1 Timothy 3
1 Faithful is the saying, If any man aspires to supervision, 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 blameless, the husband of one wife, sober, serious minded, disciplined, loving strangers, able to teach,
The supervisor should be of blameless character; a faithful partner; living a temperate, discreet, and well-ordered life; hospitable, and a skillful teacher,
3 no drunkard, not a fighter, not greedy of base gain, but gentle, noncontentious, no lover of money,
not addicted to drink or brawling, but of a forbearing and peaceable disposition, and not a lover of money;
4 a man who rules his own house well, having children in subjection with all propriety
they should provide for their own household well, and their children should kept under control and be well-behaved.
5 (but if any man knows not how to rule his own house, how will he take care of a congregation 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 having been puffed up he may fall into the condemnation of 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 And he must also have good testimony from those outside, lest he may fall into reproach and the snare 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 Helpers likewise, be honorable, not double-tongued, not attending to much wine, not greedy of base gain,
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 And let these also first be proven, then being blameless, let them serve.
They should be tested first, and only appointed to their office if no objection is raised against them.
11 The wives likewise, be honorable, not slanderous, sober, 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 helpers be husbands of one wife, ruling children and their own houses well.
Assistants should be faithful partners who manage their children and their households well.
13 For those who serve well will acquire to themselves a good standing, and much boldness in the faith 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 thee, hoping to come to thee sooner,
I am writing this to you, though I hope that I will come to see you before long;
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 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 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.
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.’
