Pillar And Ground Of The Truth

1 Timothy 3:15 but in case I am delayed, {I write} so that you will know how one ought to conduct himself in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth. (NASB, 1995)

The Greek words translated here “pillar” and “support” are in apposition with the Greek word translated here “church.” Rev. Walter Lock writes in his commentary (in the International Critical Commentary series) on the Pastoral Epistles, “Each local church has it in its power to support and strengthen the truth by its witness to the faith and by the lives of its members.” I believe that Rev. Lock has the correct understanding of this passage.

Other translations of this passage give us:

-- King James Version
1 Timothy 3:15 But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.

-- New King James Version
1 Timothy 3:15 but if I am delayed, I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.

-- American Standard Version
1 Timothy 3:15 but if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how men ought to behave themselves in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.

-- Revised Standard Version
1 Timothy 3:15 if I am delayed, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and bulwark of the truth.

-- International English Version
1 Timothy 3:15 But if I'm late, you will know how must live in God's family, the community of the living God. We are the pillar and foundation of truth.

-- Transliterated, Unaccented
1 Timothy 3:15 ean de braduno, hina eides pos dei enoiko Theou anastrefesthai, hetis estin ekklesia Theouzontos, stulos kai hedraioma tes aletheias.

-- New Jerusalem Bible
1 Timothy 3:15 but in case I should be delayed, I want you to know how people ought to behave in God's household, that is, in the Church of the living God, pillar and support of the truth.

-- New American Bible
1 Timothy 3:15 But if I should be delayed, you should know how to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of truth.

-- New Revised Standard Version
1 Timothy 3:15 if I am delayed, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and bulwark of the truth.

-- Young's Bible
1 Timothy 3:15 and if I delay, that thou mayest know how it behoveth [thee] to conduct thyself in the house of God, which is an assembly of the living God - a pillar and foundation of the truth,

-- Darby's Bible
1 Timothy 3:15 but if I delay, in order that thou mayest know how one ought to conduct oneself in God's house, which is the assembly of the living God, the pillar and base of the truth.

-- Weymouth's New Testament
1 Timothy 3:15 But, for fear I may be hindered, I now write, so that you may have rules to guide you in dealing with God's household. For this is what the Church of the ever-living God is, and it is the pillar and foundation-stone of the truth.

-- Webster's Bible
1 Timothy 3:15 But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.

-- New Living Translation
1 Timothy 3:15 so that if I can't come for a while, you will know how people must conduct themselves in the household of God. This is the church of the living God, which is the pillar and support of the truth.

-- International Standard Version
1 Timothy 3:15 in case I am delayed so that you may know how one is to behave in God's household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth.

-- William's NewTestament
1 Timothy 3:15 so that, if I am detained, you may know how people ought to conduct themselves in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth.

-- Montgomery New Testament
1 Timothy 3:15 I am writing this to you in case I should be detained, to let you see how you ought to behave in the household of God -- the Church of the ever-living God, the pillar and mainstay of the truth.

(BBE) But if I am long in coming, this will make clear to you what behaviour is right for men in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and base of what is true.

(Bishops) But yf I tary long, that thou mayest knowe howe thou oughtest to behaue thy selfe in the house of God, whiche is the Church of the lyuyng God, the pyller and grounde of trueth.

(CEV) so that if I am delayed, you will know how everyone who belongs to God's family ought to behave. After all, the church of the living God is the strong foundation of truth.

(DRB) But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.

(EMTV) but if I am delayed, I write so that you may know how it is necessary to conduct oneself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and bulwark of the truth.

(ESV) if I delay, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of truth.

(Geneva) But if I tary long, that thou maist yet know, how thou oughtest to behaue thy self in ye house of God, which is the Church of the liuing God, the pillar and ground of trueth.

(GNB) But if I delay, this letter will let you know how we should conduct ourselves in God's household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth.

(GW) in case I'm delayed. I want you to know how people who are members of God's family must live. God's family is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth.

(HCSB) But if I should be delayed, I have written so that you will know how people ought to act in God's household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth.

(HNV) but if I wait long, that you may know how men ought to behave themselves in the house of God, which is the assembly of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.

(ISV) in case I am delayed so that you may know how one is to behave in God's household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth.

(LITV) But if I delay, that you may know how to behave in the house of God, which is the assembly of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth.

(MKJV) But if I should delay, that you may know how you ought to behave in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth.

(MRC) but if I am delayed, I write so that you may know how it is necessary for one to conduct himself in the House of God, which is the assembly of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth.

(Murdock) but if I should delay, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to conduct thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God. The pillar and the foundation of the truth,

(WEB) but if I wait long, that you may know how men ought to behave themselves in the house of God, which is the assembly of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.