1 Timothy 3
1 This is a faithful saying: someone who seeks to be an overseer desires a good work.
How true is that saying! When a man aspires to be a Presiding-Officer in the Church, he is ambitious for a noble task.
2 The overseer therefore must be without reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, sensible, modest, hospitable, good at teaching;
The Presiding-Officer should be a man of blameless character; a faithful husband; living a temperate, discreet, and well-ordered life; hospitable, and a skilful teacher,
3 not a drinker, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous;
not addicted to drink or brawling, but of a forbearing and peaceable disposition, and not a lover of money;
4 one who rules his own house well, having children in subjection with all reverence;
he should be a man who rules his own household well, and whose children are kept under control and are well-behaved.
5 (for how could someone who doesn’t know how to rule his own house take care of God’s assembly?)
If a man does not know how to rule his own household, how can he take charge of the Church of God?
6 not a new convert, lest being puffed up he fall into the same condemnation as the devil.
The Presiding-Officer should not be a recent convert, that he may not be blinded by pride and fall under the same condemnation as 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.
He should also be well spoken of by outsiders, that he may not incur censure and so fall into the snares of the Devil.
8 Servants, in the same way, must be reverent, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for money,
So, too, Assistant-Officers should be serious and straightforward men, not given to taking much drink or to questionable money-making,
9 holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.
but men who hold the deep truths of the Faith and have a clear conscience.
10 Let them also first be tested; then let them serve if they are blameless.
They should be tested first, and only appointed to their Office if no objection is raised against them.
11 Their wives in the same way must be reverent, not slanderers, temperate, and faithful in all things.
It should be the same with the women. They should be serious, not gossips, sober, and trustworthy in all respects.
12 Let servants be husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.
Assistant-Officers should be faithful husbands, and men who rule their children and their households 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.
Those who have filled that post with honour gain for themselves an honourable position, as well as great confidence through the faith that they place in Christ Jesus.
14 These things I write to you, hoping to come to you shortly,
I am writing this to you, though I hope that I shall come to see you before long;
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 in case I should be delayed, I want you to know what your conduct ought to be in the Household of God, which is the Church of the Living God — the pillar and stay 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.
Yes, and confessedly wonderful are the deep truths of our religion; for — ‘He was revealed in our nature, Pronounced righteous in spirit, Seen by angels, Proclaimed among the Gentiles, Believed on in the world, Taken up into glory.’
