I Timothy 3:3
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not dependent on wine, not violent but gentle, peaceable, and free of the love of money.
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
Not given to wine--The Greek includes besides this, not indulging in the brawling, violent conduct towards others, which proceeds from being given to wine. The opposite of "patient" or (Greek) "forbearing," reasonable to others (see on Phi 4:5). no striker--with either hand or tongue: not as some teachers pretending a holy zeal (Co2 11:20), answering to "not a brawler" or fighter (compare Kg1 22:24; Neh 13:25; Isa 58:4; Act 23:2; Ti2 2:24-25). not covetous--Greek, "not a lover of money," whether he have much or little (Tit 1:7).
Open source ↗In this chapter our apostle treats of church-officers. He specifies, I. The qualifications of a person to be admitted to the office of a bishop (Ti1 3:1-7). II. The qualifications of deacons (Ti1 3:8-10), and of their wives (Ti1 3:11), again of the deacons (Ti1 3:12, Ti1 3:13). III. The reasons of his writing to Timothy, whereupon he speaks of the church and the foundation-truth professed therein (Ti1 3:14 to the end).
Open source ↗Original language
The Hebrew and Greek words behind this passage, with Strong's numbers — from openscriptures (CC BY-SA).
Cross-references
Other passages the community most often connects to this one. Tap to read.
As God’s steward, an overseer must be above reproach—not self-absorbed, not quick-tempered, not given to drunkenness, not violent, not greedy for money.
to malign no one, and to be peaceable and gentle, showing full consideration to everyone.
Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to reckless indiscretion. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.
Deacons likewise must be dignified, not double-tongued or given to much wine or greedy for money.
These also stagger from wine and stumble from strong drink: Priests and prophets reel from strong drink and are befuddled by wine. They stumble because of strong drink, muddled in their visions and stumbling in their judgments.
What causes conflicts and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from the passions at war within you?
Be shepherds of God’s flock that is among you, watching over them not out of compulsion, but because it is God’s will; not out of greed, but out of eagerness;
Older women, likewise, are to be reverent in their behavior, not slanderers or addicted to much wine, but teachers of good.
Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, for God has said: “Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you.”
“You and your sons are not to drink wine or strong drink when you enter the Tent of Meeting, or else you will die; this is a permanent statute for the generations to come.