1 Timothy 5:17
New International Version
The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching.

New Living Translation
Elders who do their work well should be respected and paid well, especially those who work hard at both preaching and teaching.

English Standard Version
Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching.

Berean Standard Bible
Elders who lead effectively are worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching.

Berean Literal Bible
Let the elders ruling well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those laboring in the word and the teaching.

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

New King James Version
Let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and doctrine.

New American Standard Bible
The elders who lead well are to be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching.

NASB 1995
The elders who rule well are to be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching.

NASB 1977
Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching.

Legacy Standard Bible
The elders who lead well are to be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor at preaching the word and teaching.

Amplified Bible
The elders who perform their leadership duties well are to be considered worthy of double honor (financial support), especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching [the word of God concerning eternal salvation through Christ].

Christian Standard Bible
The elders who are good leaders are to be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
The elders who are good leaders should be considered worthy of an ample honorarium, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching.

American Standard Version
Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and in teaching.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
Those Elders who lead well deserve double honor, especially those who toil in the word and in teaching.

Contemporary English Version
Church leaders who do their job well deserve to be paid twice as much, especially if they work hard at preaching and teaching.

Douay-Rheims Bible
Let the priests that rule well, be esteemed worthy of double honour: especially they who labour in the word and doctrine:

English Revised Version
Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially those who labour in the word and in teaching.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Give double honor to spiritual leaders who handle their duties well. This is especially true if they work hard at teaching the word [of God].

Good News Translation
The elders who do good work as leaders should be considered worthy of receiving double pay, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching.

International Standard Version
Elders who handle their duties well should be considered worthy of double compensation, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching.

Literal Standard Version
Let them, the well-leading elders, be counted worthy of double honor, especially those laboring in word and teaching,

Majority Standard Bible
Elders who lead effectively are worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching.

New American Bible
Presbyters who preside well deserve double honor, especially those who toil in preaching and teaching.

NET Bible
Elders who provide effective leadership must be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard in speaking and teaching.

New Revised Standard Version
Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching;

New Heart English Bible
Let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and in teaching.

Webster's Bible Translation
Let the elders that rule well, be counted worthy of double honor, especially they who labor in the word and doctrine.

Weymouth New Testament
Let the Elders who perform their duties wisely and well be held worthy of double honour, especially those who labour in preaching and teaching.

World English Bible
Let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and in teaching.

Young's Literal Translation
The well-leading elders of double honour let them be counted worthy, especially those labouring in word and teaching,

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Honoring Elders
16If any believing woman has dependent widows, she must assist them and not allow the church to be burdened, so that it can help the widows who are truly in need. 17 Elders who lead effectively are worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching. 18For the Scripture says, “Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain,” and, “The worker is worthy of his wages.”…

Cross References
Acts 11:30
This they did, sending their gifts to the elders with Barnabas and Saul.

Romans 12:8
if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is giving, let him give generously; if it is leading, let him lead with diligence; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.

1 Thessalonians 5:12
But we ask you, brothers, to acknowledge those who work diligently among you, who preside over you in the Lord and give you instruction.

1 Timothy 4:14
Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given you through the prophecy spoken over you at the laying on of the hands of the elders.

1 Timothy 5:19
Do not entertain an accusation against an elder, except on the testimony of two or three witnesses.


Treasury of Scripture

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

the elders.

1 Timothy 5:1
Rebuke not an elder, but intreat him as a father; and the younger men as brethren;

rule.

1 Timothy 3:5
(For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)

Matthew 24:25
Behold, I have told you before.

Luke 12:42
And the Lord said, Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his lord shall make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of meat in due season?

be.

1 Timothy 5:3
Honour widows that are widows indeed.

Acts 28:10
Who also honoured us with many honours; and when we departed, they laded us with such things as were necessary.

Romans 15:27
It hath pleased them verily; and their debtors they are. For if the Gentiles have been made partakers of their spiritual things, their duty is also to minister unto them in carnal things.

double.

2 Kings 2:9
And it came to pass, when they were gone over, that Elijah said unto Elisha, Ask what I shall do for thee, before I be taken away from thee. And Elisha said, I pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me.

Isaiah 40:2
Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the LORD'S hand double for all her sins.

Jeremiah 16:18
And first I will recompense their iniquity and their sin double; because they have defiled my land, they have filled mine inheritance with the carcases of their detestable and abominable things.

labour.

1 Timothy 4:10
For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe.

Matthew 9:37,38
Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; …

Luke 10:1,2,7
After these things the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself would come…

word.

1 Timothy 4:6,16
If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained…

Jump to Previous
Affairs Church Considered Counted Direct Doctrine Double Duties Elders Especially Good Hard Held Honor Honour Honoured Labor Perform Preaching Rule Rulers Specially Teaching Twice Wisely Word Work Worthy
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Affairs Church Considered Counted Direct Doctrine Double Duties Elders Especially Good Hard Held Honor Honour Honoured Labor Perform Preaching Rule Rulers Specially Teaching Twice Wisely Word Work Worthy
1 Timothy 5
1. Rules to be observed in reproving.
3. Of widows.
17. Of elders.
23. A precept for Timothy's health.
24. Some men's sins go before unto judgment, and some men's follow after.














(17) Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine.--More accurately rendered, "Let the elders (presbyters) who rule well." The consideration of the position and qualifications of certain ruling elder women (the presbyteral widows) reminded St. Paul of certain points to be impressed on Timothy connected with the rank and honour due to the more distinguished presbyters associated with him in the Ephesian congregations.

