1 Timothy 3
1 This is a faithful saying: someone who seeks to be an overseer desires a good work.
It is certain, if any one is desirous of the episcopal office, 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 but one wife, sober, prudent, grave,
3 not a drinker, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous;
hospitable, able to teach, not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of sordid gain, moderate, not quarrelsome,
4 one who rules his own house well, having children in subjection with all reverence;
not covetous, governing his own family well, having his children in subjection with all gravity;
5 (for how could someone who doesn’t know how to rule his own house take care of God’s assembly?)
(for if any one know not how to govern 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 one newly converted, least being puffed up 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.
He ought also to have an honorable testimony from those that are without, least 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,
The deacons should likewise 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 take the office of deacons, if they be found blameless.)
11 Their wives in the same way must be reverent, not slanderers, temperate, and faithful in all things.
And their wives likewise grave, not slanderers, sober, and faithful in all things.
12 Let servants be husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.
Let the deacons too be husbands of one wife only, governing 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 discharge the office of a deacon well, gain to themselves a good degree of honor, and much freedom in promoting the faith that is in Christ Jesus.
14 These things I write to you, hoping to come to you shortly,
These things I write unto 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 be retarded, that thou mayst know how thou oughtest to behave in the house of God, the church of the living God, the pillar and support 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 without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen by angels, preached among the Gentiles, believed on in the world, and received up into glory.
