1 Timothy 3
1 IT is a true saying, If a man seeks the office of a bishop, he desireth a laudable employment.
This is a true saying: If any desires the office of a bishop, he desires a good work.
2 A bishop then must be irreprehensible, the husband of one wife, temperate, sagacious, respectable, hospitable, well qualified for teaching;
A bishop, then, must be blameless, the husband of one wife, watchful, soberminded, modest, hospitable, able to teach,
3 not addicted to wine, not using hard words or blows, not greedy of base gain; but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money;
not fond of wine, not quarrelsome, not one who makes money by base means; but gentle, not contentious, not covetous;
4 presiding over his own family with propriety, having his children under subjection with all gravity of behaviour:
one that rules his own house well; having his children in subjection with all gravity:
5 for if a man knoweth not how to order his own family, how shall he take proper care of the church of God?
for if a man knows not how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?
6 Not a new convert, lest he be puffed up, and fall into the devil’s crime.
Not a new convert, lest, having become conceited, he fall into the condemnation of the devil.
7 He must also have a fair character from those who are without, that he may not fall into reproach, and into the snare of the devil.
Further, he must have a good reputation from those who are without, lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.
8 The deacons also in like manner must be grave, not doubletongued, not addicting themselves to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre;
The deacons, likewise, must be grave, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not makers of money by base means,
9 holding the mystery of the faith with a pure conscience.
holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.
10 And let these also be first proved, and if found blameless, then let them enter on the deacon’s office.
And let these also be first proved, then let them become deacons, being blameless.
11 Their wives in like manner must be grave women, not addicted to scandal, sober, faithful in all things.
Their wives likewise must be grave, not slanderers, watchful, faithful in all things.
12 Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ordering well their children and their own families.
Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.
13 For they who discharge the office of a deacon with propriety, acquire to themselves a respectable station in the church, and great boldness in the faith which is in Jesus Christ.
For those who have filled the office of a deacon well, gain for themselves a good degree, and great boldness in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.
14 These things I write to thee, hoping to come unto thee shortly:
I write these things to you, hoping to come to you shortly;
15 but should I be delayed, that thou mayest know how it behoveth thee to conduct thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and the pedestal of truth.
but if I delay, that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth.
16 And confessedly great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh, justified by the Spirit, seen of angels, preached among the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.
And confessedly great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in flesh, justified in spirit, seen by angels, preached among the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up in glory.
