I Timothy 3:5
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For if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how can he care for the church of God?
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
For--Greek, "But." the church--rather, "a church" or congregation. How shall he who cannot perform the lesser function, perform the greater and more difficult?
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
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I told him that I would judge his house forever for the iniquity of which he knows, because his sons blasphemed God and he did not restrain them.
Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.
Keep watch over yourselves and the entire flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which He purchased with His own blood.
This mystery is profound, but I am speaking about Christ and the church.
in case I am delayed, so that you will know how each one must conduct himself in God’s household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth.
And God put everything under His feet and made Him head over everything for the church,
Do not become a stumbling block, whether to Jews or Greeks or the church of God—