1 Timothy 3
1 This is a faithful saying: If someone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a good work.
How true is this saying: ‘To aspire to be to be a supervisor in the church is to be ambitious for a noble task.’
2 The overseer, therefore, must be beyond criticism, the husband of one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, good at teaching;
The supervisor should be of blameless character; a faithful partner; living a temperate, discreet, and well-ordered life; hospitable, and a skillful teacher,
3 not a drunkard, not violent, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money;
not addicted to drink or brawling, but of a forbearing and peaceable disposition, and not a lover of money;
4 one who rules his own house well, having children in subjection with all reverence;
they should provide for their own household well, and their children should kept under control and be well-behaved.
5 (but if someone does not know how to manage his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?)
If someone does not know how to provide for their own household, how can they take charge of the church of God?
6 not a new convert, lest being puffed up he fall into the same condemnation as the devil.
The supervisor should not be a recent convert, or they might become blinded by pride and fall under the same judgment as the devil.
7 Moreover he must have good testimony from those who are outside, to avoid falling into disgrace and the trap of the devil.
They should also be well spoken of by outsiders, so that they may not incur censure and so fall into the devil’s trap.
8 Deacons, in the same way, must be reverent, not double-tongued, not devoted to a lot of wine, not greedy for money;
So, too, assistants should be serious and straightforward, not given to taking much drink or to questionable money-making,
9 holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.
but people who hold the deep truths of the faith and have a clear conscience.
10 Let them also first be tested; then let them serve as deacons, if they are blamesless.
They should be tested first, and only appointed to their office if no objection is raised against them.
11 Their wives in the same way must be reverent, not slanderers, temperate, faithful in all things.
It should be the same with the women in this office. They should be serious, not gossips, sober, and trustworthy in all respects.
12 Let deacons be husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.
Assistants should be faithful partners who manage their children and their households 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.
Those who have filled that post with honor gain for themselves an honorable position, as well as great confidence through the faith that they place in Christ Jesus.
14 These things I write to you, hoping to come to you shortly;
I am writing this to you, though I hope that I will come to see 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 in case I should be delayed, I want you to know what your conduct ought to be in the household of God, which is the church of the living God – the pillar and stay of the truth.
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.
Yes, and undeniably wonderful are the deep truths of our religion; for – ‘He was revealed in our nature, pronounced righteous in spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among the Gentiles, believed on in the world, taken up into glory.’
