1 Timothy 3:6

Amplified Bible

and 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].

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
He must not be a new convert, or he might become conceited and incur the same condemnation as the devil.

King James Version (1611)
Not a nouice, lest being lifted vp with pride, hee fall into the condemnation of the deuill.

King James Version
Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.

English Standard Version
He must not be a recent convert, or he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil.

New American Standard Bible
and not a new convert, so that he will not become conceited and fall into condemnation incurred by the devil.

New Century Version
But an elder must not be a new believer, or he might be too proud of himself and be judged guilty just as the devil was.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
and not a new convert, so that he will not become conceited and fall into the condemnation incurred by the devil.

Legacy Standard Bible
and not a new convert, so that he will not become conceited and fall into the condemnation of the devil.

Berean Standard Bible
He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same condemnation as the devil.

Contemporary English Version
They must not be new followers of the Lord. If they are, they might become proud and be doomed along with the devil.

Complete Jewish Bible
He must not be a new believer, because he might become puffed up with pride and thus fall under the same judgment as did the Adversary.

Darby Translation
not a novice, that he may not, being inflated, fall into [the] fault of the devil.

Easy-to-Read Version
An elder must not be a new believer. It might make him too proud of himself. Then he would be condemned for his pride the same as the devil was.

Geneva Bible (1587)
He may not be a yong scholer, lest he being puffed vp fall into the condemnation of the deuill.

George Lamsa Translation
He should not be a recent convert, lest he become proud and fall into the condemnation of the devil.

Good News Translation
He must be mature in the faith, so that he will not swell up with pride and be condemned, as the Devil was.

Lexham English Bible
not newly converted, lest he become conceited and fall into the condemnation of the devil.

Literal Translation
He should not be a novice, lest being puffed up he may fall into the devil's judgment.

American Standard Version
not a novice, lest being puffed up he fall into the condemnation of the devil.

Bible in Basic English
Not one newly taken into the church, for fear that, through his high opinion of himself, he may come into the same sin as the Evil One.

Hebrew Names Version
not a novice, to avoid being puffed up and falling into the condemnation of the devil.

International Standard Version
He must not be a recent convert, or he might become arrogant and fall into the condemnation of the devil.Isaiah 14:12;">[xr]

Etheridge Translation
Neither shall his discipleship be recent, lest he be lifted up, and fall into the judgment of Satana.

Murdock Translation
Neither let him be of recent discipleship; lest he be uplifted, and fall into the condemnation of Satan.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Not a young scoler, lest he, beyng puffed vp, fall into the condempnation of the deuyll.

English Revised Version
not a novice, lest being puffed up he fall into the condemnation of the devil.

World English Bible
not a novice, to avoid being puffed up and falling into the condemnation of the devil.

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
Not a new convert, left being puffed up, he fall into the condemnation of the devil.

Weymouth's New Testament
He ought not to be a new convert, for fear he should be blinded with pride and come under the same condemnation as the Devil.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
lest he be borun vp in to pride, and falle in to doom of the deuel.

Update Bible Version
not a novice, lest being puffed up he fall into the condemnation of the devil.

Webster's Bible Translation
Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.

New English Translation
He must not be a recent convert or he may become arrogant and fall into the punishment that the devil will exact.

New King James Version
not a novice, lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the same condemnation as the devil.

New Living Translation
A church leader must not be a new believer, because he might become proud, and the devil would cause him to fall.

New Life Bible
A church leader must not be a new Christian. A new Christian might become proud and fall into sin which is brought on by the devil.

New Revised Standard
He must not be a recent convert, or he may be puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Not a new convert, lest, being beclouded, into the sentence of the adversary, he fall;

Douay-Rheims Bible
Not a neophyte: lest, being puffed up with pride, he fall into the judgment of the devil.

Revised Standard Version
He must not be a recent convert, or he may be puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil;

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
He maye not be a yonge skoler lest he swell and faule into the iudgement of the evyll

Young's Literal Translation
not a new convert, lest having been puffed up he may fall to a judgment of the devil;

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
He maye not be a yoge scolar, lest he be puft vp, and fall in to the iudgment of ye euell speaker.

