Those who sin, reprove in the sight of all, that the rest also may be in fear.
Parallel Translations
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Those who sin, reprove in the sight of all, that the rest also may be in fear.
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Them that synne rebuke openly that other maye feare.
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Them that sinne, rebuke openly, that the rest also may feare.
Cross-references (12)
Passages linked to 1 Timothy 5:20 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- Deuteronomy 13:11 All Israel shall hear, and fear, and shall not do any more wickedness like this among you.
- 1 Timothy 1:20 of whom are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I delivered to Satan, that they might be taught not to blaspheme.
- 2 Timothy 4:2 preach the word; be urgent in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort with all patience and teaching.
- Titus 1:13 This testimony is true. For this cause, reprove them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith,
- Acts 5:11 Great fear came on the whole assembly, and on all who heard these things.
- Galatians 2:11-14 But when Peter came to Antioch, I resisted him to his face, because he stood condemned. For before some people came from James, he ate with the Gentiles. But when they came, he drew back and separated himself, fearing those who were of the circumcision. And the rest of the Jews joined him in his hypocrisy, so that even Barnabas was carried away with their hypocrisy. But when I saw that they didn’t walk uprightly according to the truth of the Good News, I said to Peter before them all, “If you, being a Jew, live as the Gentiles do, and not as the Jews do, why do you compel the Gentiles to live as the Jews do?
- Deuteronomy 19:20 Those who remain shall hear, and fear, and will never again commit any such evil among you.
- Acts 5:5 Ananias, hearing these words, fell down and died. Great fear came on all who heard these things.
- Deuteronomy 17:13 All the people shall hear and fear, and do no more presumptuously.
- Deuteronomy 21:21 All the men of his city shall stone him to death with stones. So you shall remove the evil from among you. All Israel shall hear, and fear.
- Leviticus 19:17 “ ‘You shall not hate your brother in your heart. You shall surely rebuke your neighbor, and not bear sin because of him.
- Acts 19:17 This became known to all, both Jews and Greeks, who lived at Ephesus. Fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified.
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this verse (17 sources)
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John Calvin 1540 · Public Domain 20 Those that sin rebuke before all Whenever any…
20 Those that sin rebuke before all Whenever any measure is taken for the protection of good men, it is immediately seized by bad men to prevent them from being condemned. Accordingly, what Paul had said about repelling unjust accusations he modifies by this statement, so that none may, on this presence, escape the punishment due to sin. And, indeed, we see how great and diversified are the privileges by which Popery surrounds its clergy; so that, although their life be ever so wicked, still they are exempted from all reproof. Certainly, if regard be had to the cautions which are collected by Gratian, (Caus. 2, Quest. 4 and Quest. 7,) there will be no danger of their being ever compelled to give an account of their life. Where will they find the seventy-two witnesses for condemning a bishop, which are demanded by the disgusting bull issued by Pope Sylvester? Moreover, seeing that the whole order of laymen is debarred from accusing, and as the inferior orders, even of the clergy, are forbidden to give any annoyance to the higher classes of them, what shall hinder them from fearlessly mocking at all decisions?
It is therefore proper, carefully to observe this moderation, that insolent tongues shall be restrained from defaming elders by false accusations, and yet that every one of them who conducts himself badly shall be severely corrected; for I understand this injunction to relate to elders, that they who live a dissolute life shall be openly reproved.
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That others also may fear Wherefore? That others, warned by such an example, may fear the more, when they perceive that not even those who are placed above them in rank and honor are spared; for as elders ought to lead the way to others by the example of a holy life, so, if they commit crime, it is proper to exercise severity of discipline toward them, that it may serve as an example to others. And why should greater forbearance be used toward those whose offenses are much more hurtful than those of others? Let it be understood that Paul speaks of crimes or glaring transgressions, which are attended by public scandal; for, if any of the elders shall have committed a fault, not of a public nature, it is certain that he ought to be privately admonished and not openly reproved.
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.
Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain The third rule: Let the Elders so convicted be…
The third rule: Let the Elders so convicted be rebuked openly, that they may be an example to others.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain 20 Them that sin rebuke before all, that others…
20 Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear.
