Let them also first be tested; then let them serve if they are blameless.
Parallel Translations
-
Let them also first be tested; then let them serve if they are blameless.
-
And let them fyrst be proved and then let them minister yf they be founde fautlesse.
-
And let them first be proued: then let them minister, if they be found blameles.
Cross-references (9)
Passages linked to 1 Timothy 3:10 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- 1 Timothy 5:22 Lay hands hastily on no one. Don’t be a participant in other people’s sins. Keep yourself pure.
- 1 Timothy 3:13 For those who have served well gain for themselves a good standing, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.
- Titus 1:6-7 if anyone is blameless, the husband of one wife, having children who believe, who are not accused of loose or unruly behavior. For the overseer must be blameless, as God’s steward, not self-pleasing, not easily angered, not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for dishonest gain;
- Acts 6:1-2 Now in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplying, a complaint arose from the Hellenists against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily service. The twelve summoned the multitude of the disciples and said, “It is not appropriate for us to forsake the word of God and serve tables.
- 1 Corinthians 1:8 who will also confirm you until the end, blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.
- 1 Timothy 3:2 The overseer therefore must be without reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, sensible, modest, hospitable, good at teaching;
- 1 Timothy 3:6 not a new convert, lest being puffed up he fall into the same condemnation as the devil.
- Colossians 1:22 yet now he has reconciled in the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and without defect and blameless before him,
- 1 John 4:1 Beloved, don’t believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this verse (15 sources)
Historical commentary, presented as a primary source — not an endorsement.
Private notes
Saved on this device only — never synced or sent anywhere.
John Calvin 1540 · Public Domain 10 And let those be first tried He wishes…
10 And let those be first tried He wishes that they who are chosen should not be unknown, but that their integrity should be ascertained, like that of the bishops. And hence it is evident, that they are called blameless who are not stained by any marked vice. Besides, this trial is not for a single hour, but consists in long experience. In a word, when deacons are to be ordained, the choice must not fall at random, and without selection, on any that come to hand, but those men are to be chosen who are approved by their past life in such a manner that, after what may be called full inquiry, they are ascertained to be well qualified.
John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain 10 And let these also first be proved; then…
10 And let these also first be proved; then let them use the office of a deacon, being found blameless.
Ver. 10. Being found blameless] The world will look round about them, and expect (though unjustly) an angelical perfection.
Read full note →
Let them use the office of a deacon] Diaconus is said to come of κονις, which signifieth dust, to show that such should be "dustily diligent."
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain The higher officers ought to be proved, ( as…
The higher officers ought to be proved, ( as well as these of a lower order), as by examination or conference, so (which possibly is here more intended) by an observation of their lives and conversation, for some time before they were admitted into this employment. Then,
being found blameless, they were to be admitted into this employment.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
William Burkitt 1703 · Public Domain Here Timothy is directed not to put any person…
Here Timothy is directed not to put any person suddenly into the office of a deacon, but to first to prove them for some considerable time; and their sufficiency being approved, let them be ordained, and use the office of a deacon.
William Burkitt's Expository Notes on the New Testament (1700–1703) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain And let these also first be proved,.... Not that…
And let these also first be proved,.... Not that they should be tried in any part of the deacon's office, to see how capable they are of performing it; but their internal and external characters are to be looked into and examined, and if they appear, to be right, then they are to be approved of, chosen and called unto, and invested with the office:
then let them use the office of a deacon; let them be employed and minister in the several parts and branches of that office:
Read full note →
being found blameless; not without sin, but free from any gross and enormous one; not before God, but in the sight of men; See Gill on Ti1 3:2.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain Let these be proved first - Let a trial…
Let these be proved first - Let a trial be made how they believe. Then let them minister - Let them be fixed in that office.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain Verse 10. Let these - be proved] Let them…
Verse 10. Let these - be proved] Let them not be young converts, or persons lately brought to the knowledge of the truth. This is the same in spirit with what is required of the bishops, 1Ti 3:6.
Let no man be put into an office in the Church till he has given full proof of his sincerity and steadiness, by having been for a considerable time a consistent private member of the Church.
