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Read the Bible

Wesley's New Testament

1 Timothy 3:5

For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church 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.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
For yf a man knowe not to rule his owne house, howe shall he care for the Churche 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?)
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, If a man desireth the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work. 2 A bishop therefore must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, prudent, of good behaviour, hospitable, apt to teach; 3 Not given to wine, no striker, not desirous of filthy gain, but gentle, patient, not loving money; 4 Ruling his own house well, having his children in subjection with all seriousness. 5 For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God? 6 Not a new convert, left being puffed up, he fall into the condemnation of the devil. 7 He ought also to have a good report from them that are without, lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.

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

Matthew 6:23
But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness: if therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness?
Acts 26:18
and the Gentiles, to whom I now send thee, To open their eyes, that they may turn from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God; that they may receive through faith which is in me, forgiveness of sins, and an inheritance among them that are sanctified.
2 Corinthians 4:4
Whose unbelieving minds the god of this world hath blinded, lest the illumination of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine upon them.
2 Corinthians 11:3
But I fear lest as the serpent deceived Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from simplicity toward Christ.
2 Thessalonians 2:4
Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshiped, so that he sitteth in the temple of God as God, declaring himself that he is God.
Revelation 13:4
because he gave the authority to the wild beast; and worshiped the wild beast, saying, Who is like the wild beast? and who can war with him?
Revelation 13:14
And he deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the wonders which it is given him to do before the wild beast: saying to them that dwell on the earth, to make an image to the wild beast, which had the wound by the sword, and yet lived.

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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