1 Timothy 3
1 This is a faithful saying: someone who seeks to be an overseer desires a good work.
True is the saying: If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.
2 The overseer therefore must be without reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, sensible, modest, hospitable, good at teaching;
A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, sober, discreet, orderly, hospitable, apt in teaching;
3 not a drinker, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous;
not given to wine, not a striker, but forbearing, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money;
4 one who rules his own house well, having children in subjection with all reverence;
presiding well over his own house, having his children in subjection with all propriety; —
5 (for how could someone who doesn’t know how to rule his own house take care of God’s assembly?)
for if a man knoweth not how to preside over his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God—
6 not a new convert, lest being puffed up he fall into the same condemnation as the devil.
not a new convert, lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the Devil;
7 Moreover he must have good testimony from those who are outside, to avoid falling into reproach and the snare of the devil.
moreover he must also have a good report from them that are without, lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the Devil.
8 Servants, in the same way, must be reverent, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for money,
Deacons in like manner must be grave, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of base gain,
9 holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.
holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.
10 Let them also first be tested; then let them serve if they are blameless.
And let these also first be proved; then let them serve as deacons, if they are without reproach.
11 Their wives in the same way must be reverent, not slanderers, temperate, and faithful in all things.
The women in like manner must be grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things.
12 Let servants be husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.
Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.
13 For those who have served well gain for themselves a good standing and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.
For they that have served well as deacons, gain for themselves a good standing, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.
14 These things I write to you, hoping to come to you shortly,
These things write I to thee, hoping to come to thee shortly;
15 but if I wait long, that you may know how men ought to behave themselves in God’s house, which is the assembly of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.
but if I should tarry long, that thou mayst know how thou oughtest to conduct thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth.
16 Without controversy, the mystery of godliness is great: God was revealed in the flesh, justified in the spirit, seen by angels, preached among the nations, believed on in the world, and received up in glory.
And confessedly great is the mystery of godliness, in him who was manifested in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen by angels, preached among the gentiles, believed on in the world, received up in glory.
