1 Timothy 3:15

But 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.

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Word by word — the Greek

Word	Greek	Strong’s	Meaning
But	δὲ de	G1161	but · conjunction
if	ἐὰν ean	G1437	a conditional particle · conditional particle
long	βραδύνω, bradunō	G1019	to delay · verb — present active subjunctive, 1st person singular
that	ἵνα ina	G2443	compare G3588 (ὁ)) · conjunction
know	εἴδω eídō	G1492	used only in certain past tenses
how	πῶς pōs	G4459	an interrogative particle of manner · particle — interrogative
oughtest	δεῖ dei	G1163	also deon deh-on' · verb — present active indicative, 3rd person singular
thyself	ἀναστρέφεσθαι, anastrephesthai	G390	to overturn · verb — present passive infinitive
in	ἐν en	G1722	"in · preposition
house	οἴκῳ oikō	G3624	a dwelling (more or less extensive · noun — dative singular masculine
God	θεοῦ theou	G2316	figuratively · noun — genitive singular masculine, a title
which	ἥτις hētis	G3748	which some · relative pronoun — nominative singular feminine
is	ἐστί estí	G2076	he (she or it) is
church	ἐκκλησία ekklēsia	G1577	a calling out · noun — nominative singular feminine
living	ζῶντος, zōntos	G2198	to live (literally or figuratively) · verb — present active participle, genitive singular masculine
God	θεοῦ theou	G2316	figuratively · noun — genitive singular masculine, a title
pillar	στῦλος stulos	G4769	properly akin to the base of G2476 (ἵστημι)) · noun — nominative singular masculine
and	καὶ kai	G2532	and · conjunction
ground	ἑδραίωμα hedraiōma	G1477	a support · noun — nominative singular neuter
truth	ἀληθείας.¶ alētheias	G225	truth · noun — genitive singular feminine

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 Peter 2:5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus…
Ephesians 2:21-22 In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:
1 Kings 2:4 That the LORD may continue his word which he spake concerning me, saying, If thy children take heed to their way, to walk before me in truth…
1 Chronicles 22:13 Then shalt thou prosper, if thou takest heed to fulfil the statutes and judgments which the LORD charged Moses with concerning Israel: be st…
Matthew 16:18-19 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it…
1 Thessalonians 1:9 For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true…
1 Samuel 17:26 And David spake to the men that stood by him, saying, What shall be done to the man that killeth this Philistine, and taketh away the reproa…
1 Chronicles 28:9-21 And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the LORD searchet…

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

Commentary

Matthew Henry on 1 Timothy 3:14–end

He concludes the chapter with a particular direction to Timothy. He hoped shortly to come to him, to give him further directions and assistance in his work, and to see that Christianity was well planted, and took root well, at Ephesus; he therefore wrote the more briefly to him. But he wrote lest he should tarry long, that Timothy might know how to behave himself in the house of God, how to conduct himself as became an evangelist, and the apostle's substitute. Observe, I. Those who are employed in the house of God must see to it that they behave themselves well, lest they bring reproach upon the house of God, and that worthy name by which they are called. Ministers ought to behave themselves…

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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 1 Timothy 3:15

But if I tarry long--before coming to thee. that--that is, I write (Ti1 3:14) "that thou mayest know," &c. behave thyself--in directing the Church at Ephesus (Ti1 4:11). the house of God--the Church (Heb 3:2, Heb 3:5-6; Heb 10:21; Pe1 4:17; Co1 3:16, "the temple of God"; Eph 2:22). which is--that is, inasmuch as it is. the church--"the congregation." The fact that the sphere of thy functions is "the congregation of the living God" (who is the ever living Master of the house, Ti2 2:19-21), is the strongest motive to faithfulness in this behavior as president of a department of the house." The living God forms a striking contrast to the lifeless idol, Diana of Ephesus (Th1 1:9). He i…

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Adam Clarke on 1 Timothy 3:15

But if I tarry long - That is: Not withstanding I hope to come to thee shortly, and therefore do not feel the necessity of writing at large; yet, lest I should be delayed, I write what I judge necessary to direct thy conduct in the Church of God. The house of God - This is spoken in allusion to the ancient tabernacle; which was God's house, and in which the symbol of the Divine Majesty dwelt. So the Christian Church is God's house, and every believer is a habitation of God through the Spirit. The Church of the living God - The assembly in which God lives and works; each member of which is a living stone, all of whom, properly united among themselves, grow up unto a holy temple in the Lord. T…

The Church Fathers

"For from the rising of the sun, even to its setting, my name is great among the nations." It is of this holy Catholic church that Paul writes to Timothy.… He calls the church "the pillar and mainstay of the truth."
— Cyril of Jerusalem, Catechetical Lecture 18:25

"That thou mayest know," he says, "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." Not like that Jewish house. For it is this that maintains the faith and the preaching of the Word. For the truth is the pillar and the ground of the Church.
— John Chrysostom, Homily on 1 Timothy 11

Every one of us, indeed, who is instructed in the Holy Scripture is the administrator of some one of those gifts which, according to the gospel, have been apportioned to us. In this great household of the church not only are there vessels of every kind—gold, silver, wooden and earthen—but also a great variety of vocational pursuits. The house of God, which is the church of the living God, has hunters, travelers, architects, builders, farmers, shepherds, athletes, soldiers.
— Basil of Caesarea, HOMILY ON THE WORDS: 'GIVE HEED TO THYSELF.'6

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…
Church · 1:16; — 1:16;
Church, The · Belongs to God — Belongs to God
Pillars · Illustrative of: The church — Illustrative of: The church
Titles And Names Of The Church · Church of the Living God — Church of the Living God
Truth · The church is the pillar and ground of — The church is the pillar and ground of

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 3:15

Word by word — the Greek

Cross-references

Commentary

Matthew Henry on 1 Timothy 3:14–end

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 1 Timothy 3:15

Adam Clarke on 1 Timothy 3:15

The Church Fathers

Dictionary and topics

1 Timothy 3:15

Word by word — the Greek

Cross-references

Commentary

Matthew Henry on 1 Timothy 3:14–end

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 1 Timothy 3:15

Adam Clarke on 1 Timothy 3:15

The Church Fathers

Dictionary and topics

John Gill on 1 Timothy 3:15

John Calvin on 1 Timothy 3:14–end

Tyndale Open Study Notes on 1 Timothy 3:15