Ver. 20. Them that sin] i.e. Those presbyters that sin publicly, scandalously, as did Peter, Gal 2:14, and those who were convicted by two or three witnesses, as 1Ti 5:19. Rebuke before all, yet not as if they were whipping boys. {See Trapp on "1Ti 5:1"} But if the fault be not known abroad, that rule of our Saviour takes place, Mat 18:15-16. Constantine the Great was heard to say, "That if he should take a presbyter in the act of adultery, he would cover the matter with his imperial robe, rather than it should come abroad to the scandal of the weak and scorn of the wicked."
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 Them that sin; that is, that sin publicly and…
Them that sin; that is, that sin publicly and scandalously, so as others have taken notice of it.
Rebuke before all; rebuke not privately, by a ministerial correption, but by a public ecclesiastical correption before the whole church.
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That others also may fear; that the salve may answer the sore, and the plaster be as broad as the wound; and that others may be afraid to do the like. This end of the punishment agreeth with that mentioned Deu 13:11.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain I charge thee before God,.... Who sees and knows…
I charge thee before God,.... Who sees and knows all things, and is a righteous and most impartial Judge; with whom there is no respect of persons, and in whose place and stead, the judges of the earth, both civil and ecclesiastical, stand; and to whom they are accountable for the judgment they pass on men and things; and in whose house or church Timothy was, whose business he was doing, and which ought to be done, with a view to his glory; wherefore the apostle gives him this solemn charge as in his sight:
and the Lord Jesus Christ: who also is God omniscient; and is Jesus Christ the righteous, the Head of the church, and the Judge of quick and dead; before whose judgment seat all must appear; where there will be no respect of persons, nor any partiality used.
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And the elect angels; by whom are meant not some of the angels, the more choice, excellent, and principal among them; as the seven angels in the Apocryha:
"I am Raphael, one of the seven holy angels, which present the prayers of the saints, and which go in and out before the glory of the Holy One.'' (Tobit 12:15)
among whom Raphael is said to be one. But this is a spurious account, and not to be credited; nor was it an ancient tradition of the Jews, that there were seven principal angels; See Gill on Rev 1:4. The Chaldee paraphrase on Gen 11:7 is mistaken by Mr. Mede, where not "seven", but "seventy" angels are spoken of: but here all the good angels are designed, called sometimes the holy angels, and sometimes the angels in heaven; and here, by the Syriac version, "his angels"; either the angels of God, as they are sometimes styled; or the angels of Jesus Christ, being made by him, and being ministers to him, and for him; and also "elect", because chosen to stand in that integrity and holiness, in which they were created; and to enjoy everlasting glory and happiness, while others of the same species were passed by and left to fall from their first estate, and appointed to everlasting wrath and damnation: so that it may be observed that God's election takes place in angels as well as in men; and which flows from the sovereign will and pleasure of God; and was made in Christ, who is their head, and by whom they are confirmed in their happy state; and in which they must be considered in the pure mass, since they never fell; and which may serve to illustrate and confirm the doctrine of election with respect to men. Now before these the apostle charges Timothy; since they are near to the saints, encamp about them, minister unto them, and are concerned for their good; are spectators of their actions, and witnesses of what is done in churches, since they frequently attend the assemblies of the saints, and will descend with Christ, when he comes to judge the world in righteousness: the mention of them in this, charge gives no countenance to the worshipping of angels, since they are not set upon a level with God and Christ; nor is the charge delivered before them as judges, but as witnesses; nor are the words in the form of an oath, but of a charge; the angels are not sworn by, or appealed unto; only in their presence is this solemn charge given; and it may be observed, that even inanimate creatures, the heavens and the earth, are sometimes called upon as witnesses; and besides, it was usual with the Jews to make such kind of obtestations, So Agrippa (i), in his speech to the Jews, exhorting them to fidelity to the Romans, beseeches them by their holy things, , "and the holy angels of God", and their common country, that is, the good of it, that they would remain steadfast. What is the amount of this charge follows,
that thou observe these things; either all that are contained in the epistle, or more particularly the rules prescribed in this chapter; concerning rebuking members of a different age and sex, providing for poor widows, and taking care of the ministers of the Gospel, and chiefly what regards the discipline of the church with respect to the elders of it; as not to admit an accusation against them, unless it is sufficiently evident, and yet not connive at notorious sinners, but rebuke them publicly; and this charge belongs not only to Timothy, but to the whole church, and to all succeeding ministers and churches in all ages. The manner in which these things are to be observed is,
without preferring one before another; or, as the words may be rendered, "without prejudgment"; that is, without prejudging a case, or determining, before hearing, how it shall be; or as the Syriac version renders it, "in nothing let thy mind be prepossessed"; the sense is, that he should attend to any case that should come before him in the church, without prejudice or prepossession, and hearken to what is said on both sides; and judge impartially, and not in haste, but weigh well and consider the evidence that is given, and then determine as the case appears; so the Arabic version renders it, "without haste", or precipitancy; to which agrees the advice of the men of the great congregation, or Ezra's congregation, who were in his time, and succeeded him; , "be slow in judgment" (k), or long at it; that so by strict and close examination, things not known at first may be discovered: and when judgment is passed, it should not be through affection to one party, and disrespect to another; which is called in Scripture a respect of persons, and here a preferring one to another; and which is further explained by adding,
doing nothing by partiality; or by inclining to one side more than to another. A judge should not preponderate to either side, but should hold the balance of justice even, and do nothing to turn the scale one way or another, but as the weight and truth of the evidence direct; and such a rule should be observed in all church affairs.