Read full note →
Being found blameless.] ανεγκλητοι οντες. Being irreproachable; persons against whom no evil can be proved. The same as in 1Ti 3:2, though a different word is used. See the note there.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain 1Ti 3:10. Let these also — (The word also…
1Ti 3:10. Let these also — (The word also implies that the same rule was to be observed with relation to bishops) first be proved — “By the examination,” says Whitby, “of the soundness of their faith, and the purity of their former lives: and then let them be admitted to use the office of a deacon, being thus found blameless.” And he shows, by a quotation from the Life of the Emperor Severus, written by Lampridius, and from the epistles of Cyprian, that such an examination was used at the ordination of both bishops and deacons in the churches of the early Christians, and that it was a practice derived from the apostles. Some, however, think that the apostle required, in this direction, that no one should be made either a bishop or a deacon, till he had given proof both of his steadfastness in the faith, and of his genuine piety and good conduct during a reasonable space of time after his conversion: or, that the persons admitted to these offices should be under trial for a while, how they conducted themselves therein, and then afterward, if they gave satisfaction, they should be confirmed in them.
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain And let these also first be proved - That…
And let these also first be proved - That is, tried or tested in regard to the things which were the proper qualifications for the office. This does not mean that they were to be employed as “preachers,” but that they were to undergo a proper trial in regard to their fitness for the office which they were to fill. They were not to be put into it without any opportunity of knowing what they were. It should be ascertained that they were grave, serious, temperate, trustworthy men; men who were sound in the faith, and who would not dishonor the office. It is not said here that there should be a “formal” trial, as if they were candidates for this office; but the meaning is, that they should have had an opportunity of making their character known, and should have gained such respect for their piety, and their other qualifications, that there would be reason to believe that they would perform the functions of the office well. Thus, in Act 6:3, when deacons were first appointed, the church was directed to “look out seven men of honest report,” who might be appointed to the office.
Then let them use the office of a deacon - Let them be appointed to this office, and fulfil its duties.
Read full note →
Being found blameless - If nothing can be alleged against their character see the notes on 1Ti 3:2.
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain "And moreover," &c. [ALFORD].
"And moreover," &c. [ALFORD].
be proved--not by a period of probation, but by a searching inquiry, conducted by Timothy, the ordaining president (Ti1 5:22), whether they be "blameless"; then when found so, "let them act as deacons."
Read full note →
blameless--Greek, "unexceptionable"; as the result of public investigation unaccused [TITTMANN].
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain 10. Proved—Not by prefixing a period of probation; but…
10. Proved—Not by prefixing a period of probation; but by the scrutiny of the Church and eldership, carefully noting their life, character, and qualifications, and making them a matter of free discussion, in order to a right decision by vote before ordination.
Use the office of a deacon— Literally, let them serve.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain 10. And let these also] These, as well as…
10. And let these also] These, as well as the presbyters, for whom 1Ti_3:7 defines a very searching test. Bp Ellicott s note, rightly explaining that the first conjunction is ‘Also,’ ‘Moreover,’ and the second ‘and’ in this phrase, shews that the stress must be on ‘these,’ the force of the first conjunction being necessarily limited to it. Yet Alford quotes the note while saying ‘there is no connexion by means of the conjunctions with the former requirements concerning presbyters.’ The test or proof here too is the judgment of the general community. Cf. 2Ti_3:12 for the same conjunctions.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain (10) And let these also first be proved.—No formal…
(10) And let these also first be proved.—No formal investigation, either in public before the congregation, or in private before Timothy and his fellow presbyters, is here referred to. What is most probably the meaning of the word is—the deacon should for a time perform many of the various duties on probation, to test his fitness before he was formally set apart for the holy office. So much of the work belonging to these officials of the early Church necessarily partook of a partially secular character, that such a trial of their fitness could well be made.
Then let them use the office of a deacon.—Better rendered, let them serve as deacons, if, after the trial, inquiry, and period of probation, they be found blameless.
