. 11 Euen so must their wiues be graue; not slanderers, sober, faithfull in all things. 12 Let the Deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children, and their owne houses well. 13 For they that haue vsed the office of a Deacon well, purchase to themselues a good degree, and great boldnesse in the faith, which is in Christ Iesus.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Holding: 1 Timothy 1:5, 1 Timothy 1:19

the mystery: 1 Timothy 3:16, 2 John 1:9, 2 John 1:10

Reciprocal: Matthew 13:11 - mysteries Acts 24:16 - General 1 Corinthians 4:1 - mysteries 1 Corinthians 14:2 - howbeit Ephesians 3:4 - the mystery

Cross-References

Genesis 3:12
And the man said, The woman whom thou gauest to be with mee, shee gaue me of the tree, and I did eate.
Genesis 3:13
And the LORD God said vnto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The Serpent beguiled me, and I did eate.
Genesis 3:17
And vnto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened vnto the voyce of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commaunded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eate of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake: in sorow shalt thou eate of it all the dayes of thy life.
Genesis 3:19
In the sweate of thy face shalt thou eate bread, till thou returne vnto the ground: for out of it wast thou taken, for dust thou art, and vnto dust shalt thou returne.
Genesis 3:20
And Adam called his wiues name Eue, because she was the mother of all liuing.
Genesis 3:21
Unto Adam also, and to his wife, did the LORD God make coates of skinnes, and cloathed them.
Genesis 4:9
And the LORD said vnto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And hee said, I know not: Am I my brothers keeper?
Genesis 11:5
And the LORD came downe to see the city and the tower, which the children of men builded.
Genesis 16:8
And he said, Hagar Sarais maid, whence camest thou? and whither wilt thou goe? And she said, I flee from the face of my mistresse Sarai.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Holding the mystery of the faith,.... The doctrine of the Gospel, called the "faith", because it contains things to be believed; proposes Christ the object of faith; is the means by which faith comes, and is unprofitable without it: it is called "the mystery", because it is of divine revelation, and could have never been discovered by human reason; and now it is revealed, the modus of many things contained in it remains a mystery; several of the doctrines of it are mysterious ones, particularly the doctrine of the Trinity; and which the ancient Jews call by this very name, a

רזא דמהימנותא, "the mystery of faith"; the incarnation of the Son of God, the union of the saints to Christ, and their communion with him, and the resurrection of the dead, with others. Now this mysterious doctrine of faith is to be held by deacons; they are to profess it, and to hold fast the profession of it and that

in a pure conscience; with a conscience sprinkled by the blood of Christ; with a conscience void of offence both towards God and man; with a suitable life and conversation; a conversation becoming the Gospel of Christ, and by which it is adorned: and this part of their character is necessary, that such may be able to instruct and establish those who are weak in the faith, and oppose and refute the erroneous, and also recommend the Gospel by their own example; otherwise should their principles or practices be bad, their influence on others might be very pernicious and fatal.

a Zohar in Gen. fol. 12. 4. & 13. 1, 2. & in Exod. fol. 66. 3.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Holding the mystery of the faith - On the word “mystery,” see notes on 1 Corinthians 2:7. It means that which had been concealed, or hidden, but which was now revealed. The word “faith” here, is synonymous with “the gospel;” and the sense is, that he should hold firmly the great doctrines of the Christian religion which had been so long concealed from people, but which were now revealed. The reason is obvious. Though not a preacher, yet his influence and example would be great, and a man who held material error ought not to be in office.

In a pure conscience - A mere orthodox faith was not all that was necessary, for it was possible that a man might be professedly firm in the belief of the truths of revelation, and yet be corrupt at heart.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 9. Holding the mystery of the faith — Instead of της πιστεως, the faith, one MS. (the readings of which are found in the margin of a copy of Mill's Greek text in the Bodleian library, and which is marked 61 in Griesbach) reads αναστασεως, of the resurrection. This reading, like many others in this MS., is found nowhere else; and is worthy of little regard, but as expressing what appeared to the writer to be the apostle's meaning. One of the greatest mysteries of the faith was undoubtedly the resurrection of the dead; and this was held in a pure conscience when the person so exercised himself as to have a conscience void of offence towards God and towards men. See Acts 24:16. What has been since called Antinomianism, that is, making void the moral law, by a pretended faith in the righteousness of Christ, is that which the apostle has here particularly in view.


 
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