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Selected Verse: 1 Timothy 3:3 - Strong Concordance

Verse	Translation	Text
1Ti 3:3	Strong Concordance	Not [3361] given to wine [3943], no [3361] striker [4131], not [3361] greedy of filthy lucre [146]; but [235] patient [1933], not a brawler [269], not covetous [866];
	King James	Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;

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A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]
Not given to wine--The Greek includes besides this, not indulging in the brawling, violent conduct towards others, which proceeds from being given to wine. The opposite of "patient" or (Greek) "forbearing," reasonable to others (see on Phi 4:5). no striker--with either hand or tongue: not as some teachers pretending a holy zeal (Co2 11:20), answering to "not a brawler" or fighter (compare Kg1 22:24; Neh 13:25; Isa 58:4; Act 23:2; Ti2 2:24-25). not covetous--Greek, "not a lover of money," whether he have much or little (Tit 1:7).

A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]

Not given to wine--The Greek includes besides this, not indulging in the brawling, violent conduct towards others, which proceeds from being given to wine. The opposite of "patient" or (Greek) "forbearing," reasonable to others (see on Phi 4:5).

no striker--with either hand or tongue: not as some teachers pretending a holy zeal (Co2 11:20), answering to "not a brawler" or fighter (compare Kg1 22:24; Neh 13:25; Isa 58:4; Act 23:2; Ti2 2:24-25).

not covetous--Greek, "not a lover of money," whether he have much or little (Tit 1:7).

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]
Not given to wine - Margin, "Not ready to quarrel and offer wrong, as one in wine." The Greek word (πάροινος paroinos) occurs in the New Testament only here and in Tit 1:7. It means, properly, "by wine;" i. e., spoken of what takes place "by" or "over" wine, as revelry, drinking songs, etc. Then it denotes, as it does here, one who sits "by" wine; that is, who is in the habit of drinking it. It cannot be inferred, from the use of the word here, that wine was absolutely and entirely prohibited; for the word does not properly express that idea. It means that one who is in the habit of drinking wine, or who is accustomed to sit with those who indulge in it, should not be admitted to the ministry. The way in which the apostle mentions the subject here would lead us fairly to suppose that he did not mean to commend its use in any sense; that he regarded its use as dangerous, and that he would wish the ministers of religion to avoid it altogether. In regard to its use at all, except at the communion or as a medicine, it may be remarked, that a minister will do no injury to himself or others by letting it entirely alone; he may do injury by indulging in it. No man is under any "obligation" of courtesy or Christian duty to use it; thousands of ministers of the gospel have brought ruin on themselves, and disgrace on the ministry, by its use; compare Mat 11:9 note, and Ti1 5:23 note. No striker - He must be a peaceable, not a quarrelsome man. This is connected with the caution about the use of wine, probably, because that is commonly found to produce a spirit of contention and strife. Not greedy of filthy lucre - Not contentious or avaricious. Greek, Not desirous of base gain. The desire of this is condemned everywhere in the New Testament; but it is especially the duty of a minister of the gospel to be free from it. He has a right to a support (see the notes on 1 Cor. 9); but there is nothing that more certainly paralyzes the usefulness of a minister of the gospel than the love of money. There is an instinctive feeling in the human bosom that such a man ought to be actuated by a nobler and a purer principle. As avarice, moreover, is the great sin of the world - the sin that sways more hearts, and does more to hinder the progress of the gospel, than all others combined - it is important in the highest degree that the minister of religion should be an example of what men "should" be, and that he, by his whole life, should set his face against that which is the main obstruction to the progress of that gospel which he is appointed to preach. But patient - Modest, mild, gentle. See the word (Greek) in Phi 4:5; Tit 3:2; Jam 3:17, and Pe1 2:18, where it is rendered "gentle." The word means that the minister of the gospel should be a man of mild and kind demeanor, such as his Master was. Not a brawler - compare Ti2 2:24. That is, he should not be a man given to contention, or apt to take up a quarrel. The Greek is, literally, "Not disposed to fight." Not covetous - Greek, "Not a lover of silver;" that is, of money. A man should not be put into the ministry who is characteristically a lover of money. Such a one, no matter what his talents may be, has no proper qualification for the office, and will do more harm than good.

