1 Timothy 3:4
New International Version
He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him, and he must do so in a manner worthy of full respect.

New Living Translation
He must manage his own family well, having children who respect and obey him.

English Standard Version
He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive,

Berean Standard Bible
An overseer must manage his own household well and keep his children under control, with complete dignity.

Berean Literal Bible
managing the own house well, having children in submission, with all dignity--

King James Bible
One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity;

New King James Version
one who rules his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence

New American Standard Bible
He must be one who manages his own household well, keeping his children under control with all dignity

NASB 1995
He must be one who manages his own household well, keeping his children under control with all dignity

NASB 1977
He must be one who manages his own household well, keeping his children under control with all dignity

Legacy Standard Bible
leading his own household well, having his children in submission with all dignity

Amplified Bible
He must manage his own household well, keeping his children under control with all dignity [keeping them respectful and well-behaved]

Christian Standard Bible
He must manage his own household competently and have his children under control with all dignity.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
one who manages his own household competently, having his children under control with all dignity.

American Standard Version
one that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity;

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And he governs his house well, and holds his children in subjection with all purity.

Contemporary English Version
Church officials must be in control of their own families, and they must see that their children are obedient and always respectful.

Douay-Rheims Bible
One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all chastity.

English Revised Version
one that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity;

GOD'S WORD® Translation
He must manage his own family well. His children should respectfully obey him.

Good News Translation
he must be able to manage his own family well and make his children obey him with all respect.

International Standard Version
He must manage his own family well and have children who are submissive and respectful in every way.

Literal Standard Version
leading his own house well, having children in subjection with all dignity,

Majority Standard Bible
An overseer must manage his own household well and keep his children under control, with complete dignity.

New American Bible
He must manage his own household well, keeping his children under control with perfect dignity;

NET Bible
He must manage his own household well and keep his children in control without losing his dignity.

New Revised Standard Version
He must manage his own household well, keeping his children submissive and respectful in every way—

New Heart English Bible
one who rules his own house well, having children in subjection with all reverence;

Webster's Bible Translation
One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity;

Weymouth New Testament
but ruling his own household wisely and well, with children kept under control with true dignity.

World English Bible
one who rules his own house well, having children in subjection with all reverence;

Young's Literal Translation
his own house leading well, having children in subjection with all gravity,

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Qualifications for Overseers
3not dependent on wine, not violent but gentle, peaceable, and free of the love of money. 4An overseer must manage his own household well and keep his children under control, with complete dignity. 5For if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how can he care for the church of God?…

Cross References
Ephesians 5:24
Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.

1 Timothy 3:12
A deacon must be the husband of but one wife, a good manager of his children and of his own household.


Treasury of Scripture

One that rules well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity;

ruleth.

1 Timothy 3:12
Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.

Genesis 18:19
For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.

Joshua 24:15
And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.

with.

Philippians 4:8
Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

Titus 2:2,7
That the aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience…

Jump to Previous
Behaviour Children Conducting Control Dignity Family Gravity House Household Keeping Kept Leading Manage Obey Proper Respect Respectful Reverence Rules Ruleth Ruling Serious Subjection Submissive True. Way Wisely
Jump to Next
Behaviour Children Conducting Control Dignity Family Gravity House Household Keeping Kept Leading Manage Obey Proper Respect Respectful Reverence Rules Ruleth Ruling Serious Subjection Submissive True. Way Wisely
1 Timothy 3
1. How bishops, deacons, and their wives should be qualified;
14. and to what end Paul wrote to Timothy of these things.
15. Of the church, and the blessed truth therein taught and professed.














