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1 Timothy 3

1 Tim. 3:15 KJV (With Strong’s)

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15
But
de (Greek #1161)
but, and, etc.
KJV usage: also, and, but, moreover, now (often unexpressed in English).
Pronounce: deh
Origin: a primary particle (adversative or continuative)
if
ean (Greek #1437)
a conditional particle; in case that, provided, etc.; often used in connection with other particles to denote indefiniteness or uncertainty
KJV usage: before, but, except, (and) if, (if) so, (what-, whither-)soever, though, when (-soever), whether (or), to whom, (who-)so(-ever). See 3361.
Pronounce: eh-an'
Origin: from 1487 and 302
I tarry long
braduno (Greek #1019)
to delay
KJV usage: be slack, tarry.
Pronounce: brad-oo'-no
Origin: from 1021
, that
hina (Greek #2443)
in order that (denoting the purpose or the result)
KJV usage: albeit, because, to the intent (that), lest, so as, (so) that, (for) to. Compare 3363.
Pronounce: hin'-ah
Origin: probably from the same as the former part of 1438 (through the demonstrative idea; compare 3588)
thou mayest know
eido (Greek #1492)
used only in certain past tenses, the others being borrowed from the equivalent 3700 and 3708; properly, to see (literally or figuratively); by implication, (in the perfect tense only) to know
KJV usage: be aware, behold, X can (+ not tell), consider, (have) know(-ledge), look (on), perceive, see, be sure, tell, understand, wish, wot. Compare 3700.
Pronounce: i'-do
Origin: a primary verb
how
pos (Greek #4459)
an interrogative particle of manner; in what way? (sometimes the question is indirect, how?); also as exclamation, how much!
KJV usage: how, after (by) what manner (means), that. (Occasionally unexpressed in English).
Pronounce: poce
Origin: adverb from the base of 4226
thou oughtest
dei (Greek #1163)
also δέον (deh-on'); neuter active participle of the same; both used impersonally; it is (was, etc.) necessary (as binding)
KJV usage: behoved, be meet, must (needs), (be) need(-ful), ought, should.
Pronounce: die
Origin: 3d person singular active present of 1210
to behave thyself
anastrepho (Greek #390)
to overturn; also to return; by implication, to busy oneself, i.e. remain, live
KJV usage: abide, behave self, have conversation, live, overthrow, pass, return, be used.
Pronounce: an-as-tref'-o
Origin: from 303 and 4762
in
en (Greek #1722)
"in," at, (up-)on, by, etc.
KJV usage: about, after, against, + almost, X altogether, among, X as, at, before, between, (here-)by (+ all means), for (... sake of), + give self wholly to, (here-)in(-to, -wardly), X mightily, (because) of, (up-)on, (open-)ly, X outwardly, one, X quickly, X shortly, (speedi-)ly, X that, X there(-in, -on), through(-out), (un-)to(-ward), under, when, where(-with), while, with(-in). Often used in compounds, with substantially the same import; rarely with verbs of motion, and then not to indicate direction, except (elliptically) by a separate (and different) preposition.
Pronounce: en
Origin: a primary preposition denoting (fixed) position (in place, time or state), and (by implication) instrumentality (medially or constructively), i.e. a relation of rest (intermediate between 1519 and 1537)
the house
oikos (Greek #3624)
a dwelling (more or less extensive, literal or figurative); by implication, a family (more or less related, literally or figuratively)
KJV usage: home, house(-hold), temple.
Pronounce: oy'-kos
Origin: of uncertain affinity
w of God
theos (Greek #2316)
a deity, especially (with 3588) the supreme Divinity; figuratively, a magistrate; by Hebraism, very
KJV usage: X exceeding, God, god(-ly, -ward).
Pronounce: theh'-os
Origin: of uncertain affinity
, which
hostis (Greek #3748)
which some, i.e. any that; also (definite) which same
KJV usage: X and (they), (such) as, (they) that, in that they, what(-soever), whereas ye, (they) which, who(-soever). Compare 3754.
Pronounce: hos'-tis
Origin: ἥτις (hay'-tis), and the neuter ὅτι (hot'-ee) from 3739 and 5100
is
esti (Greek #2076)
he (she or it) is; also (with neuter plural) they are
KJV usage: are, be(-long), call, X can(-not), come, consisteth, X dure for a while, + follow, X have, (that) is (to say), make, meaneth, X must needs, + profit, + remaineth, + wrestle.
Pronounce: es-tee'
Origin: third person singular present indicative of 1510
the church
ekklesia (Greek #1577)
a calling out, i.e. (concretely) a popular meeting, especially a religious congregation (Jewish synagogue, or Christian community of members on earth or saints in heaven or both)
KJV usage: assembly, church.
Pronounce: ek-klay-see'-ah
Origin: from a compound of 1537 and a derivative of 2564
of the living
zao (Greek #2198)
to live (literally or figuratively)
KJV usage: life(-time), (a-)live(-ly), quick.
Pronounce: dzah'-o
Origin: a primary verb
God
theos (Greek #2316)
a deity, especially (with 3588) the supreme Divinity; figuratively, a magistrate; by Hebraism, very
KJV usage: X exceeding, God, god(-ly, -ward).
Pronounce: theh'-os
Origin: of uncertain affinity
, the pillar
stulos (Greek #4769)
a post ("style"), i.e. (figuratively) support
KJV usage: pillar.
Pronounce: stoo'-los
Origin: from στύω (to stiffen; properly akin to the base of 2476)
and
kai (Greek #2532)
and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words
KJV usage: and, also, both, but, even, for, if, or, so, that, then, therefore, when, yet.
Pronounce: kahee
Origin: apparently, a primary particle, having a copulative and sometimes also a cumulative force
θground
hedraioma (Greek #1477)
a support, i.e. (figuratively) basis
KJV usage: ground.
Pronounce: hed-rah'-yo-mah
Origin: from a derivative of 1476
of the truth
ho (Greek #3588)
the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom)
KJV usage: the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.
Pronounce: ho
Origin: ἡ (hay), and the neuter τό (to) in all their inflections
aletheia (Greek #225)
truth
KJV usage: true, X truly, truth, verity.
Pronounce: al-ay'-thi-a
Origin: from 227
.
w
2 Tim. 2:20• 20Now in a great house there are vessels not only of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earthenware, and some unto honour, and some unto dishonour. (2 Tim. 2:20)
θ
or, stay.

