1 Se ha dicho que si alguien desea ser obispo tiene una aspiración noble. Es cierto. 2 Sin embargo, es necesario que tal persona viva irreprochablemente: ha de tener una sola esposa y debe ser moderado, juicioso y respetable; ha de estar siempre dispuesto a hospedar gente en su casa; debe saber enseñar; 3 no debe ser borracho ni pendenciero, sino amable, bondadoso y sin inclinación al dinero; 4 debe gobernar bien su familia y hacer que sus hijos le obedezcan con el debido respeto, 5 porque no puede cuidar la iglesia quien no puede gobernar su propia familia. 6 El obispo no puede ser un recién convertido, ya que corre el riesgo de enorgullecerse y caer en la misma condenación en que cayó el diablo; 7 debe tener buena reputación entre los que no son de la iglesia, para que no pase vergüenzas ante ellos ni caiga en una trampa del diablo. 8 Los diáconos, de igual manera, deben ser personas respetables y veraces; no han de ser dados a la bebida ni a los negocios sucios; 9 deben guardar, con conciencia limpia, las grandes verdades de la fe. 10 Primero deben ser puestos a prueba, y después, si no hay nada malo de qué acusarlos, que sirvan como diáconos. 11 De la misma manera, las mujeres han de ser honorables y no dadas al chisme; deben saber controlarse en todo y ser dignas de confianza. 12 Cada diácono ha de tener una sola esposa y debe saber gobernar a sus hijos y a su familia, 13 porque los que ejercen bien el diaconado no sólo se ganan el respeto de los demás sino que desarrollan mayor confianza para hablar de su fe en Cristo Jesús. 14 Espero ir pronto a verte, pero te escribo estas cosas 15 para que, si me tardo, sepas cómo hay que comportarse en la familia de Dios, que es la iglesia del Dios vivo, columna y sostén de la verdad. 16◆ No hay duda alguna de que lo que Dios ha revelado acerca de nuestra fe es muy grande: Cristo vino a la tierra como hombre, fue declarado inocente por el Espíritu, fue visto por los ángeles, fue predicado entre las naciones, creído en el mundo y recibido en la gloria.
1 Timothy · Biblica Open New Living Bible (Nueva Biblia Viva 2008)
1 Timothy 3 Biblica Open New Living Bible (Nueva Biblia Viva 2008)
Audio: Reina-Valera Antigua (RVA), read by Joyfull · About the recordings
Cross references (16)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Titus 1:7; Acts 20:28; 1 Peter 5:2; 1 Peter 2:25; James 5:19–20
- 2 Titus 1:6–9; 2 Timothy 2:24; Romans 12:13; 1 Timothy 5:9; 1 Peter 4:9
- 3 Titus 1:7; Titus 3:2; Isaiah 28:7; 1 Timothy 3:8; Ephesians 5:18
- 4 Titus 1:6; Genesis 18:19; 1 Timothy 3:12; Titus 2:2; Joshua 24:15
- 5 1 Samuel 3:13; Ephesians 5:24; Acts 20:28; Ephesians 5:32; Ephesians 1:22
- 6 1 Timothy 6:4; Hebrews 5:12–13; 1 Peter 5:5; 1 Peter 2:2; 1 Corinthians 3:1
- 7 2 Corinthians 8:21; 2 Timothy 2:26; Colossians 4:5; 2 Corinthians 6:3; Acts 6:3
- 8 Philippians 1:1; Acts 6:3–6; Titus 2:3; 1 Timothy 5:23; 1 Timothy 3:3
- 9 1 Timothy 1:19; 2 John 9–10; 1 Timothy 1:5; 1 Timothy 3:16
- 10 1 Timothy 5:22; 1 Timothy 3:13; Titus 1:6–7; 1 Timothy 3:6; 1 Timothy 3:2
- 11 Titus 2:3; Titus 3:2; 1 Timothy 3:2; Proverbs 10:18; 2 Timothy 3:3
- 12 1 Timothy 3:2; 1 Timothy 3:4–5; Philippians 1:1; 1 Timothy 3:8
- 13 Matthew 25:21; Hebrews 6:10; Acts 6:15–7:53; 1 Peter 4:10–11; Romans 12:7–8
- 14 Philemon 22; 1 Corinthians 11:34; 2 John 12; 1 Thessalonians 2:18; 1 Timothy 4:13
- 15 1 Peter 2:5; Ephesians 2:21–22; 1 Chronicles 22:13; 1 Thessalonians 1:9; 1 Kings 2:4
- 16 John 1:14; Hebrews 1:3; Mark 16:19; Romans 16:25; 1 John 5:6–8
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
Why does my Bible say something different?
- 1 Timothy 3:16: “God was manifest” or “He who was manifested”?
The Byzantine text, followed by the Patriarchal Text and the KJV, reads “God was manifest in the flesh.” The oldest manuscripts read “who was manifested,” and the Latin reads “which was manifested.” In ancient Greek manuscripts the abbreviated word for “God” and the word “who” looked almost the same. Either way, the hymn speaks of Christ incarnate.
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
As now proceeding to discourse of the Episcopal office, he sets out with showing what sort of a person a Bishop ought to be. And here he does not do it as in the course of his exhortation to Timothy, but addresses all, and instructs others through him. And what says he?
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 13 (1889)
For, since there are four zones of the world in which we live, and four principal winds, while the Church is scattered throughout all the world, and the "pillar and ground" of the Church is the Gospel and the spirit of life; it is fitting that she should have four pillars, breathing out immortality on every side, and vivifying men …
It is to this the apostle refers when he says, "He that desireth the episcopate desireth a good work." He wished to show that the episcopate is the title of a work, not of an honor.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 2 (1887)
… which make havoc of the whole world, had their entering in from pride:--for both the devil, not being such before, did thus become a devil; as indeed Paul plainly declared, saying, "Lest being lifted up with pride, he fall into the condemnation of the devil:" --and the first man, too, puffed up by the devil with these hopes, was made …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)
Concerning this Holy Catholic Church Paul writes to Timothy, 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.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 7 (1894)