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1 Tim 3 V1 V2 V4 V5 V6 V7 V8 V9 V10 V11 V12 V13 V14 V15 V16
In this section, Paul described the qualifications for Christian leaders, those who lead a group of believers.
This section can be divided into three paragraphs:
Paragraph 3:1–7: The sort of people who should be overseers
Paragraph 3:8–13: The sort of people who should be deacons
Paragraph 3:14–16: The reason Paul wrote this letter to Timothy
In this paragraph Paul told Timothy the qualities that a person needed to have in order to become an “overseer.” An overseer was someone who led and taught a group of believers.
not dependent on wine,
not someone who habitually gets drunk,
He must not be a drunkard.
dependent on wine: Someone who is dependent on wine is someone who makes a habit of drinking too much wine or other alcoholic drinks so that he becomes drunk. Your language might express this with a single word, like the English word “drunkard,” or you may use an expression such as “someone who is always getting drunk,” or “habitual drinker.” See also Titus 1:7 where the same Greek word is used.
not violent but gentle,
not fighting a lot, but remaining calm,
He must not like to fight. Instead he should be gentle.
Some Greek manuscripts include words that can be translated “not greedy of filthy lucre” (that is, “not greedy for money”). The KJV follows that text. However, most scholars agree that this phrase was not present in Paul’s original letter to Timothy. So you should omit the words as the BSB has done.Metzger, pages 640 and 641, indicates that the words “not greedy of filthy lucre” are a gloss derived from Titus 1:7 and were probably not present in the original. The Editorial Committee of the UBS New Testament (4th edition) does not list this reading in its critical apparatus.
not violent: The Greek word plēktēn that the BSB translates as violent means “striker, brawler.” This means a person who often fights with other people or who is rough with others in language or actions. It refers mainly to fighting physically, but it can include yelling and arguing too. An overseer must not lead the believers by forcing them to do things in this way. The same word is used in Titus 1:7.
but gentle: The Greek word epieikēs that the BSB translates as gentle is the opposite of “violent.” If a person is gentle, he is kind, patient, calm, and respectful. He also considers other people before he does something. The same Greek word is used in Titus 3:2.
peaceable,
not argumentative,
He must not habitually argue with other people.
peaceable: The Greek word that the BSB translates as peaceable literally means “not-fighting.” It refers to someone who avoids arguing or disagreeing with other people. The word is also used in Titus 3:2.
There are two ways you can translate this:
In a positive way, as the GNT has done, that is:
peaceful (BSB, GNT, NJB, NCV, NLT, NASB, CEV)
In a negative way, as the NIV has done; that is:
does not quarrel with other people (NIV, RSV, KJV, NET, GW)
You should choose whichever style works best in your language.
and free of the love of money.
and not greedy for money.
He must not be a man who is eager to have a lot of money.
free of the love of money: An overseer should not be someone who is interested in getting as much money as possible. The word that the BSB translates as love of money is also used in Hebrews 13:5; Luke 16:14; and 2 Timothy 3:2.
μὴ πάροινον
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: μή πάροινον μή πλήκτην ἀλλά ἐπιεικῆ ἄμαχον ἀφιλάργυρον)
Alternate translation: [not one who drinks much wine]
μὴ πλήκτην
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: μή πάροινον μή πλήκτην ἀλλά ἐπιεικῆ ἄμαχον ἀφιλάργυρον)
Alternate translation: [not one who is violent] or [not one who likes to fight]
Note 1 topic: translate-textvariants
μὴ πλήκτην
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: μή πάροινον μή πλήκτην ἀλλά ἐπιεικῆ ἄμαχον ἀφιλάργυρον)
Many ancient manuscripts read not a brawler. The ULT follows that reading. Other ancient manuscripts read “not a brawler, not greedy.” If a translation of the Bible exists in your region, you may wish to use the reading that it uses. If a translation of the Bible does not exist in your region, you may wish to use the reading of the ULT.
ἀφιλάργυρον
ungreedy
Alternate translation: [not greedy for money]
3:1-13 The topic shifts to church leadership by elders (3:1-7) and deacons (3:8-13). Timothy’s role in the appointments is less clear than that of Titus (see 5:17-22; Titus 1:5), possibly because the church in Ephesus was more mature and thus better able to manage the process (cp. Acts 6:2-6). The criteria listed here pertain to character rather than function and are partly a response to the local heretics. Reading this letter in the churches would make the criteria public and demonstrate the unfitness of the heretics for leadership.
Note: The OET-RV is still only a first draft, and so far only a few words have been (mostly automatically) matched to the Hebrew or Greek words that they’re translated from.
Acknowledgements: The SR Greek text, lemmas, morphology, and VLT gloss are all thanks to the CNTR.