1 Timothy 3
1 IT is a true saying, If a man seeks the office of a bishop, he desireth a laudable employment.
It is certain, if any one is desirous of the episcopal office, he desireth 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 but one wife, sober, prudent, grave,
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;
hospitable, able to teach, not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of sordid gain, moderate, not quarrelsome,
4 presiding over his own family with propriety, having his children under subjection with all gravity of behaviour:
not covetous, governing his own family 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 any one know not how to govern his own house, how shall 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 one newly converted, least being puffed up 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.
He ought also to have an honorable testimony from those that are without, least 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 should likewise be grave, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of base gain,
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 first be proved, then let them take the office of deacons, if they be found blameless.)
11 Their wives in like manner must be grave women, not addicted to scandal, sober, faithful in all things.
And their wives likewise grave, not slanderers, sober, and 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 too be husbands of one wife only, governing 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 they, that discharge the office of a deacon well, gain to themselves a good degree of honor, and much freedom in promoting the faith that is in Christ Jesus.
14 These things I write to thee, hoping to come unto thee shortly:
These things I write unto thee, hoping to come to thee 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 should be retarded, that thou mayst know how thou oughtest to behave in the house of God, 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 without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen by angels, preached among the Gentiles, believed on in the world, and received up into glory.