Mace New Testament (1729)
nor must he be a new convert; for fear he should be elated with pride, and so involve himself in the same ruin as the devil.

Simplified Cowboy Version
He doesn't need to be a greenhorn, or the authority will go to his head. This leads to conceit and he will fall under the same wrath the devil will get.

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

novice: or, one newly come to the faith, 1 Corinthians 3:1, Hebrews 5:12, Hebrews 5:13, 1 Peter 2:2

lest: Deuteronomy 8:14, Deuteronomy 17:20, 2 Kings 14:10, 2 Chronicles 26:16, 2 Chronicles 32:25, Proverbs 16:18, Proverbs 16:19, Proverbs 18:12, Proverbs 29:23, Isaiah 2:12, 1 Corinthians 4:6-8, 1 Corinthians 8:1, 2 Corinthians 12:7, 1 Peter 5:5

the condemnation: Isaiah 14:12-14, Luke 10:18, 2 Peter 2:4, Jude 1:6

Reciprocal: Numbers 4:3 - thirty years Numbers 4:35 - General Ezekiel 28:2 - Because Daniel 5:23 - lifted Daniel 11:12 - his heart Matthew 4:9 - if Matthew 13:52 - scribe 1 Corinthians 4:1 - the ministers Ephesians 4:14 - tossed 1 Timothy 3:10 - let these 1 Timothy 5:22 - suddenly 1 Timothy 6:4 - He Revelation 12:9 - the Devil

Cross-References

Genesis 3:1
Now the serpent was more crafty (subtle, skilled in deceit) than any living creature of the field which the LORD God had made. And the serpent (Satan) said to the woman, "Can it really be that God has said, 'You shall not eat from any tree of the garden'?"

Genesis 3:2
And the woman said to the serpent, "We may eat fruit from the trees of the garden,

Genesis 3:12
And the man said, "The woman whom You gave to be with me—she gave me [fruit] from the tree, and I ate it."

Genesis 3:14
The LORD God said to the serpent, "Because you have done this, You are cursed more than all the cattle, And more than any animal of the field; On your belly you shall go, And dust you shall eat All the days of your life.

Genesis 3:15
"And I will put enmity (open hostility) Between you and the woman, And between your seed (offspring) and her Seed; He shall [fatally] bruise your head, And you shall [only] bruise His heel."

Genesis 3:17
Then to Adam the LORD God said, "Because you have listened [attentively] to the voice of your wife, and have eaten [fruit] from the tree about which I commanded you, saying, 'You shall not eat of it'; The ground is [now] under a curse because of you; In sorrow and toil you shall eat [the fruit] of it All the days of your life.

Genesis 3:19
"By the sweat of your face You will eat bread Until you return to the ground, For from it you were taken; For you are dust, And to dust you shall return."

Genesis 6:2
that the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were beautiful and desirable; and they took wives for themselves, whomever they chose and desired.

Genesis 39:7
Then after a time his master's wife looked at Joseph with desire, and she said, "Lie with me."

Joshua 7:21
when I saw among the spoils [in Jericho] a beautiful robe from Shinar (southern Babylon) and two hundred shekels of silver and a bar of gold weighing fifty shekels, I wanted them and took them. Behold, they are hidden in the ground inside my tent, with the silver underneath."

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Not a novice,.... Or one newly planted, the Arabic version adds, "in the faith"; meaning not a young man, for so was Timothy himself; but a young professor and church member; one that is lately come to the knowledge of the truth, and has just embraced and professed it, and become a member of a church, a new plant there: so the Hebrew word נטע, "a plant", is by the Septuagint in Job 14:9 rendered by this very word. The reason why such a person should not be a bishop, elder, or pastor of a church, is,

lest being lifted up with pride; through the dignity of the office he is advanced to, and the high opinion of men he stands in, and the great gifts qualifying him for such a place, he is supposed to have: for pride on account of these is apt to creep in, and swell and elate the minds of young professors especially; so that there is danger

