The big picture
1 Timothy 3 opens in verse 1 with “This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.”, reaches its middle movement near verse 8 with “Likewise must the deacons be grave, not doubletongued, not given to much wine, not…”, and closes in verse 16 with “And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the…” Repeated or prominent terms include good, house, office, well, bishop. Together, those details trace this chapter’s own movement from its opening to its conclusion.
Scripture beside the summary
1 Timothy · King James Version · 161 Timothy 3:1-8
1–8: This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he…
1 Timothy 3:1–8 opens with “This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.” and reaches “Likewise must the deacons be grave, not doubletongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Overseers and deacons being evaluated through observable character, household faithfulness, and service rather than display, with particular weight carried by good, bishop, devil.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 1 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
“This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.” The line’s distinctive content terms include bishop, desire, desireth. Its relationship to verses 2 shows what work it does in this passage.
1 Timothy 3:1-8
King James Version1This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.
2A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;
3Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;
4One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity;
5(For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)
6Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.
7Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.
8Likewise must the deacons be grave, not doubletongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre;
1 Timothy 3:9-16
9–16: Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.
1 Timothy 3:9–16 opens with “Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.” and reaches “And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Overseers and deacons being evaluated through observable character, household faithfulness, and service rather than display, with particular weight carried by deacon, faith, mystery.
Context that brings the passage to life
“Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.” Naming Holding keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“Even so must their wives be grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things.” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
“For they that have used the office of a deacon well purchase to themselves a good degree, and great boldness in the…” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.
1 Timothy 3:9-16
King James Version9Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.
10And let these also first be proved; then let them use the office of a deacon, being found blameless.
11Even so must their wives be grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things.
12Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.
13For they that have used the office of a deacon well purchase to themselves a good degree, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.
14These things write I unto thee, hoping to come unto thee shortly:
15But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.
16And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.
Details worth noticing
The opening image
1 Timothy 3:1 begins with “This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.”
Where the chapter turns
1 Timothy 3:5 forms a natural hinge: “(For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)”
The final note
1 Timothy 3:16 leaves the reader with “And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the…”
A word trail through the chapter
The words good, house, office, well, bishop, blameless help reveal the chapter’s repeated concerns.
How does blame move through the conversation?
The man points to the woman and indirectly to God; the woman points to the serpent. Neither response repairs trust.
Where does mercy appear?
Continued life, the promise involving offspring, and clothing accompany the expulsion.
KJV words made clear
- unto
- to
- thee
- you
- thou
- you
- lest
- so that something does not happen
Text first
Where readers differ
The chapter summary begins with what the passage says and how its parts fit together. It does not assume one denomination has already settled every question. Where a conclusion depends on a tradition, literary theory, or historical reconstruction, that dependence is named openly.
The KJV text is presented first. Interpretive conclusions are labeled, and differences are introduced only when they help a reader understand why serious communities do not always reach the same answer.
God, who, or which was manifest in the flesh
1 Timothy 3:16. The KJV reads, “God was manifest in the flesh.” Earlier Greek witnesses read a relative pronoun, usually translated “who was manifested in the flesh,” while some Western witnesses read “which.” The forms could be confused in manuscripts that abbreviated sacred names.
View source: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, 1 Timothy 3 and the note on verse 16 ↗ · View source: Bible.org, NET Bible textual note on 1 Timothy 3:16 ↗