1 Timothy 3:1

1 Timothy 3:1

This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.

a. ASV: Faithful is the saying, If a man seeketh the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.

  

b. YLT: Stedfast is the word: If any one the oversight doth long for, a right work he desireth;

d. Amplified Bible Classic: The saying is true and irrefutable: If any man [eagerly] seeks the office of bishop (superintendent, overseer), he desires an excellent task (work).

1. “This is a true saying…”

a. [This is a] true [Strong: 4103 pistós, pis-tos'; from G3982; objectively, trustworthy; subjectively, trustful:—believe(-ing, -r), faithful(-ly), sure, true.]

b. saying [Strong: 3056 lógos, log'-os; from G3004; something said (including the thought); by implication, a topic (subject of discourse), also reasoning (the mental faculty) or motive; by extension, a computation; specially, (with the article in John) the Divine Expression (i.e. Christ):—account, cause, communication, × concerning, doctrine, fame, × have to do, intent, matter, mouth, preaching, question, reason, + reckon, remove, say(-ing), shew, × speaker, speech, talk, thing, + none of these things move me, tidings, treatise, utterance, word, work.]

2. “...If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.”

a. if any [man] [Strong: 1536 eí tis, i tis; from G1487 and G5100; if any:—he that, if a(-ny) man('s thing, from any, ought), whether any, whosoever.]

b. desire [Strong: 3713 orégomai, or-eg'-om-ahee; middle voice of apparently a prolonged form of an obsolete primary (compare G3735); to stretch oneself, i.e. reach out after (long for):—covet after, desire.]

c. [the office of a] bishop [Strong: 1984 episkopḗ, ep-is-kop-ay'; from G1980; inspection (for relief); by implication, superintendence; specially, the Christian "episcopate":—the office of a "bishop", bishoprick, visitation.]

d. [he] desireth [Strong: 1937 epithyméō, ep-ee-thoo-meh'-o; from G1909 and G2372; to set the heart upon, i.e. long for (rightfully or otherwise):—covet, desire, would fain, lust (after).]

e. [a] good work [Strong: 2570 kalós, kal-os'; of uncertain affinity; properly, beautiful, but chiefly (figuratively) good (literally or morally), i.e. valuable or virtuous (for appearance or use, and thus distinguished from G18, which is properly intrinsic):—X better, fair, good(-ly), honest, meet, well, worthy.]

  

g. work [Strong: 2041  érgon, er'-gon; from a primary (but obsolete) ἔργω érgō (to work); toil (as an effort or occupation); by implication, an act:—deed, doing, labour, work.