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain Serve as deacons for use the office of a…
Serve as deacons for use the office of a deacon, A.V; if they be for being found, A.V And let these also, etc. There is an ambiguity in the English here. It is not" these also these in addition to others, i.e. the bishops before named but "these be also first proved." Their general character, as described in vers. 8, 9, must not be taken upon loose hearsay, but must be put to the test by examination, by special testimony, by inquiry, and then, if they are ajnegklhtoi, not accused, not open to just blame, blameless, let them be admitted to serve as deacons (see ver. 13, note). The Church of England scrupulously acts up to these directions by requiring written testimonials, by personal inquiries made by the bishop, by the Si quis, by the appeal to the congregation in the Ordination Service, "Brethren, if there be any of you who knoweth any impediment, or notable crime, in any of these persons presented to be ordained deacons, for the which he ought not to be admitted to that office, let him come forth in the name of God, and show what the crime or impediment is;" as well as by the careful examination of the candidates. Blameless (comp.; Tit_1:6, Tit_1:7) ajnegklhtov, rendered in the Vulgate nullum crimen habentes (which seems to explain the "notable crime" of the Ordination Service), and in Col_1:22 "unreprovable" both in the A.V and the R.V The whole passage, from ver. 2 to ver. 13, shows the supreme importance of a holy and blameless conversation in the clergy.
The treasure of truth committed to the Church"s guardianship.
Read full note →
I IT IS CHRIST IN ALL HIS RELATIONS AS THE MYSTERY OF GODLINESS. This implies that he is the Revelation of God to man; for God "has made known what is the wealth of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the Hope of glory". (Col_1:27) Thus Christianity is Christ. He is the Center of Christian theology, as he is the Object of Christian faith and love.
II THE MANIFESTATION OF THE PERSON OF CHRIST. He is set forth as the Life of the Church, and if he were not God as well as man, the mystery would not be so obvious to our understanding.
1. He was manifested in the flesh." This very expression implies the divinity of Christ; for it would be superfluous, if not absurd, to say these words of any mere man. The words imply
(1) that it was essential Deity that was manifested;
(2) that it was a manifestation made, not to our understanding, but to our senses;
(3) that there was a real incarnation, for he was manifest in the flesh, or, as John says, "The Word was made flesh." It was not only by the flesh, but in the flesh.
1. He was justified in the spirit." He was approved to be righteous in the higher principle of spiritual life within him. There is no allusion to the Holy Spirit. The spirit here is the counterpart of the flesh. Christ fulfilled all righteousness. If his manifestation in the flesh exhibited his true and real humanity, his justification in the spirit exhibited his holiness and perfection. The passage consists of a series of parallel clauses, of which every two form a connected pair.
2. He was seen of angels." In the sense of showing himself to them in his incarnation. They announced his advent, they ministered to his wants, they heralded his resurrection, they attended him in his triumphant return to heaven, and they now see him in his glorified humanity.
1. He was preached among the Gentiles." Here, again, is another pair of opposites; the angels inhabitants of a holy heaven, the Gentiles inhabitants
2. of a sinful earth. It was one of the six glories of our Redeemer that he was to be a "Light to the Gentiles". (Isa_49:6)
3. He was believed on in the world." Christianity is a world-wide religion, embraced by men of all nationalities; unlike Mohammedanism and Buddhism, which are restricted to the East. The gospel finds acceptance alike in East and West.
4. He was received up in glory." In reference to Christ"s historical ascent to heaven amidst circumstances of marvelous glory. The last pair of opposites is the world and glory. How far they are apart! Yet they are brought nigh by the blood of Christ. This passage, from its antithetical structure, would seem to have been an ancient hymn of the Church, setting forth the leading facts of the Messianic story. T.C.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
B. W. Johnson 1891 · Public Domain 10. Let these also first be proved. Not novices,…
10. Let these also first be proved. Not novices, but men fully tested. Before they use the office of a deacon, their character must be thoroughly examined, and they must be found blameless.
B. W. Johnson's The People's New Testament with Notes (1889–1891) — public domain. Electronic text from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) ThML edition.