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]

Not given to wine - Margin, "Not ready to quarrel and offer wrong, as one in wine." The Greek word (πάροινος paroinos) occurs in the New Testament only here and in Tit 1:7. It means, properly, "by wine;" i. e., spoken of what takes place "by" or "over" wine, as revelry, drinking songs, etc. Then it denotes, as it does here, one who sits "by" wine; that is, who is in the habit of drinking it. It cannot be inferred, from the use of the word here, that wine was absolutely and entirely prohibited; for the word does not properly express that idea. It means that one who is in the habit of drinking wine, or who is accustomed to sit with those who indulge in it, should not be admitted to the ministry. The way in which the apostle mentions the subject here would lead us fairly to suppose that he did not mean to commend its use in any sense; that he regarded its use as dangerous, and that he would wish the ministers of religion to avoid it altogether. In regard to its use at all, except at the communion or as a medicine, it may be remarked, that a minister will do no injury to himself or others by letting it entirely alone; he may do injury by indulging in it. No man is under any "obligation" of courtesy or Christian duty to use it; thousands of ministers of the gospel have brought ruin on themselves, and disgrace on the ministry, by its use; compare Mat 11:9 note, and Ti1 5:23 note.

No striker - He must be a peaceable, not a quarrelsome man. This is connected with the caution about the use of wine, probably, because that is commonly found to produce a spirit of contention and strife.

Not greedy of filthy lucre - Not contentious or avaricious. Greek, Not desirous of base gain. The desire of this is condemned everywhere in the New Testament; but it is especially the duty of a minister of the gospel to be free from it. He has a right to a support (see the notes on 1 Cor. 9); but there is nothing that more certainly paralyzes the usefulness of a minister of the gospel than the love of money. There is an instinctive feeling in the human bosom that such a man ought to be actuated by a nobler and a purer principle. As avarice, moreover, is the great sin of the world - the sin that sways more hearts, and does more to hinder the progress of the gospel, than all others combined - it is important in the highest degree that the minister of religion should be an example of what men "should" be, and that he, by his whole life, should set his face against that which is the main obstruction to the progress of that gospel which he is appointed to preach.

But patient - Modest, mild, gentle. See the word (Greek) in Phi 4:5; Tit 3:2; Jam 3:17, and Pe1 2:18, where it is rendered "gentle." The word means that the minister of the gospel should be a man of mild and kind demeanor, such as his Master was.

Not a brawler - compare Ti2 2:24. That is, he should not be a man given to contention, or apt to take up a quarrel. The Greek is, literally, "Not disposed to fight."

Not covetous - Greek, "Not a lover of silver;" that is, of money. A man should not be put into the ministry who is characteristically a lover of money. Such a one, no matter what his talents may be, has no proper qualification for the office, and will do more harm than good.