(4) One that ruleth well his own house.--Paul here again turns to the vein of thought first struck in 1Timothy 3:2 : The life of the officer in the Church of God must be a pattern life for those without, as well as for those within the Church's fold, to copy and imitate. He must be pre-eminent in nobility of life and aims; but the life and the aims must belong to ordinary every day life. His high standard must be no inimitable one; the example must be one that all honest men may follow and copy, if they will. So, first of all (1Timothy 3:2), the Apostle places among the qualities necessary for a governing elder in the Church, the pure home life of the husband; then, after enumerating other points to be sought for in the character of one chosen to rule in the congregation, Paul comes back to this central idea, the home life of the Church official; that home life must present the spectacle of a well-ordered household. This will be at least a good test of a man's fitness to rule the large family gathered together in the form of a congregation, if his own home is gently yet firmly ruled; the wife, a pattern Christian lady; the children growing up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

Having his children in subjection with all gravity.--The Greek word rendered "gravity" occurs in 1Timothy 2:2, where it is translated in the authorised version, not very happily, by "honesty." The word employed in the original Greek denotes that decorum, that propriety of demeanour, which belongs especially to the pure and chaste, and seems to urge that a peculiar reverence and an especial decorum shall be aimed at in all relations with the young. Maxima debetur pueris reverentia. The child life in the families of these ministers of Christ's religion must, too, be an example to countless other homes.

Verse 4. - One that ruleth well his own house. The ἐπίσκοπος is one who has to preside over and rule (προίστασθαι) the house of God (1 Timothy 5:17; Romans 12:8; 1 Thessalonians 5:12), as the high priest was called "ruler of the house of God" (1 Chronicles 9:11; Nehemiah 11:11). So in Justin Martyr the bishop is called ὁ προεστῶς τῶν ἀδελφῶν ('Apology,' 11) and simply ὁ προεστῶς, and similarly in Hebrews 13:7 the clergy are οἱ ἡγούμενοι ὑμῶν, "they which have the rule over you." How needful, then, is it that he should rule well his own house, and have his own children in subjection! The testimony given in this passage to a married clergy is too clear to need any comment. In subjection (ἐν ὑποταγῇ); as above, 1 Timothy 2:11, where see note. For the sense, comp. Titus 1:6, which leads us to apply the words, with all gravity (σεμνότητος), the contrary to "riot," ἀσωτία), to the children. The children of the ἐπίσκοπος are to exhibit that seriousness and sobriety of conduct which is in accordance with their father's office, μετά, together with, as in 1 Timothy 1:14.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
[An overseer must] manage
προϊστάμενον (proistamenon)
Verb - Present Participle Middle - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 4291: From pro and histemi; to stand before, i.e. to preside, or to practise.

[his]
τοῦ (tou)
Article - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

own
ἰδίου (idiou)
Adjective - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 2398: Pertaining to self, i.e. One's own; by implication, private or separate.

household
οἴκου (oikou)
Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 3624: A dwelling; by implication, a family.

well
καλῶς (kalōs)
Adverb
Strong's 2573: Well, nobly, honorably, rightly. Adverb from kalos; well.

[and] keep
ἔχοντα (echonta)
Verb - Present Participle Active - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2192: To have, hold, possess. Including an alternate form scheo skheh'-o; a primary verb; to hold.

[his] children
τέκνα (tekna)
Noun - Accusative Neuter Plural
Strong's 5043: A child, descendent, inhabitant. From the base of timoria; a child.

under
ἐν (en)
Preposition
Strong's 1722: In, on, among. A primary preposition denoting position, and instrumentality, i.e. A relation of rest; 'in, ' at, on, by, etc.

control,
ὑποταγῇ (hypotagē)
Noun - Dative Feminine Singular
Strong's 5292: Subjection, submission, obedience. From hupotasso; subordination.

with
μετὰ (meta)
Preposition
Strong's 3326: (a) gen: with, in company with, (b) acc: (1) behind, beyond, after, of place, (2) after, of time, with nouns, neut. of adjectives.

complete
πάσης (pasēs)
Adjective - Genitive Feminine Singular
Strong's 3956: All, the whole, every kind of. Including all the forms of declension; apparently a primary word; all, any, every, the whole.

dignity.
σεμνότητος (semnotētos)
Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular
Strong's 4587: Dignity, honor, gravity, seriousness. From semnos; venerableness, i.e. Probity.


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NT Letters: 1 Timothy 3:4 One who rules his own house well (1 Tim. 1Ti iTi 1tim i Tm)
1 Timothy 3:3
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