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.”
It is a faithful saying, that if a man desireth the eldership, he desireth a good work.
2 An elder must be above reproach, married to one wife, self-controlled, well-balanced, sensible, hospitable, and able to teach.
And an elder ought to be such, that no blame can be found in him; and he should be the husband of one wife, with a vigilant mind, and sober and regular in his habits, and affectionate to strangers, and instructive;
3 He should be someone who doesn't get drunk or become violent, but is gentle, and is not argumentative or greedy for money.
and not a transgressor in regard to wine, and whose hand is not swift to strike; but he should be humble, and not contentious, nor a lover of money;
4 He must handle his own family well. His children must respect what he tells them to do.
and one that guideth well his own house, and holdeth his children in subjection with all purity.
5 (For if a man doesn't know how to manage his own family, how can he manage God's church?)
For if he knoweth not how to guide his own house well, how can he guide the church 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.
Neither let him be of recent discipleship; lest he be uplifted, and fall into the condemnation of Satan.
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.
And there ought to be good testimony of him from those without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of Satan.
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.
And so also the deacons should be pure, and not speak double, nor incline to much wine, nor love base gains;
9 They must stick to the revealed truth about God, trusting in him with a pure conscience.
but should hold the mystery of the faith with 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 them be first tried, and then let them serve, if they are without blame.
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.
So also should the wives be chaste and of vigilant minds; and they should be faithful in all things; and they should not be slanderers.
12 Deacons should be married to one wife, managing their children and their homes well.
Let the deacons be such as have each one wife and guide well their children and households.
13 Those who serve well as deacons gain a good reputation and much confidence in their trust in Christ Jesus.
For they who serve well as deacons, procure for themselves a good degree, and much boldness in the faith of Jesus the Messiah.
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, while hoping soon to come to thee;
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 should delay, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to conduct thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God. The pillar and the foundation 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 truly great, is this mystery of righteousness, which was revealed in the flesh, and justified in the spirit, and seen by angels, and proclaimed among the Gentiles, and believed on in the world, and received up into glory.
