1 Timothy 3:9
in 1 Timothy 3They must hold to the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.
KJV
Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.
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This verse in 1 Timothy 3
Commentary
13 notes on this verseThe mystery of faith referred to by the apostle here is the teaching about Christ, which he is about to expound in what follows.
This site's exposition
Likewise must the deacons be grave
on 1 Timothy 3:8-10
The deacons receive their own list, likewise must the deacons be grave, not doubletongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre, the same temptations named for overseers now guarded against in a second office, the servant title Acts 6:1-6 traces to the Jerusalem church's first relief crisis. Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience ties doctrine and life together again, a deacon's service resting on the same gospel an overseer teaches even where his public teaching role differs. Let these also first be proved sets a probation before office, earned by tested character rather than granted on a first impression.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
Appoint, therefore, for yourselves, bishops and deacons worthy of the Lord, men meek, and not lovers of money, and truthful and proved; for they also render to you the service of prophets and teachers. Despise them not therefore, for they are your honoured ones, together with the prophets and teachers.
And here he requires, though in other words, that he be "not a novice," where he says, "Let these also first be proved," where the conjunction "also" is added, as connecting this with what had been said before of Bishops, for nothing intervenes between. And there is the same reason for the "not a novice" in that case. For would it not be absurd, that when a newly purchased slave is not entrusted with anything in a house, till he has by long trial given proofs of his character, yet that one should enter into the Church of God from a state of heathenism, and be at once placed in a station of preeminence?
Deacons likewise must be honorable, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy for dishonest gain, holding the mystery of the faith with a pure conscience. For what reason did Paul pass over the elders [πρεσβυτέρους]? Because he mingled them with the bishops themselves. …
The Medieval Church2 voices
But in regard to performing he says, holding the mystery of faith in a pure conscience: first, he instructs them in regard to the faith; second, in regard to purity of conscience. Hence he says, the mystery of faith, and not faith, i.e., have not …
That is, with the keeping of the right dogma, having also a blameless life. For a pure conscience comes with a blameless life.
6 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
Note, The mystery of faith is best held in a pure conscience. The practical love of truth is the most powerful preservative from error and delusion. If we keep a pure conscience (take heed of every thing that debauches conscience, and draws us away from God), this will preserve in our souls the mystery of faith.
Holding fast the faith in a pure conscience - Steadfast in faith, holy in heart and life.
Holding the mystery of the faith,....
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Holding the mystery of the faith - On the word “mystery,” see notes on 1Co 2:7. It means that which had been concealed, or hidden, but which was now revealed. The word “faith” here, is synonymous with “the gospel;” and the sense is, that he should hold firmly the great doctrines of the Christian religion which had been so long concealed from people, but which were now revealed. The reason is obvious. Though not a preacher, yet his influence and example would be great, and a man who held material error ought not to be in office.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
the mystery of the faith--holding the faith, which to the natural man remains a mystery, but which has been revealed by the Spirit to them (Ro 16:25; 1Co 2:7-10), in a pure conscience (1Ti 1:5, 19). ("Pure," that is, in which nothing base or foreign is intermixed [TITTMANN]).
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
Holding the mystery of the faith - Instead of της πιστεως, the faith, one MS. (the readings of which are found in the margin of a copy of Mill’s Greek text in the Bodleian library, and which is marked 61 in Griesbach) reads αναστασεως, of the resurrection. This reading, like many others in this MS., is found nowhere else; and is worthy of little regard, but as expressing what appeared to the writer to be the apostle’s meaning. One of the greatest mysteries of the faith was undoubtedly the resurrection of the dead; and this was held in a pure conscience when the person so exercised himself as to have a conscience void of offense towards God and towards men. See Act 24:16. What has been since called Antinomianism, that is, making void the moral law, by a pretended faith in the righteousness of Christ, is that which the apostle has here particularly in view.
The words behind it
8 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ἔχοντας | echontas | holding | G2192 → | 707 times |
| τὸ | to | to the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| μυστήριον | musterion | mystery | G3466 → | |
| τῆς | tes | of the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| πίστεως | pisteos | faith | G4102 → | 242 times |
| ἐν | en | with | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| καθαρᾷ | kathara | clear | G2513 → | |
| συνειδήσει. | suneidesei | a conscience. | G4893 → | 30 times |
ἔχονταςholding
echontasG2192 →707 times
τὸto the
toG3588 →19766 times
μυστήριονmystery
musterionG3466 →
τῆςof the
tesG3588 →19766 times
πίστεωςfaith
pisteosG4102 →242 times
ἐνwith
enG1722 →2738 times
καθαρᾷclear
katharaG2513 →
συνειδήσει.a conscience.
suneideseiG4893 →30 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
1 Timothy 3:16By common confession, the mystery of godliness is great: He appeared in the flesh, was vindicated by the Spirit, was seen by angels, was proclaimed among the nations, was believed in throughout the world,…
it leads to
- John 1:14
The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
- Hebrews 1:3
The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His nature, upholding all things by His powerful word. After He had provided purification for sins, He sat down at the…
- Mark 16:19
After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, He was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God.
- Romans 16:25
Now to Him who is able to strengthen you by my gospel and by the proclamation of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery concealed for ages past
- 1 John 5:6–8
This is the One who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ—not by water alone, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who testifies to this, because the Spirit is the…
- John 1:14
Through
1 Timothy 1:5The goal of our instruction is the love that comes from a pure heart, a clear conscience, and a sincere faith.
it leads to
- 1 Timothy 1:19
holding on to faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and thereby shipwrecked their faith.
- Galatians 5:22
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
- 2 Timothy 2:22
Flee from youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, together with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.
- 1 Timothy 1:19
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies4
On this verse
About 1 Timothy
This page draws on 13 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes on the New Testament; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Didache, The Didache, Chapter 15; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homily on 1 Timothy 11; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Oecumenius, COMMENTARY ON 1 TIMOTHY; Theodore of Mopsuestia, COMMENTARY ON THE FIRST LETTER TO TIMOTHY; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on 1 Timothy and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on 1 Timothy.