1 Timothy 3:12

Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.

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Word by word — the Greek

Word	Greek	Strong’s	Meaning
Let	ἔστω éstō	G2077	be thou
deacons	διάκονοι diakonoi	G1249	an attendant · noun — nominative plural masculine
be	ἔστω éstō	G2077	be thou
husbands	ἄνδρες, andres	G435	a man (properly as an individual male) · noun — nominative plural masculine
one	μιᾶς mias	G1520	one · adjective — genitive singular feminine
wife	γυναικὸς gunaikos	G1135	a woman · noun — genitive singular feminine
ruling	προϊστάμενοι proistamenoi	G4291	to stand before · verb — present middle participle, nominative plural masculine
children	τέκνων teknōn	G5043	a child (as produced) · noun — genitive plural neuter
and	καὶ kai	G2532	and · conjunction
own	ἰδίων idiōn	G2398	pertaining to self · adjective — genitive plural masculine
houses	οἴκων. oikōn	G3624	a dwelling (more or less extensive · noun — genitive plural masculine
well	καλῶς kalōs	G2573	well (usually morally) · adverb

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (James Strong, 1890/1894), public domain; digitized by Open Scriptures (CC BY-SA). KJV word tagging: eBible.org (public domain). Original-language text, parsing and brief lexicon: STEPBible.org data from Tyndale House, Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).

Cross-references

1 Timothy 3:2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;
1 Timothy 3:4-5 One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity;
Philippians 1:1 Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:
1 Timothy 3:8 Likewise must the deacons be grave, not doubletongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre;

Cross-references from OpenBible.info (CC BY), in the lineage of the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (public domain).

Commentary

Matthew Henry on 1 Timothy 3:8-13

We have here the character of deacons: these had the care of the temporal concerns of the church, that is, the maintenance of the ministers and provision for the poor: they served tables, while the ministers or bishops gave themselves only to the ministry of the word and prayer, Act 6:2, Act 6:4. Of the institution of this office, with that which gave occasion to it, you have an account in Act 6:1-7. Now it was requisite that deacons should have a good character, because they were assistants to the ministers, appeared and acted publicly, and had a great trust reposed in them. They must be grave. Gravity becomes all Christians, but especially those who are in the office in the church. Not dou…

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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 1 Timothy 3:12

husbands of one wife--(See on Ti1 3:2). ruling their children--There is no article in the Greek, "ruling children"; implying that he regarded the having children to rule as a qualification (Ti1 3:4; Tit 1:6). their own houses--as distinguished from "the Church of God" (see on Ti1 3:5). In the case of the deacons, as in that of the bishops, he mentions the first condition of receiving office, rather than the special qualifications for its discharge. The practical side of Christianity is the one most dwelt on in the Pastoral Epistles, in opposition to the heretical teachers; moreover, as the miraculous gifts began to be withdrawn, the safest criterion of efficiency would be the previous mo…

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Adam Clarke on 1 Timothy 3:12

Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife - This is the same that is required of the bishops. See on Ti1 3:2 (note) Ti1 3:4 (note), and Ti1 3:5 (note).

John Gill on 1 Timothy 3:12

Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife,.... See Gill on 1 Timothy 3:2. ruling their children and their own houses well. These qualifications are the same with those of the bishop or elder; See Gill on 1 Timothy 3:4.

The Church Fathers

"Let the Deacons be husbands of one wife." This must be understood therefore to relate to Deaconesses. For that order is necessary and useful and honorable in the Church. Observe how he requires the same virtue from the Deacons, as from the Bishops, for though they were not of equal rank, they must equally be blameless; equally pure. "Ruling their children and their own houses well." Everywhere they are required to rule their children well, that others may not be scandalized by their misconduct.
— John Chrysostom, Homily on 1 Timothy 11

Let deacons be the husbands of one wife, managing their children and their own households well. For those who serve well gain for themselves a good standing and great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus. husbands of one wife. You see how the same things are required from deacons as from bishops? These things must also be accepted concerning deaconesses. managing their children and their own households well. He places this everywhere, wishing to bring the reproof upon them from home. For those who serve well. Those who have entrusted themselves to the lesser things will quickly come to progress and boldness in Christ. and great confidence. But who would have confidence in the faith of Christ, except the one who lives with faith and a righteous life?
— Oecumenius, COMMENTARY ON 1 TIMOTHY

The Church Fathers: public-domain translations (Ante-Nicene and Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers), verse-indexed by SermonIndex (CC BY 4.0).

Dictionary and topics

Bishop — An overseer. In apostolic times, it is quite manifest that there was no difference as to order between bishops and elders or presbyters (Acts 20:17-28; 1 Pet. 5:1, 2; Phil. 1:1; 1 Tim. 3). The term…
Deacon — Anglicized form of the Greek word diaconos, meaning a “runner,” “messenger,” “servant.” For a long period a feeling of mutual jealousy had existed between the “Hebrews,” or Jews proper, who spoke the…
Commandments · PRECEPTS OF PAUL. EXPLICITLY STATED OR IMPLIED IN DIDACTIC EPISTLES — PRECEPTS OF PAUL. EXPLICITLY STATED OR IMPLIED IN DIDACTIC EPISTLES
Deacon · Characteristics of — Characteristics of
Families · Should: Be duly regulated — Should: Be duly regulated
Family · .Be duly regulated — .Be duly regulated
Ministers · Should be: Strict in ruling their own families — Should be: Strict in ruling their own families
Parents · Their duty to their children is: To rule them — Their duty to their children is: To rule them
Polygamy · Forbid — Forbid

Dictionary: Easton's (1897) and Smith's (1863), public domain. Topics: Nave's Topical Bible (1896) and Torrey's Topical Textbook (1897), public domain. Both as parsed by NEUU (CC BY 4.0).

1 Timothy 3:12

Word by word — the Greek

Cross-references

Commentary

Matthew Henry on 1 Timothy 3:8-13

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 1 Timothy 3:12

Adam Clarke on 1 Timothy 3:12

John Gill on 1 Timothy 3:12

The Church Fathers

Dictionary and topics

1 Timothy 3:12

Word by word — the Greek

Cross-references

Commentary

Matthew Henry on 1 Timothy 3:8-13

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 1 Timothy 3:12

Adam Clarke on 1 Timothy 3:12

John Gill on 1 Timothy 3:12

The Church Fathers

Dictionary and topics

John Calvin on 1 Timothy 3:8-13

Tyndale Open Study Notes on 1 Timothy 3:11