Even so must their wives be grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things.
(Their) wives - rather, 'women;' i:e., deaconesses. For there is no reason that special rules should be laid down as to wives of deacons, and not also as to wives of bishops. Moreover, if wives of deacons were meant, there seems no reason for the omission of "their." Also х hoosautoos (G5615)] "even so" ("likewise," 1 Timothy 3:8; "in like manner," 1 Timothy 2:9) denotes a transition to another class of persons. Also the omission of domestic duties in their case, though they are specified in the man (1 Timothy 3:12). There were doubtless deaconesses at Ephesus, such as Phebe was at Cenchrea (Romans 16:1, "servant;" Greek, deaconess), yet no mention is made of them in this letter, if not here; whereas, if they be meant, 1 Timothy 3:1-16 embraces in due proportion all offices of the church. Naturally, after specifying the deacon's qualifications, Paul passes to those of the deaconess. "Grave" is said of both. "Not slanderers" answers to "not double tongued" in deacons; so Titus 2:3. "Sober" answers to "not given to much wine" in the deacons (1 Timothy 3:8). Thus, he requires the same qualifications in deaconesses as in deacons, with such modifications as the difference of sex suggested. Pliny, in his letter to Trajan, calls them 'female ministers.'
Faithful in all things - of life as well as faith. Trustworthy as to the alms and their other functions; answering to "not greedy of filthy lucre" (1 Timothy 3:8) in the deacons.