More on:

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Church,
God,
House,
House of God,
Pillar,
Truth

Cross References

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Ministry on This Verse

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know.
1 Tim. 3:2• 2The overseer therefore must be irreproachable, husband of one wife, temperate, sober, orderly, hospitable, apt to teach, (1 Tim. 3:2)
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Deut. 31:23•  (Deut. 31:23)
;
1 Kings 2:2,4•  (1 Kings 2:2,4)
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1 Chron. 22:13•  (1 Chron. 22:13)
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1 Chron. 28:9‑21•  (1 Chron. 28:9‑21)
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Acts 1:2• 2until the day in which, having by [the] Holy Spirit charged the apostles whom he had chosen, he was received up, (Acts 1:2)
the house.
Eph. 2:21‑22• 21in whom all the building fitted together increaseth unto a holy temple in [the] Lord,
 22in whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God in [the] Spirit. (Eph. 2:21‑22)
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2 Tim. 2:20• 20Now in a great house there are vessels not only of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earthenware, and some unto honour, and some unto dishonour. (2 Tim. 2:20)
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Heb. 3:2‑6• 2faithful as he was to him that appointed him, as also Moses in all his house.
 3For he hath been accounted worthy of more glory than Moses by how much he that built it hath more honour than the house.
 4For every house is builded by someone; but he that built all things [is] God.
 5And Moses indeed [was] faithful in all his house as an attendant, for a testimony of the things to be spoken,
 6but Christ as Son over his house, whose house are we if indeed we hold fast the boldness and the boast of the hope firm unto the end. (Heb. 3:2‑6)
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1 Peter 2:5• 5yourselves also as living stones are being builded up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. (1 Peter 2:5)
the church.
1 Tim. 3:5• 5(but if one knoweth not how to rule his own house, how shall he care for God's assembly?), (1 Tim. 3:5)
the living.
1 Tim. 4:10• 10for unto this end we labour and suffer reproach, because we have our hope set on a living God who is Saviour of all men, especially of faithful [men]. (1 Tim. 4:10)
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1 Tim. 6:16• 16who only hath immortality, dwelling in light unapproachable, whom none of men saw nor can see; to whom [be] honour and might eternal. Amen. (1 Tim. 6:16)
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Deut. 5:26•  (Deut. 5:26)
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Josh. 3:10•  (Josh. 3:10)
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1 Sam. 17:26,36•  (1 Sam. 17:26,36)
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2 Kings 19:4•  (2 Kings 19:4)
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Psa. 42:2•  (Psa. 42:2)
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Psa. 84:2•  (Psa. 84:2)
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Jer. 10:10•  (Jer. 10:10)
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Jer. 23:36•  (Jer. 23:36)
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Dan. 6:26•  (Dan. 6:26)
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Hos. 1:10•  (Hos. 1:10)
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Matt. 16:16• 16{i}And Simon Peter answering said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.{/i} (Matt. 16:16)
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John 6:69• 69and we have believed and known that thou art the Holy One of God. (John 6:69)
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Acts 14:15• 15and saying, Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like affections with you, preaching to you that ye should turn from these vain things unto a living God, who made the heaven and the earth, and the sea and all things in them; (Acts 14:15)
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Rom. 9:26• 26and “It shall be in the place where it was said to them, Ye are not my people, there shall they be called sons of [the] living God.” (Rom. 9:26)
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2 Cor. 3:3• 3being manifested that ye are Christ's epistle ministered by us, having been inscribed, not with ink, but [the] Spirit of [the] living God, not on tables of stone, but on fleshy tables of [the] heart. (2 Cor. 3:3)
