DEACONS’ QUALIFICATIONS

Greek Definition

Deacon diakoneo meaning servants; those who serve

Scripture References

I Timothy 3:8-13:

1. “likewise” – hosautos meaning in the same manner or way as (the bishops/elders/pastors)
2. “deacons” – diakoneo meaning servants; those who serve
3. “grave” – semnos meaning serious; honorable, worthy of respect
4. “not double tongued” - dilogos meaning double talk, saying a thing twice; one way to one person and another way to another person; false speaking
5. “not given to much wine” – poluss meaning much or many oinos meaning wine
6. “not greedy of filthy lucre” –aischrokerdes meaning craving wealth; shameful gain; motive of personal profit, questionable or dishonest moneymaking
7. “holding” - echo meaning steadfast adherence; mental conception or account
8. “the mystery” - musterion meaning hidden truth; spiritual truth; that which is known to the initiated, revealed in the Christian sense by the Holy Spirit our Teacher
9. “of the faith” – pistis meaning Christian belief and teachings
10. “pure conscience” - katharos meaning clean or cleansed; suneidesis meaning a knowing with oneself
11. “let these also” – (as bishops in verse 6)
12. “first be proved” – dokimazo meaning examined; to test, investigated to try with the expectation of approving
13. “then let them use the office” – (The word office is not in the Greek text)
14. “of a deacon” – diakoneo meaning to serve; servants
15. “being found blameless” – anenkletos meaning not accused or called in, nothing laid to one’s charge as a result of public examination
16. “even so must their wives” – gunakas meaning women; a wife
17. “be grave” – semnos meaning serious and with dignity
18. “not slanderers” - diabolos meaning false accusers, finding fault, spreading gossip and criticism
19. “sober” – nephalios meaning self-controlled in mind and actions
20. “let the deacons” – diakoneo meaning servants or those who serve
21. “be the husbands of one wife” mias gunaikos meaning a one-wife man; faithful to his one wife; not a bigamist; no immorality
22. “ruling” – proistemi meaning to stand before, hence lead with care and diligence
23. “their children and their own house well” – kalos meaning rightly
24. “for they that have used the office of deacons” – office not in the Greek text; meaning served or ministered as deacons
25. “well purchase” – kalos meaning rightly peripoieomai meaning to acquire; gain; to get for oneself
26. “a good degree” – kalos meaning rightly; good; bathmos meaning step, stair or position of trust ad influence
27. “and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus” – polus meaning much; abundance; great
28. parrhesia meaning absence of fear in speaking; confidence and courage in speaking
29. pistis meaning Christian life and verbal witness unto Christ.