that he fall into the condemnation of the devil; or "of the slanderer", as the word is rendered in 1 Timothy 3:11 and the sense then is, lest he should be censured and condemned by such who are given to calumny and detraction, and are glad of any opportunity to reproach and vilify the ministers of the word: but it is better to understand it of Satan; and then the meaning is, either lest such an one fall under the censure and condemnation of the accuser of the brethren; or rather lest he fall into the same condemnation and punishment the devil is fallen into, their crimes being alike. For it seems from hence, that pride was the first sin of the devil, and the cause of his apostasy from God; being elated with his own knowledge, strength, and dignity; and not being able to bear it, that the human nature should be advanced above that of angels.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Not a novice - Margin, “one newly come to the faith.” The Greek word, which occurs nowhere else in the New Testament, means, properly, that which is “newly planted.” Thus it would mean a plant that was not strong, or not fitted to bear the severity of storms; that had not as yet struck its roots deep, and could not resist the fierceness of a cold blast. Then the word comes to mean a new convert; one who has had little opportunity to test his own faith, or to give evidence to others that he would be faithful to the trust committed to him. The word does not refer so much to one who is young “in years,” as one who is young “in faith.” Still, all the reasons which apply against introducing a very recent convert into the ministry, will apply commonly with equal force against introducing one young in years.

Lest being lifted up with pride - We are not to suppose that this is the only reason against introducing a recent convert into the ministry, but it is a sufficient reason. He would be likely to be elated by being entrusted at once with the highest office in the church, and by the commendations and flattery which he might receive. No condition is wholly proof against this; but he is much less likely to be injured who has had much experience of the depravity of his own heart, and whose mind has been deeply imbued with the spirit of the gospel.

He fall into the condemnation of the devil - That is, the same kind of condemnation which the devil fell into; to wit, condemnation on account of pride. It is here intimated that the cause of the apostasy of Satan was pride - a cause which is as likely to have been the true one as any other. Who can tell but it may have been produced by some new honor which was conferred on him in heaven, and that his virtue was not found sufficient for the untried circumstances in which he was placed? Much of the apostasy from eminent virtue in this world, arises from this cause; and possibly the case of Satan may have been the most signal instance of this kind which has occurred in the universe. The idea of Paul is, that a young convert should not suddenly be raised to an exalted station in the church. Who can doubt the wisdom of this direction? The word rendered “lifted up” (τυφωθὲις tuphōtheis), is from a verb which means to smoke, to fume, to surround with smoke; then to “inflate” - as a bladder is with air; and then to be conceited or proud; that is, to be “like” a bladder filled, not with a solid substance, but with air.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 1 Timothy 3:6. Fifteenth. - It is required that he be not a novice — νεοφυτον. Not a young plant, not recently ingrafted, that is, one not newly converted to the faith; (old MS. Bible;) one who has been of considerable standing in the Christian Church, if he have the preceding qualifications, may be safely trusted with the government of that Church. It is impossible that one who is not long and deeply experienced in the ways of God can guide others in the way of life. Hence presbyters or elders were generally appointed to have the oversight of the rest, and hence presbyter and bishop seem to have been two names for the same office; yet all presbyters or elders certainly were not bishops, because all presbyters had not the qualifications marked above. But the apostle gives another reason: Lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil. It is natural for man to think himself of more importance than his fellows when they are intrusted to his government. The apostle's term τυφωθεις, puffed up, inflated, is a metaphor taken from a bladder when filled with air or wind. It is a substance, has a certain size, is light, can be the sport of the wind, but has nothing in it but air. Such is the classical coxcomb; a mere puffball, a disgrace to his function, and despised by every intelligent man. Should we not say to those whom it may concern,

"From such apostles, O ye mitred heads,

Preserve the Church; and lay not careless hands

On skulls that cannot teach, and will not learn."

From these words of the apostle we are led to infer that pride or self-conceit was the cause of the devil's downfall. In Ecclus. x. there are some excellent sayings concerning pride: "Pride is hurtful before God and man." "Why is earth and ashes proud?" "The beginning of pride is when one departeth from God." "For pride is the beginning of sin; and he that hath it shall pour out abomination." "PRIDE was not made for MEN." See verses 1 Timothy 3:7, 1 Timothy 3:9, 1 Timothy 3:12, 1 Timothy 3:13, and 18, of the above chapter.