1 Timothy 5:20
1 Timothy 5:20
“Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Those who persist in sin are to be rebuked openly, so that others may take warning.
What Does 1 Timothy 5:20 Mean?
When an elder, or any member, is truly found in persistent sin, Paul calls for open rebuke before the church rather than quiet concealment.
Such public correction serves a purpose: that others may learn a healthy fear and be kept from the same path. Paul balances protection of the innocent with accountability for the guilty, neither hiding sin nor accusing lightly.