1 Timothy 3
1 This is a trustworthy statement: “If someone aspires to be an elder, this is a good work to want to do.”
The word [is] faithful: if any one aspires to exercise oversight, he desires a good work.
2 An elder must be above reproach, married to one wife, self-controlled, well-balanced, sensible, hospitable, and able to teach.
The overseer then must be irreproachable, husband of one wife, sober, discreet, decorous, hospitable, apt to teach;
3 He should be someone who doesn't get drunk or become violent, but is gentle, and is not argumentative or greedy for money.
not given to excesses from wine, not a striker, but mild, not addicted to contention, not fond of money,
4 He must handle his own family well. His children must respect what he tells them to do.
conducting his own house well, having [his] children in subjection with all gravity;
5 (For if a man doesn't know how to manage his own family, how can he manage God's church?)
(but if one does not know how to conduct his own house, how shall he take care of the assembly of God?)
6 He should not be a new believer, in case he gets so full of himself he falls under the same condemnation as the devil.
not a novice, that he may not, being inflated, fall into [the] fault of the devil.
7 People outside the church should also speak well of him so that he won't disgrace himself and fall into the devil's trap.
But it is necessary that he should have also a good testimony from those without, that he may fall not into reproach and [the] snare of the devil.
8 Similarly deacons should be respected, and not hypocritical. They should not be addicted to drink, and should not be trying to dishonestly enrich themselves.
Ministers, in like manner, grave, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not seeking gain by base means,
9 They must stick to the revealed truth about God, trusting in him with a pure conscience.
holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.
10 They should be tried out first, and if they can't be faulted then let them serve as deacons.
And let these be first proved, then let them minister, being without charge [against them].
11 Their wives should be respected too. They should not slander people with gossip, and they should be self-controlled and trustworthy in all they do.
[The] women in like manner grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things.
12 Deacons should be married to one wife, managing their children and their homes well.
Let [the] ministers be husbands of one wife, conducting [their] children and their own houses well:
13 Those who serve well as deacons gain a good reputation and much confidence in their trust in Christ Jesus.
for those who shall have ministered well obtain for themselves a good degree, and much boldness in faith which [is] in Christ Jesus.
14 Even though I hope to see you soon, I'm writing about all this to you so that
These things I write to thee, hoping to come to thee more quickly;
15 if I'm delayed you'll know how people should behave themselves in God's house. This is the church of the living God, the support pillar and foundation of the truth.
but if I delay, in order that thou mayest know how one ought to conduct oneself in God's house, which is [the] assembly of [the] living God, [the] pillar and base of the truth.
16 There's no question about it: the revealed truth about God is amazing! He was made known to us in human form, he was vindicated by the Spirit, seen by angels, declared to the nations, trusted in by the world, and taken up in glory!
And confessedly the mystery of piety is great. God has been manifested in flesh, has been justified in [the] Spirit, has appeared to angels, has been preached among [the] nations, has been believed on in [the] world, has been received up in glory.
