1 Timothy 3:4

Amplified Bible

He must manage his own household well, keeping his children under control with all dignity [keeping them respectful and well-behaved]

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
He must manage his own household competently and have his children under control with all dignity.

King James Version (1611)
One that ruleth well his owne house, hauing his children in subiection with all grauitie.

King James Version
One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity;

English Standard Version
He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive,

New American Standard Bible
He must be one who manages his own household well, keeping his children under control with all dignity

New Century Version
He must be a good family leader, having children who cooperate with full respect.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
He must be one who manages his own household well, keeping his children under control with all dignity

Legacy Standard Bible
leading his own household well, having his children in submission with all dignity

Berean Standard Bible
An overseer must manage his own household well and keep his children under control, with complete dignity.

Contemporary English Version
Church officials must be in control of their own families, and they must see that their children are obedient and always respectful.

Complete Jewish Bible
He must manage his own household well, having children who obey him with all proper respect;

Darby Translation
conducting his own house well, having [his] children in subjection with all gravity;

Easy-to-Read Version
He must be a good leader of his own family. This means that his children obey him with full respect.

Geneva Bible (1587)
One yt can rule his owne house honestly, hauing children vnder obedience wt all honestie.

George Lamsa Translation
One who rules well his own household, and keeps his children under submission to bring them up with all purity.

Good News Translation
he must be able to manage his own family well and make his children obey him with all respect.

Lexham English Bible
managing his own household well, having children in submission with all dignity

Literal Translation
ruling his own house well, having children in subjection with all respect.

American Standard Version
one that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity;

Bible in Basic English
Ruling his house well, having his children under control with all serious behaviour;

Hebrew Names Version
one who rules his own house well, having children in subjection with all reverence;

International Standard Version
He must manage his own family well and have children who are submissive and respectful in every way.Titus 1:6;">[xr]

Etheridge Translation
and (one who) ruleth his house well, holding his children in subjection with all purity.

Murdock Translation
and one that guideth well his own house, and holdeth his children in subjection with all purity.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
One that ruleth well his owne house, hauyng chyldren in subiection, with all grauitie.

English Revised Version
one that ruleth well his own house, having [his] children in subjection with all gravity;

World English Bible
one who rules his own house well, having children in subjection with all reverence;

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
Ruling his own house well, having his children in subjection with all seriousness.

Weymouth's New Testament
but ruling his own household wisely and well, with children kept under control with true dignity.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
and haue sones suget with al chastite;

Update Bible Version
one that rules well his own house, having [his] children in subjection with all gravity;

Webster's Bible Translation
One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity;

New English Translation
He must manage his own household well and keep his children in control without losing his dignity.

New King James Version
one who rules his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence

New Living Translation
He must manage his own family well, having children who respect and obey him.

New Life Bible
He should be a good leader in his own home. His children must obey and respect him.

New Revised Standard
He must manage his own household well, keeping his children submissive and respectful in every way—

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Over his own house, presiding, well, having, children, in submission, with all dignity;

Douay-Rheims Bible
One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all chastity.

Revised Standard Version
He must manage his own household well, keeping his children submissive and respectful in every way;

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
and one that rueleth his awne housse honestly havynge chyldren vnder obedience with all honeste.

Young's Literal Translation
his own house leading well, having children in subjection with all gravity,

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
& one that ruleth his awne house honestly, hauynge obedient children with all honestye.

Mace New Testament (1729)
obliging his children to behave with decorum.

Simplified Cowboy Version
If he can't run his own family and have respectable children, he ain't going to run God's outfit very long without a lot of problems.

Contextual Overview

¹This is a faithful and trustworthy saying: if any man [eagerly] seeks the office of overseer (bishop, superintendent), he desires an excellent task. ²Now an overseer must be blameless and beyond reproach, the husband of one wife, self-controlled, sensible, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, ³not addicted to wine, not a bully nor quick-tempered and hot-headed, but gentle and considerate, free from the love of money [not greedy for wealth and its inherent power—financially ethical]. ⁴He must manage his own household well, keeping his children under control with all dignity [keeping them respectful and well-behaved]⁵(for if a man does not know how to manage his own household, how will he take care of the church of God?). ⁶and He must not be a new convert, so that he will not [behave stupidly and] become conceited [by appointment to this high office] and fall into the [same] condemnation incurred by the devil [for his arrogance and pride]. ⁷And he must have a good reputation and be well thought of by those outside the church, so that he will not be discredited and fall into the devil's trap.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

ruleth: 1 Timothy 3:12, Genesis 18:19, Joshua 24:15, Psalms 101:2-8, Acts 10:2, Titus 1:6

with: Philippians 4:8,*Gr: Titus 2:2, Titus 2:7

Reciprocal: Leviticus 21:9 - the daughter Ezekiel 44:22 - a widow Malachi 2:15 - That he Mark 10:45 - and to Romans 12:8 - ruleth Ephesians 5:21 - submitting 1 Timothy 3:8 - be 1 Timothy 3:11 - be Hebrews 13:4 - Marriage

Cross-References

Genesis 3:13
Then the LORD God said to the woman, "What is this that you have done?" And the woman said, "The serpent beguiled and deceived me, and I ate [from the forbidden tree]."