Vincent's Word Studies, by Marvin R. Vincent [1886]
Given to wine (πάροινον) Only here and Tit 1:7. The verb παροινεῖν to behave ill at wine, to treat with drunken violence, is found in Xenophon, Aeschines, Aristophanes, and Aristotle. Once in lxx, Isa 41:12. Rev. renders brawler, which is not definite enough. Better, quarrelsome over wine. See Aristoph. Acharn. 981: παροίνιος ἀνὴρ ἔφυ which Frere renders "behaved in such a beastly way." Cicero, ad Att. x. 10, uses παροινικῶς = insolently. Striker (πλήκτην) Only here and Tit 1:7. Some soften down the meaning into a pugnacious or combative person. In any case, it is a peculiar state of things which calls out such admonitions to Bishops. Not greedy of filthy lucre Omit. Patient (ἐπιεικῆ) Better, forbearing. The word occurs Phi 4:5, and ἐπιεικία forbearance in Co2 10:1, where it is associated with πραΰ̀της meekness. From εἰκός reasonable. Hence, not unduly rigorous; not making a determined stand for one's just due. In Pe1 2:18; Jam 3:17, it is associated with ἀγαθὸς kindly, and εὐπειθής easy to be entreated. It occurs in lxx. Not a brawler (ἄμαχον) Better, not contentious. Not covetous (ἀφιλάργυρον) Only here and Heb 13:5. olxx, oClass. Φιλάργυρος money-loving, Luk 16:14; Ti2 3:2. Rend. not a money-lover. The word for covetous is πλεονέκτης. For the distinction see on Rom 1:29. This admonition is cited by some writers in support of the view that the original ἐπίσκοπος was simply a financial officer. It is assumed that it was prompted by the special temptations which attached to the financial function. Admitting that the episcopal function may have included the financial interests of the church, it could not have been confined to these. It can hardly be supposed that, in associations distinctively moral and religious, one who bore the title of overseer should have been concerned only with the material side of church life.

Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826
An eighth article in his character is, he must not be given to wine; μη παροινον. This word not only signifies one who is inordinately attached to wine, a winebibber or tippler, but also one who is imperious, abusive, insolent, whether through wine or otherwise. Kypke contends for this latter acceptation here. See his proofs and examples. Ninth - He must be no striker; μη πληκτην, not quarrelsome; not ready to strike a person who may displease him; no persecutor of those who may differ from him; not prone, as one wittily said, "To prove his doctrine orthodox By apostolic blows and knocks." It is said of Bishop Bonner, of infamous memory, that, when examining the poor Protestants whom he termed heretics, when worsted by them in argument he was used to smite them with his fists, and sometimes scourge and whip them. But though he was a most ignorant and consummate savage, yet from such a scripture as this he might have seen the necessity of surrendering his mitre. Tenth - He must not be greedy of filthy lucre; μη αισχροκερδη, not desirous of base gain; not using base and unjustifiable methods to raise and increase his revenues; not trading or trafficking; for what would be honorable in a secular character, would be base and dishonorable in a bishop. Though such a trait should never appear in the character of a Christian prelate, yet there is much reason to suspect that the words above are not authentic; they are omitted by ADFG, many others, the Syriac, all the Arabic, Coptic, (and Sahidic), Ethiopic, Armenian, later Syriac, (but it appears in the margin), the Vulgate and Itala, and by most of the Greek fathers. Griesbach has left it out of the text, in which it does not appear that it ever had a legitimate place. The word covetous, which we have below, expresses all the meaning of this; and it is not likely that the apostle would insert in the same sentence two words of the same meaning, because they were different in sound. It appears to have been borrowed from Ti1 3:8. Eleventh - He must be patient; επιεικη, meek, gentle; the opposite to πληκτην, a quarrelsome person, which it immediately follows when the spurious word αισχροκερδη is removed. Where meekness and patience do not reign, gravity cannot exist, and the love of God cannot dwell. Twelfth - He must not be a brawler; αμαχον, not contentious or litigious, but quiet and peaceable. Thirteenth - He must not be covetous; αφιλαργυρον, not a lover of money; not desiring the office for the sake of its emoluments. He who loves money will stick at nothing in order to get it. Fair and foul methods are to him alike, provided they may be equally productive. For the sake of reputation he may wish to get all honourably; but if that cannot be, he will not scruple to adopt other methods. A brother heathen gives him this counsel: "Get money if thou canst by fair means; if not, get it by hook and by crook."

Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826

An eighth article in his character is, he must not be given to wine; μη παροινον. This word not only signifies one who is inordinately attached to wine, a winebibber or tippler, but also one who is imperious, abusive, insolent, whether through wine or otherwise. Kypke contends for this latter acceptation here. See his proofs and examples.

