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NASB | 1 Timothy 3:2 An overseer, then, must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, prudent, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | 1 Timothy 3:2 Now an overseer must be blameless and beyond reproach, the husband of one wife, self-controlled, sensible, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, |
Subject: More on 1 Tim. 3:2 |
Bible Note: Steve, once again you are reading the text way too literally here and missing the meaning altogether! Does not Paul wish that every man could be as he is (single)? (1 Corinthians 7:7) Since it was true that Paul was single (and so was Jesus), then does this disqualify Paul from being a true leader of the church? By no means! Then Paul would be disabasing himself, since he was the one that spoke those words in the book of Titus! Would Ezra or Nehemiah not be considered as leaders, since there is no mention of their wives in either of the books that bear their names? And they led the nation of Israel to rebuild the temple. Jesus, the ultimate leader, lived a life of celibacy. Is He therefore, not qualified for leadership, being the very Son of God? Was Paul not speaking of his leadership and apostleship while in imprisonment (Phil. 1:12-14, 2:12,14) even though he himself was single? I fear that you have once again misinterpreted a verse with a point of view that is way too literal to be able to derive the true meaning from the text.I am a single man and a leader in my church! And my witness or ministry is not restrained whatsoever by the fact that I am single. In fact, I can do many things that would be difficult for a married couple to do at the drop of a hat, since I only have to answer to one Person, my Lord, and follow Him as a Godly man. |