1 Timothy 3
1 This [is] a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.
This is a faithful saying, "If any man is seeking the office of a minister he is aspiring to a noble task."
2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;
The minister should be a man of blameless character; he should be husband of but one wife; he should live a sober, self-restrained, orderly life; he should be hospitable, skilled in teaching;
3 Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;
no drinker or brawler; but forbearing, peaceable, and no money- lover;
4 One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity;
he should be a man who rules his own household well, and keeps his children ever under control and thoroughly well behaved.
5 (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)
For if a man does not know how to rule his own household, how shall he take charge of a church of God?
6 Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.
He must not be a recent convert, lest he be blinded with pride, and incur the doom of the devil.
7 Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.
He should also have a good reputation among outsiders, lest he fall into reproach, and into a snare of the devil.
8 Likewise [must] the deacons [be] grave, not doubletongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre;
Deacons, likewise, must be serious, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of gain,
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 also first be proved; then let them use the office of a deacon, being [found] blameless.
They should first be tested, and after that, if they are found irreproachable, let them serve as deacons.
11 Even so [must their] wives [be] grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things.
Deaconesses likewise must be grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things.
12 Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.
Let deacons be the husband of but one wife, men who rule their children and their household properly.
13 For they that have used the office of a deacon well purchase to themselves a good degree, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.
For those who have well discharged the duties of a deacon are gaining an honorable position for themselves, as well as much fearless confidence in the faith of Christ Jesus.
14 These things write I unto thee, hoping to come unto thee shortly:
Although I am hoping to come to you before long,
15 But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.
I am writing this to you in case I should be detained, to let you see how you ought to behave in the household of God - the Church of the everliving God, the pillar and mainstay of the truth.
16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.
Yes! without contradiction, great is the mystery of godliness!