(i) Joseph. de Bello Jud. l. 2. c. 16. sect. 4. (k) Pirke Abot, c. 1. sect. 1. Vid. Maimon in ib.
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 Those - Elders. That sin - Scandalously, and are…
Those - Elders. That sin - Scandalously, and are duly convicted. Rebuke before all - The church.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain Verse 20. Them that sin rebuke before all] That…
Verse 20. Them that sin rebuke before all] That is, before the members of the Church; which was the custom of the Jews in their synagogues. But, if the words refer to the elders alone, then the transgressing elder is to be reproved before his fellows, and be tried by them.
That others also may fear.] This is the grand object of Church censures, to reclaim the transgressors, and to give warning to others.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain Them that sin - That have been proved to…
Them that sin - That have been proved to have committed sin - referring probably to the elders mentioned in the previous verse, but giving the direction so general a form that it might be applicable to others.
Rebuke before all - Before all the church or congregation. The word “rebuke” properly denotes to reprove or reprehend. It means here that there should be a public statement of the nature of the offence, and such a censure as the case demanded. It extends only to spiritual censures. There is no power given of inflicting any punishment by fine or imprisonment. The power of the church, in such cases, is only to express its strong and decided disapprobation of the wrong done, and, if the case demands it, of disowning the offending member or minister. This direction to “rebuke an offender before all,” may be easily reconciled with the direction in 1Ti 5:1, “Rebuke not an elder.” The latter refers to the private and pastoral conversation with an elder, and to the method in which he should be treated in such contact - to wit, with the feelings due to a father; the direction here refers to the manner in which an offender should be treated who has been proved to be guilty, and where the case has become public. Then there is to be a public expression of disapprobation.
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That others also may fear - That they may be kept from committing the same offence; compare 1Pe 2:14. The end of punishment is not the gratification of the private feelings of him who administers it, but the prevention of crime.
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain Them that sin, so as to be public criminals,…
Them that sin, so as to be public criminals, &c. (Witham)
George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain Them that sin--whether presbyters or laymen.
Them that sin--whether presbyters or laymen.
rebuke before all--publicly before the Church (Mat 18:15-17; Co1 5:9-13; Eph 5:11). Not until this "rebuke" was disregarded was the offender to be excommunicated.
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others . . . fear--that other members of the Church may have a wholesome fear of offending (Deu 13:11; Act 5:11).
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 20. Them of the elders that sin and are…
20. Them of the elders that sin and are proved as sinning by the due witnesses, it is Timothy’s duty to rebuke before all. It is doubtful whether the all refers to the other elders or all the congregation. The obvious antithesis could refer it to the others of the elders.
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 20. Them that sin] A connecting particle has some…
20. Them that sin] A connecting particle has some authority here but not enough for adoption. The absence need not (see note above) make us think the subject is changed from offending presbyters to sinners generally. This would require more support from the context than is given, the main thought being still Timothy’s official and personal bearing towards presbyters. The article with the present participle is nearly the equivalent of a substantive. Cf. Winer, § 47, 7. The same article and present participle occur in 1Jn_3:6, where the force of the present is of the utmost importance. ‘It describes a character, “a prevailing habit,” and not primarily an act.’ Bp Westcott. So here, ‘those who are living in sin’ among the presbyters. Bp Wordsworth gives a special character to these sins: ‘He is speaking specially of Presbyters whose sins, particularly in doctrine, are public and notorious. And this exposition is confirmed by the application of the word “sins” to them here and in 1Ti_5:24, and Tit_3:11, where he says of a heretical teacher that he “sinneth being self-condemned.” St Paul thus declares the moral guilt of false doctrine.’ And he quotes St Paul’s prophecy to the Athenian presbyters of such ‘grievous wolves,’ ‘speaking perverse things’ among them, Act_20:29.
rebuke before all] The word is sometimes ‘convict,’ sometimes ‘condemn.’ In its use in these Epistles, here and 2Ti_4:2; Tit_1:9; Tit_1:13; Tit_2:15, it seems always to have reference to false teaching and its consequent evil living, and to unite the sharp convincing proof of the error and the sharp condemning reproof of the vice.
