1 Timothy 3
1 Faithful is the saying, If any man aspires to supervision, he desires a good work.
True is the saying: If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.
2 The overseer therefore must be blameless, the husband of one wife, sober, serious minded, disciplined, loving strangers, able to teach,
A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, sober, discreet, orderly, hospitable, apt in teaching;
3 no drunkard, not a fighter, not greedy of base gain, but gentle, noncontentious, no lover of money,
not given to wine, not a striker, but forbearing, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money;
4 a man who rules his own house well, having children in subjection with all propriety
presiding well over his own house, having his children in subjection with all propriety; —
5 (but if any man knows not how to rule his own house, how will he take care of a congregation of God?),
for if a man knoweth not how to preside over his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God—
6 not a new convert, lest having been puffed up he may fall into the condemnation of the devil.
not a new convert, lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the Devil;
7 And he must also have good testimony from those outside, lest he may fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.
moreover he must also have a good report from them that are without, lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the Devil.
8 Helpers likewise, be honorable, not double-tongued, not attending to much wine, not greedy of base gain,
Deacons in like manner must be grave, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of base 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 proven, then being blameless, let them serve.
And let these also first be proved; then let them serve as deacons, if they are without reproach.
11 The wives likewise, be honorable, not slanderous, sober, faithful in all things.
The women in like manner must be grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things.
12 Let helpers be husbands of one wife, ruling children and their own houses well.
Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.
13 For those who serve well will acquire to themselves a good standing, and much boldness in the faith in Christ Jesus.
For they that have served well as deacons, 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 sooner,
These things write I to thee, hoping to come to thee shortly;
15 but if I delay, that thou may know how it is necessary to live in a house of God, which is a congregation of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth.
but if I should tarry long, that thou mayst know how thou oughtest to conduct thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth.
16 And without controversy great is the mystery of piety. God was manifested in flesh, justified in spirit, seen by agents, proclaimed among nations, believed in the world, taken up in glory.
And confessedly great is the mystery of godliness, in him who was manifested in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen by angels, preached among the gentiles, believed on in the world, received up in glory.