Deuteronomy 29:19
"It will happen that when he (a renegade) hears the words of this oath, and he imagines himself as blessed, saying, 'I will have peace and safety even though I walk within the stubbornness of my heart [rejecting God and His law], in order that the watered land dwindles away along with the dry [destroying everything],'

2 Kings 1:4
"Therefore this is what the LORD says: 'You [Ahaziah] will not leave the bed on which you lie, but you will certainly die.'" So Elijah departed.

2 Kings 1:6
They replied, "A man came up to meet us and said to us, 'Go, return to the king who sent you and tell him, "Thus says the LORD: 'Is it because there is no God in Israel that you send to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron? Therefore you will not leave the bed on which you lie, but you will certainly die.'"'"

2 Kings 1:16
Then Elijah said to Ahaziah, "Thus says the LORD: 'Since you have sent messengers to inquire of Baal-zebub, god of Ekron—is it because there is no God in Israel to inquire of His word?—therefore you will not leave the bed on which you lie, but will certainly die.'"

2 Kings 8:10
And Elisha said to him, "Go, say to him, 'You will certainly recover,' but the LORD has shown me that he will certainly die."

Psalms 10:11
He says to himself, "God has [quite] forgotten; He has hidden His face; He will never see my deed."

2 Corinthians 2:11
to keep Satan from taking advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his schemes.

2 Corinthians 11:3
But I am afraid that, even as the serpent beguiled Eve by his cunning, your minds may be corrupted and led away from the simplicity of [your sincere and] pure devotion to Christ.

1 Timothy 2:14
and it was not Adam who was deceived, but the woman who was led astray and fell into sin.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

One that ruleth well his own house,.... His family, wife, children, and servants; and is not to be understood of his body, and of keeping of that under, and of preserving it chaste and temperate, as appears from what follows:

having his children in subjection with all gravity; keeping a good decorum in his family; obliging his children to observe his orders, and especially the rules of God's word; and not as Eli, who did not use his authority, or lay his commands upon his sons, nor restrain them from evil, or severely reprove them for their sins, but neglected them, and was too mild and gentle with them; 1Sa 2:23 3:13 but like Abraham, who not only taught, but commanded his children and his household, to keep the way of the Lord; Genesis 18:19 and so should those act who are in such an office as is here treated of; and should not only rule well in their families, preside over them, go before them, and set an example to them, and keep their children in obedience and subjection; but this should be "with all gravity": not only in the master of the family, but in the children; who as their father is, or should be, should be brought up in, and used to gravity in words and in dress; and in the whole of their deportment and conversation. This may he observed against the Papists, who forbid marriage to the ministers of the Gospel.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

One that ruleth well his own house - This implies that a minister of the gospel would be, and ought to be, a married man. It is everywhere in the New Testament supposed that he would be a man who could be an example in all the relations of life. The position which he occupies in the church has a strong resemblance to the relation which a father sustains to his household; and a qualification to govern a family well, would be an evidence of a qualification to preside properly in the church. It is probable that, in the early Christian church, ministers were not unfrequently taken from those of mature life, and who were, at the time, at the head of families; and, of course, such would be men who had had an opportunity of showing that they had this qualification for the office. Though, however, this cannot be insisted on now as a “previous” qualification for the office, yet it is still true that, if he has a family, it is a necessary qualification, and that a man in the ministry “should be” one who governs his own house well. A want of this will always be a hindrance to extensive usefulness.

Having his children in subjection with all gravity - This does not mean that his “children” should evince gravity, whatever may be true on that point; but it refers “to the father.” He should be a grave or serious man in his family; a man free from levity of character, and from frivolity and fickleness, in his conversation with his children. It does not mean that he should be severe, stern, morose - which are traits that are often mistaken for gravity, and which are as inconsistent with the proper spirit of a father as frivolity of manner - but that he should be a serious and sober-minded man. He should maintain proper “dignity” (σεμνότης semnotēs); he should maintain self-respect, and his deportment should be such as to inspire others with respect for him.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 1 Timothy 3:4. The fourteenth qualification of a Christian bishop is, that he ruleth well his own house; του ιδιου οικου καλως προΐσταμενον, one who properly presides over and governs his own family. One who has the command, of his own house, not by sternness, severity, and tyranny, but with all gravity; governing his household by rule, every one knowing his own place, and each doing his own work, and each work having the proper time assigned for its beginning and end. This is a maxim of common sense; no family can be prosperous that is not under subjection, and no person can govern a family but the head of it, the husband, who is, both by nature and the appointment of God, the head or governor of his own house. Ephesians 5:22.