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1 Tim 3 V1 V2 V3 V4 V5 V6 V7 V9 V10 V11 V12 V13 V14 V15 V16
Note: This view shows ‘verses’ which are not natural language units and hence sometimes only part of a sentence will be visible—click on any Bible version abbreviation down the left-hand side to see the verse in more of its context. Normally the OET discourages the reading of individual ‘verses’, but this view is only designed as a tool for doing comparisons of different translations—the older translations are further down the page (so you can read up from the bottom to trace the English translation history). The OET segments on this page are still very early looks into the unfinished texts of the Open English Translation of the Bible—please double-check these texts in advance before using in public.
Text critical issues=small word differences Clarity of original=clear Importance to us=normal (All still tentative.)
OET (OET-RV) Similarly helpers in the assembly should also be dignified, should only speak the truth, shouldn’t be greedy or addicted to wine,![]()
OET-LV Servants likewise should_be dignified, not double-tongued, not addicted to_ much _wine, not greedy,![]()
SR-GNT Διακόνους ὡσαύτως σεμνούς, μὴ διλόγους, μὴ οἴνῳ πολλῷ προσέχοντας, μὴ αἰσχροκερδεῖς, ‡
(Diakonous hōsautōs semnous, maʸ dilogous, maʸ oinōi pollōi proseⱪontas, maʸ aisⱪrokerdeis,)
Key: khaki:verbs, orange:accusative/object, cyan:dative/indirect object.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).
ULT Likewise deacons must be dignified, not double-talkers, not indulging in much wine, not greedy,
UST Similarly, those who serve the rest of God’s people must be those whom others respect. They must consistently speak what is true. They must not drink too much alcohol. They must not want more than they need.
BSB Deacons likewise [must be] dignified, not double-tongued [or] given to much wine [or] greedy for money.
MSB (Same as BSB above)
BLB Deacons likewise must be dignified, not double-tongued, not being given to much wine, not greedy of dishonest gain,
AICNT Likewise, deacons should be dignified, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for dishonest gain,
OEB So, too, assistants should be serious and straightforward, not given to taking much drink or to questionable money-making,
WEBBE Servants,[fn] in the same way, must be reverent, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for money,
3:8 or, Deacons.
WMBB (Same as above including footnotes)
NET Deacons likewise must be dignified, not two-faced, not given to excessive drinking, not greedy for gain,
LSV Servants, in like manner, dignified, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not given to shameful gain,
FBV Similarly deacons[fn] should be respected, and not hypocritical. They should not be addicted to drink, and should not be trying to dishonestly enrich themselves.
3:8 “Deacons,” directly from the Greek work “diakonos,” meaning servant.
TCNT Deacons likewise must be dignified, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, and not greedy for sordid gain.
T4T Those whom you choose to serve as deacons likewise must be ones who conduct themselves suitably/appropriately. Specifically, they must be ◄serious/worthy that people respect them►. They must ◄be sincere/mean what they say►. They must not like to drink a lot of alcohol. They must not ◄be greedy/have a strong desire to get money►.
LEB ¶ Deacons likewise must be dignified, not insincere, not devoted to much wine, not fond of dishonest gain,
BBE Deacons, in the same way, are to be serious in their behaviour, not false in word, not given to taking much wine or greatly desiring the wealth of this world;
Moff Deacons in turn are to be serious men; they are not to be tale-bearers or addicted to drink or pilfering;
Wymth Deacons, in the same way, must be men of serious demeanour, not double-tongued, nor addicted to much wine, nor greedy of base gain,
ASV Deacons in like manner must be grave, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre;
DRA Deacons in like manner chaste, not double tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre:
YLT Ministrants — in like manner grave, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not given to filthy lucre,
Drby Ministers, in like manner, grave, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not seeking gain by base means,
RV Deacons in like manner must be grave, not doubletongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre;
SLT Deacons likewise grave, not speaking equivocally, not holding to much wine, not occupied in sordid gain;
Wbstr Likewise must the deacons be grave, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre,
KJB-1769 Likewise must the deacons be grave, not doubletongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre;
KJB-1611 Likewise must the Deacons bee graue, not double tongued, not giuen to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre,
(Likewise must the Deacons be grave, not double tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre,)
Bshps Likewise must ye ministers be graue, not double tongued, not geuen to much wine, neither greedy of fylthy lucre:
(Likewise must ye/you_all ministers be grave, not double tongued, not given to much wine, neither greedy of filthy lucre:)
Gnva Likewise must Deacons be graue, not double tongued, not giuen vnto much wine, neither to filthy lucre,
(Likewise must Deacons be grave, not double tongued, not given unto much wine, neither to filthy lucre, )
Cvdl Likewyse must the mynisters be honest, not double tonged, not geuen to moch wyne, nether vnto fylthie lucre,
(Likewise must the ministers be honest, not double tonged, not given to much wine, neither unto filthy lucre,)
TNT Lykwyse must the deacons be honest not double tonged not geve vnto moche drynkinge nether vnto filthy lucre:
(Lykwyse must the deacons be honest not double tonged not give unto much drynkinge neither unto filthy lucre: )
Wycl Also it bihoueth dekenes to be chast, not double tungid, not youun myche to wyn, not suynge foul wynnyng;