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2 Cor. 6:16• 16and what agreement for God's temple with idols? For ye are [the] living God's temple, even as God said, I will dwell and walk among them, and will be their God, and they shall be my people. (2 Cor. 6:16)
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1 Thess. 1:9• 9For they themselves report concerning us what sort of entrance we had unto you; and how ye turned unto God from idols to serve a living and true God, (1 Thess. 1:9)
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Heb. 3:12• 12See, brethren, lest haply there shall be in anyone of you a wicked heart of unbelief in falling away from a living God. (Heb. 3:12)
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Heb. 9:14• 14by how much rather shall the blood of the Christ, who by [the] eternal Spirit offered himself spotless to God, purify your conscience from dead works to serve a living God? (Heb. 9:14)
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Heb. 12:22• 22But ye have approached to mount Zion; and to a living God's city, heavenly Jerusalem; and to myriads of angels, a universal assemblage; (Heb. 12:22)
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Rev. 7:2• 2And I saw another angel rising up from {i}the{/i} east, having {i}the{/i} seal of {i}the{/i} living God; and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, (Rev. 7:2)
the pillar.
Jer. 1:18•  (Jer. 1:18)
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Matt. 16:18‑19• 18{i}And I also, I say unto thee that thou art Peter, and on this rock I will build my assembly, and hades' gates shall not prevail against it.{/i}
 19{i}And I will give to thee the keys of the kingdom of the heavens; and whatsoever thou mayest bind upon the earth shall be bound in the heavens; and whatsoever thou mayest loose on the earth shall be loosed in the heavens.{/i} (Matt. 16:18‑19)
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Matt. 18:18• 18{i}Verily I say to you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on the earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatsoever ye shall loose on the earth shall be loosed in heaven.{/i} (Matt. 18:18)
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Rom. 3:2• 2Much in every way; for, first, because they were entrusted with the oracles of God. (Rom. 3:2)
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Gal. 2:9• 9and having known the grace given to me, James and Cephas and John, that were reputed to be pillars, gave to me and Barnabas the right-hands of fellowship, that we [should go] unto the nations, and they unto the circumcision, (Gal. 2:9)
ground.
or, stay.
the truth.
1 Tim. 3:16• 16And confessedly great is the mystery of piety: he who was manifested in flesh, was justified in Spirit, appeared unto angels, was preached among Gentiles, was believed on in [the] world, was received up in glory. (1 Tim. 3:16)
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John 1:17• 17For the law was given through Moses, grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. (John 1:17)
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John 14:6• 6Jesus said to him, I am the way, and the truth, and the life: no one cometh unto the Father but by me. (John 14:6)
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John 18:37• 37Pilate then said to him, Art thou then a king? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. I have been born for this, and for this I have come into the world, that I might bear witness to the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice. (John 18:37)
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2 Cor. 6:7• 7in [the] word of truth, in [the] power of God. Through the arms of righteousness on the right and left, (2 Cor. 6:7)
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Gal. 3:1• 1O senseless Galatians! who bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was portrayed among you as crucified? (Gal. 3:1)
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Eph. 4:21• 21if indeed ye have heard him and been taught in him even as [the] truth is in Jesus, (Eph. 4:21)
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Col. 1:5• 5on account of the hope that is laid up for you in the heavens, of which ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel, (Col. 1:5)
• On what then is God's house based? On redemption. Hence as Exodus is pre-eminently the book of redemption, it is precisely that book of the Old Testament which first and most fully treats of God's house. (“On 1 Timothy 3:14-15” by W. Kelly)