Attention should be directed here to the vast powers intrusted to the "presiding presbyter" of such a Church as Ephesus (to use the title of Bishop in the ecclesiastical sense would be as yet an anachronism. It probably was, however, of general use within thirty years from the date of the Epistle, certainly before the close of the century). In addition to the general office of supervisor, one in the position of Timothy evidently had the distribution of the several grades of honours and remuneration among the presbyteral order (1Timothy 5:17; 1Timothy 5:21). To him, as presiding elder, belonged the functions of supreme judge in all matters ecclesiastical and moral, relating to the varied officials of both sexes connected with the Church. The right of ordination which, when the Apostles and the first generation of believers had passed away, became the exclusive work of the bishop, is here (see 1Timothy 5:22) specially intrusted by an Apostle to Timothy, the chief presbyter and apostolic representative in the Church of Ephesus, in the words: "Lay hands suddenly on no man."

The elders (presbyters) to whom Timothy was to accord some special honour, were those who, in the congregations and Christian schools of so great a city as Ephesus, in addition to their many duties connected with organisation and administration, were distinguishing themselves in a marked manner by their preaching and teaching.

Among the devoted and earnest presbyters in these Asian churches, some there were, doubtless, who possessed the special gift of teaching, either in the class-room or the preacher's chair. Those who, possessing, well and faithfully exercised these invaluable gifts were to be in some way preferred by the chief minister. The "double honour" (time) is a broad inclusive term, and seems to comprehend rank and position as well as remuneration--victu et reverentia, as Melancthon paraphrases the words "double honour." Timothy is here directed to confer on the more distinguished of the order of presbyters, official rank and precedence, as the reward of faithful and successful work.

Verse 17. - Those for they, A.V.; in teaching for doctrine, A.V. The elders (πρεσβυτεροι) here in its technical sense of "presbyters," which in the first age were the ruling body in every Chinch (see Acts 14:23; Acts 20:2, 4, 6, 22), after the analogy of the elders of the Jews. Rule well (at καλῶς προεστῶτες). The presbyters or elders were the chiefs, rulers, or presidents, of the Church (see Romans 12:8; 1 Thessalonians 5:12; and above, 1 Timothy 3:4, 5). It seems that they did not necessarily teach and preach, but those who did so, laboring in the Word and teaching, were especially worthy of honor. Double honor (see note on ver. 3) means simply increased honor, not exactly twice as much as some one else, or with arithmetical exactness. So the word διπλοῦς is used in Matthew 23:15; Revelation 18:6; and by the LXX. in Isaiah 40:2; Jeremiah 16:18; and elsewhere also in classical Greek. And so we say, "twice as good," "twice as much," with the same indefinite meaning. The Word and teaching. The "Word" means generally "the Word of God," as we have "preach the Word," "hear the Word," "the ministry of the Word," "doers of the Word," etc. And although there is no article before λόγῳ here yet, considering the presence of the preposition ἐν, and St. Paul's less careful use of the article in his later Epistles, this absence is not sufficient to counterbalance the weight of those considerations which lead to the conclusion that "laboring in the Word" refers to the Word of God. The alternative rendering of "oral discourse" or "in speaking" seems rather weak. Teaching would mean catechetical instruction and similar explanatory teaching. Labor (οἱ κοπιῶντες); a word very frequently used by St. Paul of spiritual labors (Romans 16:6, 12; 1 Corinthians 15:10; Galatians 4:11; Colossians 1:29, etc.).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
Elders
πρεσβύτεροι (presbyteroi)
Adjective - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 4245: Comparative of presbus; older; as noun, a senior; specially, an Israelite Sanhedrist or Christian 'presbyter'.

who lead
προεστῶτες (proestōtes)
Verb - Perfect Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 4291: From pro and histemi; to stand before, i.e. to preside, or to practise.

effectively
καλῶς (kalōs)
Adverb
Strong's 2573: Well, nobly, honorably, rightly. Adverb from kalos; well.

are worthy
ἀξιούσθωσαν (axiousthōsan)
Verb - Present Imperative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 515: To account or treat as worthy. From axios; to deem entitled or fit.

of double
διπλῆς (diplēs)
Adjective - Genitive Feminine Singular
Strong's 1362: Double, two-fold. From dis and the base of pleion; two-fold.

honor,
τιμῆς (timēs)
Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular
Strong's 5092: A price, honor. From tino; a value, i.e. Money paid, or valuables; by analogy, esteem, or the dignity itself.

especially
μάλιστα (malista)
Adverb
Strong's 3122: Most of all, especially. Neuter plural of the superlative of an apparently primary adverb mala; most or particularly.

those who
οἱ (hoi)
Article - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

work hard
κοπιῶντες (kopiōntes)
Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 2872: From a derivative of kopos; to feel fatigue; by implication, to work hard.

at
ἐν (en)
Preposition
Strong's 1722: In, on, among. A primary preposition denoting position, and instrumentality, i.e. A relation of rest; 'in, ' at, on, by, etc.

preaching
λόγῳ (logō)
Noun - Dative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3056: From lego; something said; by implication, a topic, also reasoning or motive; by extension, a computation; specially, the Divine Expression.

and
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

teaching.
διδασκαλίᾳ (didaskalia)
Noun - Dative Feminine Singular
Strong's 1319: Instruction, teaching. From didaskalos; instruction.


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NT Letters: 1 Timothy 5:17 Let the elders who rule well be (1 Tim. 1Ti iTi 1tim i Tm)
1 Timothy 5:16
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