What Does 1 Timothy 3:5 Mean in the King James?
(For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)
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 readiness to care for God’s assembly by the attention already shown within one’s own household.
THE MEANING
Your nearest relationships make your care visible before your responsibility widens. The verse places the wellbeing of God’s assembly in practiced concern, beginning among the people already close to you.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
The belief that visible spiritual leadership can make up for a household left uncared for.
THE ROOT
ἐπιμελήσεται
epimelēsetai
GROWS FROM
μέλω
melō
To matter or be a concern; with ἐπι- (epi-, upon), it means to attend to what matters.
“take care” in this verse is epimelēsetai. The Greek sentence uses one verb for ruling the household and another for taking care of the assembly; this second verb centers on what receives someone’s concern. Its word family can describe both care and neglect, showing that care is concern made active, while neglect treats someone as though they do not matter.
ALSO GROWS
melei: It matters; it is a concern.
μέλει
In John 10:13, the hired worker “careth not for the sheep”; the same family frames care as whether the sheep matter to someone.
ameleō: Neglect; leave unattended.
ἀμελέω
Hebrews 2:3 uses this word for neglecting; its connection to the same root sharpens the verse’s measure of care as attention that is present rather than withheld.
THE PATTERN
Responsibility for a wider community grows from attentive care practiced in concrete relationships.
And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: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
And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.“Took care” here is ἐπιμελέομαι (epimelēomai, attend to with care), the same Greek verb used for “take care” in this verse. Luke makes the word visible through tending wounds and staying responsible for a vulnerable person.
Read the SDV Bible.
Every verse has a Deep Dive in the app.
The iPhone Bible app with the Selah Decoded Version.
Does something in this reading look wrong? Tell us