(Also it behoves deacons to be chast, not double-tongued, not given much to wine, not suing foul wynning;)
Luth Desselbigengleichen die Diener sollen ehrbar sein, nicht zweizüngig, nicht Weinsäufer, nicht unehrliche Hantierung treiben
(Desselbigengleichen the servant should ehrbar be, not twozüngig, not wineäufer, not unehrliche Hantierung to_drive)
ClVg Diaconos similiter pudicos, non bilingues, non multo vino deditos, non turpe lucrum sectantes:
(Diaconos likewise pudicos, not/no bilinguals, not/no much wine he_gaveos, not/no turpe lucrum sectantes: )
UGNT διακόνους ὡσαύτως σεμνούς, μὴ διλόγους, μὴ οἴνῳ πολλῷ προσέχοντας, μὴ αἰσχροκερδεῖς,
(diakonous hōsautōs semnous, maʸ dilogous, maʸ oinōi pollōi proseⱪontas, maʸ aisⱪrokerdeis,)
SBL-GNT Διακόνους ὡσαύτως σεμνούς, μὴ διλόγους, μὴ οἴνῳ πολλῷ προσέχοντας, μὴ αἰσχροκερδεῖς,
(Diakonous hōsautōs semnous, maʸ dilogous, maʸ oinōi pollōi proseⱪontas, maʸ aisⱪrokerdeis,)
RP-GNT Διακόνους ὡσαύτως σεμνούς, μὴ διλόγους, μὴ οἴνῳ πολλῷ προσέχοντας, μὴ αἰσχροκερδεῖς,
(Diakonous hōsautōs semnous, maʸ dilogous, maʸ oinōi pollōi proseⱪontas, maʸ aisⱪrokerdeis,)
TC-GNT Διακόνους ὡσαύτως σεμνούς, μὴ διλόγους, μὴ οἴνῳ πολλῷ προσέχοντας, μὴ αἰσχροκερδεῖς,
(Diakonous hōsautōs semnous, maʸ dilogous, maʸ oinōi pollōi proseⱪontas, maʸ aisⱪrokerdeis, )
Key for above GNTs: yellow:punctuation differs (from our SR-GNT base).
3:8 must not be . . . dishonest with money (3:3): Greed is disreputable and improper (6:6-10, 17-19; Eph 5:3; Col 3:5), especially for those who lead in the church (1 Tim 3:9; see Titus 1:7).
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 3:1–7 Paul told Timothy the sort of people who ought to be overseers. In the following verses, Paul described the sort of people who should be deacons. Many of these qualifications are similar to those for overseers.
Deacons likewise must be dignified, not double-tongued
¶ Like the overseers, deacons also must be men who deserve respect and they must be honest.
Deacons: The Greek word that the BSB translates as Deacons normally means “servants.” But in this verse it refers to believers who had a special job within the community of believers. Deacons basically took care of special needs of believers. For example, one of their tasks was to care for the widows.
Most English versions translate the word as “deacons,” but the GNT says “church helpers.” You should choose a term that is suitable in your culture for such a leadership job.
likewise: Paul had given a list of qualifications for overseers in 3:1–7. He was now going to list the qualifications for deacons.(3:8–13). In some languages it may be enough to use the word “also.”
dignified: The Greek word that the BSB translates as dignified is a general word. It means that a deacon must behave in a way that deserves respect from other people. That is, other people will esteem and honor him because he has earned that respect by the way he behaves.
not double-tongued: The Greek term that the BSB literally translates as not double-tongued means “sincere.” Another way to express this is:
not saying things they do not mean (NCV)
or given to much wine
They must not habitually drink too much wine and become drunk.
or given to much wine: Just as an overseer should not be “dependent on wine” (3:3a), Paul said that deacons should not be “given to much wine.” This means the same thing—any leader among believers must not get drunk.
wine: The word wine refers to a drink made from grapes. It is fermented and therefore alcoholic. During the time when Paul wrote this letter, people normally drank wine with their meals. Paul said that deacons should not drink too much wine and therefore become drunk.
or greedy for money.
They must not be so eager to get money that they cheat others.
greedy for money: In 3:3d, Paul said that overseers should be “free of the love of money.” Here Paul makes a similar statement about deacons. The Greek word aischrokerdē that the BSB translates as greedy for money literally means “shamefully greedy.” Scholars interpret this in two ways:
It refers to people who do wrong things in order to get money. (NIV, CEV, NCV, GW) This is also the view of many commentaries.
It refers to people who are greedy for money and possessions, whether or not the person does anything wrong to get them. (BSB, RSV, GNT, NJB, NLT, NET)
It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). The Greek word that Paul used here contains a part that means “shameful, disgraceful.” So it probably refers to someone who is willing to lie, cheat or take bribes in order to get the money he wants. This kind of person might use his position of authority in the church as a way to get money from other people. One possible way to translate this is:
He must not be a person who will do anything to get money.
The same term is used in Titus 1:7 and 1:11.
διακόνους ὡσαύτως
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Διακόνους ὡσαύτως σεμνούς μή διλόγους μή οἴνῳ πολλῷ προσέχοντας μή αἰσχροκερδεῖς)
Alternate translation: [Deacons, just like overseers,]
Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor
μὴ διλόγους
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Διακόνους ὡσαύτως σεμνούς μή διλόγους μή οἴνῳ πολλῷ προσέχοντας μή αἰσχροκερδεῖς)
Here Paul refers to people who change what they say to match the situation as if they were double-talkers, or people who say two words at the same time. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a comparable figure of speech or state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [not two-tongued] or [speaking with integrity]
Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit
μὴ αἰσχροκερδεῖς
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Διακόνους ὡσαύτως σεμνούς μή διλόγους μή οἴνῳ πολλῷ προσέχοντας μή αἰσχροκερδεῖς)
Here, the word translated as greedy could refer to: (1) strong desire for more money and goods than one needs. Alternate translation: [not always longing for more money] (2) gaining money and goods by shameful means. Alternate translation: [not pursuing dishonest gain] or [not being shamed by greed]