1 Timothy 3:1-7

New English Translation

Footnotes

1. 1 Timothy 3:1 tn Grk “the saying,” referring to the following citation (see 1 Tim 1:15; 4:9; 2 Tim 2:11; Titus 3:8 for other occurrences of this phrase).
2. 1 Timothy 3:1 tn Grk “aspires to oversight.”
3. 1 Timothy 3:2 tn Or “bishop.”sn Although some see the article with overseer as indicating a single leader at the top of the ecclesiastical structure (thus taking the article as monadic), this is hardly necessary. It is naturally taken generically (referring to the class of leaders known as overseers) and, in fact, finds precedent in 2:11-12 (“a woman,” “a man”), 2:15 (“she”).
4. 1 Timothy 3:2 tn Or “a man married only once,” “devoted solely to his wife” (see 1 Tim 3:12; 5:9; Titus 1:6). The meaning of this phrase is disputed. It is frequently understood to refer to the marital status of the church leader, excluding from leadership those who are (1) unmarried, (2) polygamous, (3) divorced, or (4) remarried after being widowed. A different interpretation is reflected in the NEB’s translation “faithful to his one wife.”
5. 1 Timothy 3:4 tn Grk “having children in submission with all dignity.” The last phrase, “keep his children in control without losing his dignity,” may refer to the children rather than the parent: “having children who are obedient and respectful.”
6. 1 Timothy 3:6 tn Grk “that he may not become arrogant.”
7. 1 Timothy 3:6 tn Grk “the judgment of the devil,” which could also mean “the judgment that the devil incurred.” But see 1 Tim 1:20 for examples of the danger Paul seems to have in mind.
8. 1 Timothy 3:7 tn Or “have a good reputation with”; Grk “have a good testimony from.”
9. 1 Timothy 3:7 tn Grk “the ones outside.”
10. 1 Timothy 3:7 tn Or “be trapped like the devil was”; Grk “fall into the trap of the devil.” The parallel in 2 Tim 2:26 supports the rendering given in the text.