• But the Apostle adds "which" (or "seeing that it") "is a living God's assembly." This description gives great force to God's house, and in direct contrast with a dead idol, the boast and shame of all Gentiles everywhere. (“On 1 Timothy 3:14-15” by W. Kelly)
• But the point above all remains—not what they are, but what He is. It is His assembly: let them never forget it. (“On 1 Timothy 3:14-15” by W. Kelly)
• Christ is the truth, and so is the written word, as well as the Spirit. They are the truth, either objectively, or in power. But the assembly is the pillar on which the truth is inscribed and upheld before the world which believes not in Christ, receives not the word, and neither sees nor knows the Holy Spirit. (“On 1 Timothy 3:14-15” by W. Kelly)
• The assembly, or church, of God then is in no way the truth, but its responsible witness and support on the earth before all men. Not the church but Christ is the standard and expression of what God is, and of man and all else, as revealed in Holy Writ, the one daily and perfect rule of faith, the word that abides forever. So far from being before the word, so as to formulate the truth, it was the word making known Christ which the Spirit of God used to quicken and fashion those who compose the church. Thus to the truth the church in God's grace owes its being; without the truth, or rather abandoning it (for, to be the church, the truth must have been possessed and maintained), the faithless church becomes not null only but the special object of divine judgment. (“On 1 Timothy 3:16” by W. Kelly)
• {The assembly} is the house of God. God dwells in it upon the earth (compare Ephesians 2:22). We understand that it is here viewed as on the earth, because the Apostle is speaking of how to behave in it. But this truth is important. It gives a character to the assembly of the highest importance for us with regard to our responsibility. (“1 Timothy 3” by J.N. Darby)
• Truth exists before the assembly; it is faith in the truth which gathers the assembly together. But the assembly is that which maintains the truth on earth. But the assembly does not teach. Teachers teach the assembly, but by faithfulness in holding fast the truth taught, it sustains it in the world. When the assembly is gone, men will be given up to a strong delusion. (“1 Timothy 3” by J.N. Darby)
• The assembly as planted by God on the earth is the pillar and support of the truth. Authority is not the question here, but the maintenance and presentation of the truth. (“1 Timothy 3” by J.N. Darby)
• "The pillar and base" As long as the Assembly is on earth, it is the witness to, and support of, the truth. (“The Order of God's House: 1 Timothy 2-3” by H. Smith)
• We are told that the House of God is "the Assembly of the living God". It is no longer a building of material stones, as in the Old Testament days, but a company of living stones—believers. It is formed of all believers living on earth at any given moment. No local Assembly is ever called the House of God. (“The Order of God's House: 1 Timothy 2-3” by H. Smith)
• The "pillar" presents the thought of witness; the "base" is that which supports. The House of God is not said to be the truth, but the "pillar" or witness of the truth. Christ on earth was "the truth" (John 14:6). (“The Order of God's House: 1 Timothy 2-3” by H. Smith)

J. N. Darby Translation

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15
but if I delay, in order that thou mayest know how one ought to conduct oneself in God’s house, which is the assembly of the living God, the pillar and base of the truth.

W. Kelly Translation

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15
but if I should tarry, that thou mayest know how onea ought to behave in God’s house, seeing it is a living God’s assembly, pillar and groundwork of the truthb.

WK Translation Notes

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a
All the English versions, from Wycliffe to the KJV refer the call to Timothy only and his personal duty. I cannot agree with the Revisers that the application is purposely left more general. Perhaps however "how men ought to behave themselves" is hardly so happy as "how one ought to behave oneself." It seems too vague, even as preceding English versions are rather too limited.
b
There is not a single good reason to sever the last clause from the assembly, and to connect it with "the mystery of godliness."