1 Timothy 3

1 This is a true saying, A man desiring the position of a Bishop has a desire for a good work.

Faithful is the saying, "If any one is eager to have the oversight of a Church, he desires a noble work."

2 The Bishop, then, is to be a man of good name, the husband of one wife, self-controlled, serious-minded, having respect for order, opening his house freely to guests, a ready teacher;

A minister then must be a man of irreproachable character, true to his one wife, temperate, sober-minded, well-behaved, hospitable to strangers, and with a gift for teaching;

3 Not quickly moved to wrath or blows, but gentle; no fighter, no lover of money;

not a hard drinker nor given to blows; not selfish or quarrelsome or covetous;

4 Ruling his house well, having his children under control with all serious behaviour;

but ruling his own household wisely and well, with children kept under control with true dignity.

5 (For if a man has not the art of ruling his house, how will he take care of the church of God?)

(If a man does not know how to rule his own household, how shall he have the Church of God given into his care?)

6 Not one newly taken into the church, for fear that, through his high opinion of himself, he may come into the same sin as the Evil One.

He ought not to be a new convert, for fear he should be blinded with pride and come under the same condemnation as the Devil.

7 And he is to have a good name among those outside the church, so that nothing may be said against him and he may not be taken by the designs of the Evil One.

It is needful also that he bear a good character with people outside the Church, lest he fall into reproach or a snare of the Devil.

8 Deacons, in the same way, are to be serious in their behaviour, not false in word, not given to taking much wine or greatly desiring the wealth of this world;

Deacons, in the same way, must be men of serious demeanour, not double-tongued, nor addicted to much wine, nor greedy of base gain,

9 Keeping the secret of the faith in a heart free from sin.

but holding the secret truths of the faith with a clear conscience.

10 And let these first be put to the test; then let them become Deacons if there is nothing against them.

And they must also be well-tried men, and when found to be of unblemished character then let them serve as deacons.

11 Women are to be serious in behaviour, saying no evil of others, controlling themselves, true in all things.

Deaconesses, in the same way, must be sober-minded women, not slanderers, but in every way temperate and trustworthy.

12 Let Deacons be husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their houses well.

A deacon must be true to his one wife, and rule his children and his own household wisely and well.

13 For those who have done good work as Deacons get for themselves a good position and become free from fear in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.

For those who have filled the deacon's office wisely and well, are already gaining for themselves an honourable standing, and are acquiring great freedom of speech in proclaiming the faith which rests on Christ Jesus.

14 I am writing these things to you, though I am hoping to come to you before long;

All this I write to you, though I am hoping before long to come to see you.

15 But if I am long in coming, this will make clear to you what behaviour is right for men in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and base of what is true.

But, for fear I may be hindered, I now write, so that you may have rules to guide you in dealing with God's household. For this is what the Church of the ever-living God is, and it is the pillar and foundation-stone of the truth.

16 And without argument, great is the secret of religion: He who was seen in the flesh, who was given God's approval in the spirit, was seen by the angels, of whom the good news was given among the nations, in whom the world had faith, who was taken up in glory.

And, beyond controversy, great is the mystery of our religion-- that Christ appeared in human form, and His claims justified by the Spirit, was seen by angels and proclaimed among Gentile nations, was believed on in the world, and received up again into glory.