What Does 1 Timothy 3:1 Mean in the King James?
This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
The verse measures oversight by the good work it carries, not by the title it holds.
THE MEANING
When you desire responsibility for others, the verse points to the work that desire reaches toward: watching over and serving. Its value appears in the care you enact, not in the position attached to it.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
It undoes the belief that wanting responsibility is inherently vanity: the desire can be directed toward good work.
THE ROOT
ἐπισκοπῆς
episkopēs
GROWS FROM
σκοπ-
skop-
To look toward, observe, or keep watch.
“office of a bishop” in this verse is episkopēs. The word translated “office” carries the sense of oversight: watching over with attention. Its family connects the role to seeing and caring for others, rather than simply holding a position.
ALSO GROWS
episkopos: Overseer; one who watches over.
ἐπίσκοπος
The related title makes the role’s watchful responsibility explicit.
episkopeō: To oversee or attend to.
ἐπισκοπέω
This verb presents oversight as an action of attention and care.
ἔργον
ergon
GROWS FROM
ἐργ-
erg-
Work or deed; something done.
The verse calls oversight a good work, putting its substance in what is done. The same word family names both working and the worker, tying the role to active labor rather than status.
ALSO GROWS
ergazomai: To work, labor, or do.
ἐργάζομαι
The verb turns “work” from an abstract label into something carried out.
ergatēs: Worker or laborer.
ἐργάτης
This branch names the person through the work they do, echoing the verse’s focus on responsibility as labor.
THE PATTERN
Scripture presents authority as responsibility carried for others, expressed through service and care.
Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, and rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens:But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister;Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;THE THREAD
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.“Good work” in 1 Timothy and “good works” here share the Greek word ἔργον (ergon). Oversight belongs to a wider life of work already prepared to be walked in.
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