Ninth - He must be no striker; μη πληκτην, not quarrelsome; not ready to strike a person who may displease him; no persecutor of those who may differ from him; not prone, as one wittily said,

"To prove his doctrine orthodox

By apostolic blows and knocks."

It is said of Bishop Bonner, of infamous memory, that, when examining the poor Protestants whom he termed heretics, when worsted by them in argument he was used to smite them with his fists, and sometimes scourge and whip them. But though he was a most ignorant and consummate savage, yet from such a scripture as this he might have seen the necessity of surrendering his mitre.

Tenth - He must not be greedy of filthy lucre; μη αισχροκερδη, not desirous of base gain; not using base and unjustifiable methods to raise and increase his revenues; not trading or trafficking; for what would be honorable in a secular character, would be base and dishonorable in a bishop. Though such a trait should never appear in the character of a Christian prelate, yet there is much reason to suspect that the words above are not authentic; they are omitted by ADFG, many others, the Syriac, all the Arabic, Coptic, (and Sahidic), Ethiopic, Armenian, later Syriac, (but it appears in the margin), the Vulgate and Itala, and by most of the Greek fathers. Griesbach has left it out of the text, in which it does not appear that it ever had a legitimate place. The word covetous, which we have below, expresses all the meaning of this; and it is not likely that the apostle would insert in the same sentence two words of the same meaning, because they were different in sound. It appears to have been borrowed from Ti1 3:8.

Eleventh - He must be patient; επιεικη, meek, gentle; the opposite to πληκτην, a quarrelsome person, which it immediately follows when the spurious word αισχροκερδη is removed. Where meekness and patience do not reign, gravity cannot exist, and the love of God cannot dwell.

Twelfth - He must not be a brawler; αμαχον, not contentious or litigious, but quiet and peaceable.

Thirteenth - He must not be covetous; αφιλαργυρον, not a lover of money; not desiring the office for the sake of its emoluments. He who loves money will stick at nothing in order to get it. Fair and foul methods are to him alike, provided they may be equally productive. For the sake of reputation he may wish to get all honourably; but if that cannot be, he will not scruple to adopt other methods. A brother heathen gives him this counsel: "Get money if thou canst by fair means; if not, get it by hook and by crook."

Top

⁷ For [1063] a bishop [1985] must [1163] be [1511] blameless [410], as [5613] the steward [3623] of God [2316]; not [3361] selfwilled [829], not [3361] soon angry [3711], not [3361] given to wine [3943], no [3361] striker [4131], not [3361] given to filthy lucre [146];

²⁴ And [1161] the servant [1401] of the Lord [2962] must [1163] not [3756] strive [3164]; but [235] be [1511] gentle [2261] unto [4314] all [3956] men, apt to teach [1317], patient [420],
²⁵ In [1722] meekness [4236] instructing [3811] those that oppose themselves [475]; if [3379] God [2316] peradventure [3379] will give [1325] them [846] repentance [3341] to [1519] the acknowledging [1922] of the truth [225];

² And [1161] the high priest [749] Ananias [367] commanded [2004] them that stood by [3936] him [846] to smite [5180] him [846] on the mouth [4750].

⁴ Behold, ye fast [06684] for strife [07379] and debate [04683], and to smite [05221] with the fist [0106] of wickedness [07562]: ye shall not fast [06684] as ye do this day [03117], to make your voice [06963] to be heard [08085] on high [04791].

²⁵ And I contended [07378] with them, and cursed [07043] them, and smote [05221] certain [0582] of them, and plucked off their hair [04803], and made them swear [07650] by God [0430], saying, Ye shall not give [05414] your daughters [01323] unto their sons [01121], nor take [05375] their daughters [01323] unto your sons [01121], or for yourselves.

²⁴ But Zedekiah [06667] the son [01121] of Chenaanah [03668] went near [05066], and smote [05221] Micaiah [04321] on the cheek [03895], and said [0559], Which way [0335] went [05674] the Spirit [07307] of the LORD [03068] from me to speak [01696] unto thee?

