1 Timotius 3:2

3:2 The overseer ¹  then must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, ²  temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, an able teacher,

1 Timotius 3:1

Qualifications for Overseers and Deacons

3:1 This saying ³  is trustworthy: “If someone aspires to the office of overseer, ⁴  he desires a good work.”

1 Timotius 5:6-8

5:6 But the one who lives for pleasure is dead even ⁵  while she lives. 5:7 Reinforce ⁶  these commands, ⁷  so that they will be beyond reproach. 5:8 But if someone does not provide for his own, ⁸  especially his own family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

1 Timotius 5:2

5:2 older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters – with complete purity.

Titus 1:5

Titus’ Task on Crete

1:5 The reason I left you in Crete was to set in order the remaining matters and to appoint elders in every town, as I directed you.

Titus 3:2

3:2 They must not slander ⁹  anyone, but be peaceable, gentle, showing complete courtesy to all people.

Titus 3:1

Conduct Toward Those Outside the Church

3:1 Remind them to be subject to rulers and ¹⁰  authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work.

Pengkhotbah 5:8

Government Corruption

5:8 If you see the extortion ¹¹  of the poor,

or the perversion ¹²  of justice and fairness in the government, ¹³ 

do not be astonished by the matter.

For the high official is watched by a higher official, ¹⁴ 

and there are higher ones over them! ¹⁵ 

[3:2]  ¹ tn Or “bishop.”

[3:2]  sn Although some see the article with overseer as indicating a single leader at the top of the ecclesiastical structure (thus taking the article as monadic), this is hardly necessary. It is naturally taken generically (referring to the class of leaders known as overseers) and, in fact, finds precedent in 2:11-12 (“a woman,” “a man”), 2:15 (“she”). Paul almost casually changes between singular and plural in both chapters.

[3:2]  ² tn Or “a man married only once,” “devoted solely to his wife” (see 1 Tim 3:12; 5:9; Titus 1:6). The meaning of this phrase is disputed. It is frequently understood to refer to the marital status of the church leader, excluding from leadership those who are (1) unmarried, (2) polygamous, (3) divorced, or (4) remarried after being widowed. A different interpretation is reflected in the NEB’s translation “faithful to his one wife.”

[3:1]  ³ tn Grk “the saying,” referring to the following citation (see 1 Tim 1:15; 4:9; 2 Tim 2:11; Titus 3:8 for other occurrences of this phrase).

[3:1]  ⁴ tn Grk “aspires to oversight.”

[5:6]  ⁵ tn For “is dead even” the Greek text reads “has died.”

[5:7]  ⁶ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[5:7]  ⁷ tn Grk “and command these things.”

[5:8]  ⁸ tn That is, “his own relatives.”

[3:2]  ⁹ tn Or “discredit,” “damage the reputation of.”

[3:1]  ¹⁰ tc Most later witnesses (D² 0278 Ï lat sy) have καί (kai, “and”) after ἀρχαῖς (arcai", “rulers”), though the earliest and best witnesses (א A C D* F G Ψ 33 104 1739 1881) lack the conjunction. Although the καί is most likely not authentic, it has been added in translation due to the requirements of English style. For more discussion, see TCGNT 586.

[5:8]  ¹¹ tn Alternately, “oppression.” The term עֹשֶׁק (’osheq) has a basic two-fold range of meaning: (1) “oppression; brutality” (e.g., Isa 54:14); and (2) “extortion” (e.g., Ps 62:11); see HALOT 897 s.v. עֹשֶׁק; BDB 799 s.v. עֹשֶׁק. The LXX understands the term as “oppression,” as the translation συκοφαντίαν (sukofantian, “oppression”) indicates. Likewise, HALOT 897 s.v. עֹשֶׁק 1 classifies this usage as “oppression” against the poor. However, the context of 5:8-9 [7-8 HT] focuses on corrupt government officials robbing people of the fruit of their labor through extortion and the perversion of justice.

[5:8]  ¹² tn Heb “robbery.” The noun גֵזֶל (gezel, “robbery”) refers to the wrestling away of righteousness or the perversion of justice (HALOT 186 s.v. גֵּזֶל). The related forms of the root גזל mean “to rob; to loot” (HALOT 186 s.v. גֵּזֶל). The term “robbery” is used as a figure for the perversion of justice (hypocatastasis): just as a thief robs his victims through physical violence, so corrupt government officials “rob” the poor through the perversion of justice.

[5:8]  ¹³ tn Heb “in the province.”

[5:8]  ¹⁴ tn The word “official” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for clarity.

[5:8]  ¹⁵ sn And there are higher ones over them! This may describe a corrupt system of government in which each level of hierarchy exploits its subordinates, all the way down to the peasants: “Set in authority over the people is an official who enriches himself at their expense; he is watched by a more authoritative governor who also has his share of the spoils; and above them are other officers of the State who likewise have to be satisfied”; see A. Cohen, The Five Megilloth (SoBB), 141.