What Does 1 Timothy 5:17 Mean?

Let the elders who stand well at the front be weighed worthy of double honor, especially those who toil in the word and in teaching.

1 Timothy 5:17 · SDV

Key words are shown with the Hebrew or Greek and what each word meant.

Selah Decoded Version The Selah Decoded Version renders what the Hebrew and Greek words meant to the people who first heard them.

This verse in the King James

King James wording

King James Version

Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine.

THE KEY

“Honour” here carries material worth as well as esteem, and the next verse makes that worth concrete as wages.

THE MEANING

Those who lead well are worthy of substantial regard. Those who labor in the word and teaching receive particular honor, with the surrounding passage connecting that honor to material support as well as respect.

WHAT THIS UNDOES

It undoes the belief that honor can remain merely verbal: here honor is counted as worth, and the next verse names wages.

THE ROOT

τιμή

timē

GROWS FROM

τιμ-

tim-

value, price, worth, esteem

“honor” in this verse is timē. English “honour” can sound like esteem alone, but ⁨τιμή⁩ (timē, value or price) also names material worth. The verse holds regard and tangible value together in one word; the following verse makes that material edge explicit by calling the laborer worthy of wages.

ALSO GROWS

timaō: To honor or assign value.

τιμάω

This verb shows honor as recognizing someone’s worth, not just expressing admiration.

timios: Precious, valuable, held in honor.

τίμιος

This adjective shows the same word-family describing what bears high value.

THE PATTERN

Those who labor for a community’s good are to share in its provision and receive public esteem.

You shall not muzzle the ox while he treads out the grain.

Deuteronomy 25:4 · SDVThe worker is not cut off from the provision produced by its labor.

And remain in that same house, eating and drinking what they give, for the worker is worthy of his pay. Do not step from house to house.

Luke 10:7 · SDVThe work of the laborer is directly joined to the right to receive provision.

So also the Lord has arranged that those who proclaim the good news should live from the good news.

1 Corinthians 9:14 · SDVThose who serve by proclaiming the gospel are to receive their living through that work.

THE THREAD

For the writing says, "You shall not muzzle the ox while he treads out the grain," and, "The worker is weighed worthy of his wage."

1 Timothy 5:18 · SDV

“Be counted worthy” in this verse and “worthy” in the next come from the same Greek word-family: ⁨ἀξιόω⁩ (axioō, to deem worthy) and ⁨ἄξιος⁩ (axios, worthy). The next line gives that worth a concrete measure: the laborer receives wages.

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