Watchtower ONLINE LIBRARY

1 Timothy 5:17

New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures
- 17 Let the elders who preside in a fine way+ be considered worthy of double honor,+ especially those who work hard in speaking and teaching.+

1 Timothy 5:17

The Kingdom Interlinear Translation of the Greek Scriptures
- 17 Οἱ The (ones) καλῶς finely προεστῶτες having stood before πρεσβύτεροι older men διπλῆς of double τιμῆς honor ἀξιούσθωσαν, let them be being reckoned worth, μάλιστα mostly οἱ the (ones) κοπιῶντες laboring ἐν in λόγῳ word καὶ and διδασκαλίᾳ· teaching;

1 Timothy 5:17

New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures—With References
- 17 Let the older men* who preside+ in a fine way be reckoned worthy of double honor,+ especially those who work hard in speaking and teaching.+

1 Timothy 5:17

The Bible in Living English
- 17 Let elders who have done well in management be deemed to deserve double honor, especially those who exert themselves in speaking and teaching.

1 Timothy 5:17

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

1 Timothy 5:17

The Emphasized Bible
- 17 Let the well presiding elders of double honour be accounted worthy, Especially they who toil in discourse and teaching;

1 Timothy 5:17

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

1 Timothy Study Notes—Chapter 5

New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures (Study Edition)
- 5:17
  
  the elders: Paul already had a strong personal connection with the congregation in Ephesus. (Ac 19:1, 8-10; 20:17, 31, 37, 38) He last met with the elders a few years earlier (c. 56 C.E.), toward the end of his third missionary tour. (See study note on Ac 20:17.) On that occasion, Paul stressed how important it is for overseers to shepherd the flock of God. (See study note on Ac 20:28.) Here Paul helps the congregation to see how they should view their hardworking elders.
  
  preside in a fine way: The Greek term rendered “preside” literally means “to stand before.” (See study note on Ro 12:8.) In a figurative sense, elders were to stand before the congregation by taking the lead in teaching, protecting the flock from spiritual danger, and helping each individual to stay close to Jehovah. Similarly, fathers are spoken of as “presiding over” their household. (1Ti 3:4) They sometimes need to make final decisions and even rules about personal matters that affect their household. However, elders do not have the same authority that family heads have. (2Co 1:24; Ga 6:5) They modestly respect Christ as head by reflecting his personality, especially his humility, in dealing with the flock.—Mt 20:24-28; Joh 13:13-16; Col 1:18.
  
  worthy of double honor: All Christians are to honor and respect one another. (Ro 12:10; Php 2:3) But Paul here points out that they are to show double, or additional, honor to hardworking elders by cooperating with their direction and imitating their good example. (Heb 13:7, 17) The next verse, 1Ti 5:18, shows that “double honor” might include rendering needed material aid. This does not mean that elders should receive a salary, for Paul, setting the example, worked secularly to support himself, as he explained to the elders of the congregation in Ephesus.—Ac 18:3; 20:17, 34; 1Co 4:16; 11:1; 1Th 2:6 and study note, 9.