²⁰ For [1063] ye suffer [430], if a man [1536] bring [2615] you [5209] into bondage [2615], if a man [1536] devour [2719] you, if a man [1536] take [2983] of you, if a man [1536] exalt himself [1869], if a man [1536] smite [1194] you [5209] on [1519] the face [4383].

⁵ Let [1097] your [5216] moderation [1933] be known [1097] unto all [3956] men [444]. The Lord [2962] is at hand [1451].

²⁴ And [1161] the servant [1401] of the Lord [2962] must [1163] not [3756] strive [3164]; but [235] be [1511] gentle [2261] unto [4314] all [3956] men, apt to teach [1317], patient [420],

¹⁸ Servants [3610], be subject [5293] to your masters [1203] with [1722] all [3956] fear [5401]; not [3756] only [3440] to the good [18] and [2532] gentle [1933], but [235] also [2532] to the froward [4646].

¹⁷ But [1161] the wisdom [4678] that is from above [509] is [2076] first [4412] pure [3303] [53], then [1899] peaceable [1516], gentle [1933], and easy to be intreated [2138], full [3324] of mercy [1656] and [2532] good [18] fruits [2590], without partiality [87], and [2532] without hypocrisy [505].

² To speak evil of [987] no man [3367], to be [1511] no brawlers [269], but gentle [1933], shewing [1731] all [3956] meekness [4236] unto [4314] all [3956] men [444].

⁵ Let [1097] your [5216] moderation [1933] be known [1097] unto all [3956] men [444]. The Lord [2962] is at hand [1451].

²³ Drink [5202] no longer [3371] water [5202], but [235] use [5530] a little [3641] wine [3631] for [1223] thy [4675] stomach's sake [4751] and [2532] thine [4675] often [4437] infirmities [769].

⁹ But [235] what [5101] went ye out [1831] for to see [1492]? A prophet [4396]? yea [3483], I say [3004] unto you [5213], and [2532] more [4055] than a prophet [4396].

²⁹ Being filled with [4137] all [3956] unrighteousness [93], fornication [4202], wickedness [4189], covetousness [4124], maliciousness [2549]; full [3324] of envy [5355], murder [5408], debate [2054], deceit [1388], malignity [2550]; whisperers [5588],

² For [1063] men [444] shall be [2071] lovers of their own selves [5367], covetous [5366], boasters [213], proud [5244], blasphemers [989], disobedient [545] to parents [1118], unthankful [884], unholy [462],

¹⁴ And [1161] the Pharisees [5330] also [2532], who were [5225] covetous [5366], heard [191] all [3956] these things [5023]: and [2532] they derided [1592] him [846].

⁵ Let your conversation [5158] be without covetousness [866]; and be content [714] with such things as ye have [3918]: for [1063] he [846] hath said [2046], I will never [3364] leave [447] thee [4571], nor [3761] [3364] forsake [1459] thee [4571].

¹ Now [1161] I [1473] Paul [3972] myself [846] beseech [3870] you [5209] by [1223] the meekness [4236] and [2532] gentleness [1932] of Christ [5547], who [3739] in [2596] presence [4383] am base [3303] [5011] among [1722] you [5213], but [1161] being absent [548] am bold [2292] toward [1519] you [5209]:

⁵ Let [1097] your [5216] moderation [1933] be known [1097] unto all [3956] men [444]. The Lord [2962] is at hand [1451].

¹² Thou shalt seek [01245] them, and shalt not find [04672] them, even them [0582] that contended [04695] with thee: they that war [04421] against thee shall be as nothing, and as a thing of nought [0657].

⁸ Likewise [5615] must the deacons [1249] be grave [4586], not [3361] doubletongued [1351], not [3361] given [4337] to much [4183] wine [3631], not [3361] greedy of filthy lucre [146];