1 Timothy 3
1 The word [is] faithful: if any one aspires to exercise oversight, he desires a good work.
This is a faithful saying: someone who seeks to be an overseer desires a good work.
2 The overseer then must be irreproachable, husband of one wife, sober, discreet, decorous, hospitable, apt to teach;
The overseer therefore must be without reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, sensible, modest, hospitable, good at teaching;
3 not given to excesses from wine, not a striker, but mild, not addicted to contention, not fond of money,
not a drinker, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous;
4 conducting his own house well, having [his] children in subjection with all gravity;
one who rules his own house well, having children in subjection with all reverence;
5 (but if one does not know how to conduct his own house, how shall he take care of the assembly of God?)
(for how could someone who does not know how to rule his own house take care of God’s assembly?)
6 not a novice, that he may not, being inflated, fall into [the] fault of the devil.
not a new convert, lest being puffed up he fall into the same condemnation as the devil.
7 But it is necessary that he should have also a good testimony from those without, that he may fall not into reproach and [the] snare of the devil.
Moreover he must have good testimony from those who are outside, to avoid falling into reproach and the snare of the devil.
8 Ministers, in like manner, grave, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not seeking gain by base means,
Servants, in the same way, must be reverent, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for money,
9 holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.
holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.
10 And let these be first proved, then let them minister, being without charge [against them].
Let them also first be tested; then let them serve if they are blameless.
11 [The] women in like manner grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things.
Their wives in the same way must be reverent, not slanderers, temperate, and faithful in all things.
12 Let [the] ministers be husbands of one wife, conducting [their] children and their own houses well:
Let servants be husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.
13 for those who shall have ministered well obtain for themselves a good degree, and much boldness in faith which [is] in Christ Jesus.
For those who have served well gain for themselves a good standing and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.
14 These things I write to thee, hoping to come to thee more quickly;
These things I write to you, hoping to come to you shortly,
15 but if I delay, in order that thou mayest know how one ought to conduct oneself in God's house, which is [the] assembly of [the] living God, [the] pillar and base of the truth.
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.
16 And confessedly the mystery of piety is great. God has been manifested in flesh, has been justified in [the] Spirit, has appeared to angels, has been preached among [the] nations, has been believed on in [the] world, has been received up in glory.
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.
