< 1 Timothy 3 >

1 This is a faithful saying: If someone aspires to the office of bishop, he desires a good work.
The word [is] steadfast: If anyone longs for overseership, he desires a right work;
2 The overseer, therefore, must be beyond criticism, the husband of one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, good at teaching;
it is required, therefore, the overseer to be blameless, a husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, respectable, a friend of strangers, apt to teach,
3 not a drunkard, not violent, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money;
not given to wine, not a striker, but gentle, not contentious, not a lover of money,
4 one who rules his own house well, having children in subjection with all reverence;
leading his own house well, having children in subjection with all dignity,
5 (but if someone does not know how to manage his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?)
(and if anyone has not known [how] to lead his own house, how will he take care of an assembly of God?)
6 not a new convert, lest being puffed up he fall into the same condemnation as the devil.
not a new convert, lest having been puffed up he may fall to a judgment of the Devil;
7 Moreover he must have good testimony from those who are outside, to avoid falling into disgrace and the trap of the devil.
and it is required of him also to have a good testimony from those outside, that he may not fall into reproach and a snare of the Devil.
8 Deacons, in the same way, must be reverent, not double-tongued, not devoted to a lot of wine, not greedy for money;
Servants, in like manner, dignified, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not given to shameful gain,
9 holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.
having the secret of the faith in a pure conscience,
10 Let them also first be tested; then let them serve as deacons, if they are blamesless.
and let these also first be proved, then let them minister, being unblameable.
11 Their wives in the same way must be reverent, not slanderers, temperate, faithful in all things.
Women, in like manner, dignified, not false accusers, vigilant, faithful in all things.
12 Let deacons be husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.
Servants—let them be husbands of one wife, leading the children well, and their own houses,
13 For those who have served well as deacons gain for themselves a good standing, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.
for those who ministered well acquire a good step to themselves, and much boldness in faith that [is] in Christ Jesus.
14 These things I write to you, hoping to come to you shortly;
I write to you these things, hoping to come to you soon,
15 but if I wait long, that you may know how people ought to behave themselves in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.
and if I delay, that you may know how it is required to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is an assembly of the living God—a pillar and foundation of the truth,
16 Without controversy, the mystery of godliness is great: He was revealed in the flesh, justified by the Spirit, seen by angels, preached among the nations, believed on in the world, and received up in glory.
and confessedly, great is the secret of piety: who was revealed in flesh, declared righteous in [the] Spirit, seen by messengers, preached among nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory!

< 1 Timothy 3 >