1 Timothy 3

1 This is a faithful saying: If someone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a good work.

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

2 The overseer, therefore, must be beyond criticism, the husband of one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, good at teaching;

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;

3 not a drunkard, not violent, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money;

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

4 one who rules his own house well, having children in subjection with all reverence;

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

5 (but if someone does not know how to manage his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?)

(For if a man has not the art of ruling his house, how will 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 taken into the church, for fear that, through his high opinion of himself, he may come into the same sin as the Evil One.

7 Moreover he must have good testimony from those who are outside, to avoid falling into disgrace and the trap of the devil.

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.

8 Deacons, in the same way, must be reverent, not double-tongued, not devoted to a lot of wine, not greedy for money;

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;

9 holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.

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

10 Let them also first be tested; then let them serve as deacons, if they are blamesless.

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

11 Their wives in the same way must be reverent, not slanderers, temperate, faithful in all things.

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

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

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

13 For those who have served well as deacons gain for themselves a good standing, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.

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.

14 These things I write to you, hoping to come to you shortly;

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

15 but if I wait long, that you may know how people ought to behave themselves in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.

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.

16 Without controversy, the mystery of godliness is great: He was revealed in the flesh, justified by the Spirit, seen by angels, preached among the nations, believed on in the world, and received up in glory.

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.