Lectionary Calendar
Sunday, July 20th, 2025
the Week of Proper 11 / Ordinary 16
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Read the Bible

New Life Version

1 Timothy 3:12

Church helpers must have only one wife. They must lead their home well and their children must obey them.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Church;   Commandments;   Deacon;   Family;   Marriage;   Minister, Christian;   Parents;   Polygamy;   Thompson Chain Reference - Children;   Duty;   Fathers;   Home;   Leaders;   Marriage;   Ministers;   Monogamy;   Parental;   Religious;   Social Duties;   The Topic Concordance - Deacons;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Families;   Ministers;   Parents;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Deacon;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - House;   Paul;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Church, the;   Ministry, Minister;   Teach, Teacher;   Timothy, First and Second, Theology of;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Deacon;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Adultery;   Deaconess;   Eve;   Marriage;   Minister;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Apostasy;   Church;   Deacon;   Offices in the New Testament;   1 Timothy;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Bishop;   Church Government;   Deacon;   Marriage;   Minister;   Ministry;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Church (2);   Deacon, Deaconess;   Family;   Home;   Marriage;   Minister Ministry;   Timothy and Titus Epistles to;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Deacon,;   Marriage;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Deacon;  

Encyclopedias:

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

Devotionals:

- Every Day Light - Devotion for December 1;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Deacons are to be husbands of one wife, managing their children and their own households competently.
King James Version (1611)
Let the Deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children, and their owne houses well.
King James Version
Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.
English Standard Version
Let deacons each be the husband of one wife, managing their children and their own households well.
New American Standard Bible
Deacons must be husbands of one wife, and good managers of their children and their own households.
New Century Version
Deacons must have only one wife and be good leaders of their children and their own families.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Deacons must be husbands of only one wife, and good managers of their children and their own households.
Legacy Standard Bible
Deacons must be husbands of only one wife, leading their children and their own households well.
Berean Standard Bible
A deacon must be the husband of but one wife, a good manager of his children and of his own household.
Contemporary English Version
Church officers must be faithful in marriage. They must be in full control of their children and everyone else in their home.
Complete Jewish Bible
Let the shammashim each be faithful to his wife, managing his children and household well.
Darby Translation
Let [the] ministers be husbands of one wife, conducting [their] children and their own houses well:
Easy-to-Read Version
The men who are special servants must be faithful in marriage. They must be good leaders of children and their own families.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Let the Deacons be the husbands of one wife, and such as can rule their children well, and their owne housholdes.
George Lamsa Translation
Let the deacons be appointed from those who have not been polygamous, ruling their children and their own households well.
Good News Translation
A church helper must have only one wife, and be able to manage his children and family well.
Lexham English Bible
Deacons must be husbands of one wife, managing their children and their own households well.
Literal Translation
Let deacons be husbands of one wife, ruling their own houses and children well.
Amplified Bible
Deacons must be husbands of only one wife, and good managers of their children and their own households.
American Standard Version
Let deacons be husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.
Bible in Basic English
Let Deacons be husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their houses well.
Hebrew Names Version
Let shammashim be husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.
International Standard Version
Deacons must be husbands of one wifedevoted to their wives
; lit. men of one woman">[fn] and must manage their children and their families well.
Etheridge Translation
12 The ministers [fn] shall be (of them) severally who have one wife, and shall rule each his children and his household well.
Murdock Translation
Let the deacons be such as have each one wife and guide well their children and households.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Let the deacons be the husbandes of one wife, and such as can rule their children well, and their owne housholdes.
English Revised Version
Let deacons be husbands of one wife, ruling [their] children and their own houses well.
World English Bible
Let deacons be husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
Let the deacons be husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.
Weymouth's New Testament
A deacon must be true to his one wife, and rule his children and his own household wisely and well.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Dekenes be hosebondis of o wijf; whiche gouerne wel her sones and her housis.
Update Bible Version
Let servants be husbands of one wife, ruling [their] children and their own houses well.
Webster's Bible Translation
Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children, and their own houses well.
New English Translation
Deacons must be husbands of one wife and good managers of their children and their own households.
New King James Version
Let deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.
New Living Translation
A deacon must be faithful to his wife, and he must manage his children and household well.
New Revised Standard
Let deacons be married only once, and let them manage their children and their households well;
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Let, ministers, be husbands of, one wife, over children, presiding, well, and over their own houses;
Douay-Rheims Bible
Let deacons be the husbands of one wife: who rule well their children and their own houses.
Revised Standard Version
Let deacons be the husband of one wife, and let them manage their children and their households well;
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
Let the deacons be the husbandes of one wyfe and suche as rule their chyldren well and their awne housholdes.
Young's Literal Translation
Ministrants -- let them be of one wife husbands; the children leading well, and their own houses,
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Let the mynisters be, euery one the hussbade of one wyfe, and soch as rule their children well, and their owne housholdes.
Mace New Testament (1729)
a deacon must have but one wife, and govern his children, and the rest of the family in a proper manner.
Simplified Cowboy Version
A jigger boss must be faithful to his wife and be a good dad to his children.

Contextual Overview

8 Church helpers must also be good men and act so people will respect them. They must speak the truth. They must not get drunk. They must not have a love for money. 9 They must have their faith in Christ and be His follower with a heart that says they are right. 10 They must first be tested to see if they are ready for the work as church helpers. Then if they do well, they may be chosen as church helpers. 11 The wives of church helpers must be careful how they act. They must not carry stories from one person to another. They must be wise and faithful in all they do. 12 Church helpers must have only one wife. They must lead their home well and their children must obey them. 13 Those who work well as church helpers will be respected by others and their own faith in Christ Jesus will grow.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

1 Timothy 3:2, 1 Timothy 3:4, 1 Timothy 3:5

Reciprocal: Genesis 18:19 - command Ezekiel 44:22 - a widow Malachi 2:15 - That he Philippians 1:1 - and deacons 1 Timothy 5:9 - having Titus 1:6 - the husband Hebrews 13:4 - Marriage

Cross-References

Genesis 2:18
Then the Lord God said, "It is not good for man to be alone. I will make a helper that is right for him."
Genesis 2:20
Adam gave names to all the cattle, and to the birds of the sky, and to every animal of the field. But there was no helper found that was right for Adam.
Genesis 2:22
The Lord God made woman from the bone which He had taken from the man. And He brought her to the man.
Genesis 3:13
Then the Lord God said to the woman, "What is this you have done?" And the woman said, "The snake fooled me, and I ate."
Genesis 3:15
And I will make you and the woman hate each other, and your seed and her seed will hate each other. He will crush your head, and you will crush his heel."
Genesis 3:20
The man called his wife's name Eve, because she was the mother of all living.
Genesis 3:21
And the Lord God made clothes of skins for Adam and his wife, and dressed them.
Genesis 3:24
So He drove the man out. And He placed cherubim east of the garden of Eden with a sword of fire that turned every way. They kept watch over the path to the tree of life.
Job 31:33
Have I hidden my sins like Adam? Have I hidden my wrong-doing in my heart,
Proverbs 19:3
The foolish acts of man make his way bad, and his heart is angry toward the Lord.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife,.... :-

ruling their children and their own houses well. These qualifications are the same with those of the bishop or elder;

:-.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife - notes, 1 Timothy 3:2.

Ruling their children and their own houses well - notes, 1 Timothy 3:4-5.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 12. Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife — This is the same that is required of the bishops. See notes on 1 Timothy 3:2; "1 Timothy 3:4"; and "1 Timothy 3:5".


 
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