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that others also may fear] Rather, as R.V., that the rest also may be in fear; ‘the rest,’ i.e. those who have heard and perhaps approved of the false teaching and its vicious morals; ‘may be in fear,’ the longer expression being used to denote the state of abiding ‘godly fear.’
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 (20) Them that sin rebuke before all, that others…
(20) Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear.—The Apostle here, apparently, is still referring exclusively to that order of presbyters whose more meritorious members he had directed Timothy to honour with a special honour, and towards whose accused members he instructed him how to act. He now passes to the question how to deal with these responsible officers of the Church when they were proved to be notoriously sinning. While, on the one hand, the earnest and devoted men were to be honoured with “a double honour”—while every possible legal precaution was to be taken in the case of those being accused—on the other hand, when proved to be men continuing in sin and error, their punishment must be as marked as in the other case was the reward. The errors and sins of teachers of the faith are far more dangerous than in those who make up the rank and file of congregations, and require a more severe and more public punishment.
It is not improbable that St. Paul was especially alluding here to false teaching—to errors of doctrine on the part of some of the Ephesian presbyters. He seems, in his parting address at Miletus to the elders (presbyters) of this very Ephesian Church, to have foreseen such a grievous falling away in the future among their company—“Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them” (Act_20:30). Compare also the Epistle to this same Church of Ephesus (Rev_2:4-5). As the sin, whatever has been its nature, has been committed by men intrusted with a responsible and public charge, so the rebuke and punishment must also be in public, that the warning may then spread over the whole of the various congregations composing the Church, and thus “others also may fear.”
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 Reprove for rebuke, A.V; in the sight of for…
Reprove for rebuke, A.V; in the sight of for before, A.V; the rest for others, A.V; be in fear for fear, A.V Reprove; elegce, not ejpiplhxhv, as in ver. 1. (see Mat_18:15) There, the fault being a private one, the reproof is to be administered in private. But in the ease of the sinning presbyter, which is that here intended, Timothy is to reprove the offender "before all," that others also may fear, and may be deterred by their fear from committing a like offence.
The manner of public rebuke.
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The apostle refers here, not to offending elders, but to members of the Church generally, as we justly infer from the change of number. It is the elder in the one case; it is "those who sin" in the other.
I THE PUBLICITY OF REBUKE. "Those that sin rebuke before all.
1. The class referred to consists not of those merely overtaken in a fault (Gal_6:1) but, as the tense of the word signifies, persons given to sinning. Thus great consideration and caution are to be exercised. The casual transgressor might be dealt with privately, and would not need further dealing on his exhibiting evidence of repentance.
1. It was to be merely rebuke, not exclusion from the Church. If the rebuke was unheeded, the extreme sentence would follow.
2. The rebuke was to be public.
(1) The transgression may have been very public, to the scandal of religion;
(2) the publicity would involve the full disclosure of the sin, and involve shame.
II THE DESIGN OF PUBLIC REBUKE. "In order that the rest also may fear." Such a discipline would have a deterrent influence upon others. The strictness of the law would not be without effects upon conscience. 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 20. Them that sin. Whether they be elders, or…
20. Them that sin. Whether they be elders, or private members, if convicted, rebuke them publicly, for the sake of the lesson to others. Do not hush the matter up privately.
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.
C. I. Scofield 1917 · Public Domain Sin. (See Scofield "Rom 3:23").
sin
Sin. (See Scofield "Rom 3:23").
The Scofield Reference Bible (1917 edition), notes by C. I. Scofield — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 5:20 Those who sin: This term refers either to…
5:20 Those who sin: This term refers either to one who is (rightly) accused or to one making a (false) accusation (Deut 19:16-19). • The others are either the other elders or the rest of the church (cp. Deut 19:20; Acts 5:1-11).
Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.