1 Timothy 3
1 This saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a good work.
Faithful is the saying, "If any one is eager to have the oversight of a Church, he desires a noble work."
2 Therefore the overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, sensible, respectable, hospitable, able to teach,
A minister then must be a man of irreproachable character, true to his one wife, temperate, sober-minded, well-behaved, hospitable to strangers, and with a gift for teaching;
3 not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for sordid gain, but gentle, not contentious, and not a lover of money.
not a hard drinker nor given to blows; not selfish or quarrelsome or covetous;
4 He must lead his own household well, keeping his children in submission with all dignity.
but ruling his own household wisely and well, with children kept under control with true dignity.
5 (For if a man does not know how to lead his own household, how will he take care of God's church?)
(If a man does not know how to rule his own household, how shall he have the Church of God given into his care?)
6 He must not be a new convert, or he might become puffed up and fall into the condemnation of the devil.
He ought not to be a new convert, for fear he should be blinded with pride and come under the same condemnation as the Devil.
7 He must also have a good reputation among outsiders, so that he does not fall into the reproach and snare of the devil.
It is needful also that he bear a good character with people outside the Church, lest he fall into reproach or a snare of the Devil.
8 Deacons likewise must be dignified, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, and not greedy for sordid gain.
Deacons, in the same way, must be men of serious demeanour, not double-tongued, nor addicted to much wine, nor greedy of base gain,
9 They must hold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience.
but holding the secret truths of the faith with a clear conscience.
10 They must first be tested; if they are above reproach, let them serve as deacons.
And they must also be well-tried men, and when found to be of unblemished character then let them serve as deacons.
11 Their wives likewise must be dignified, not slanderers, but sober-minded and faithful in all things.
Deaconesses, in the same way, must be sober-minded women, not slanderers, but in every way temperate and trustworthy.
12 A deacon must be the husband of one wife and must lead his children and his own household well.
A deacon must be true to his one wife, and rule his children and his own household wisely and well.
13 For those who have served well as deacons obtain a good standing for themselves along with great boldness in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.
For those who have filled the deacon's office wisely and well, are already gaining for themselves an honourable standing, and are acquiring great freedom of speech in proclaiming the faith which rests on Christ Jesus.
14 I am writing these things to yoʋ, hoping to come to yoʋ soon.
All this I write to you, though I am hoping before long to come to see you.
15 But if I delay, I am writing so that yoʋ may know how one ought to conduct himself in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and foundation of the truth.
But, for fear I may be hindered, I now write, so that you may have rules to guide you in dealing with God's household. For this is what the Church of the ever-living God is, and it is the pillar and foundation-stone of the truth.
16 Beyond all question, great is the mystery of godliness: God was revealed in the flesh, vindicated by the Spirit, seen by angels, preached among nations, believed on in the world, and taken up in glory.
And, beyond controversy, great is the mystery of our religion-- that Christ appeared in human form, and His claims justified by the Spirit, was seen by angels and proclaimed among Gentile nations, was believed on in the world, and received up again into glory.
