1 Timothy 3
1 This is a true saying, If a man desireth the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.
It is a faithful saying: if a man desires the episcopate, he desires a good work.
2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober minded, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;
Therefore, it is necessary for a bishop to be beyond reproach, the husband of one wife, sober, prudent, gracious, chaste, hospitable, a teacher,
3 Not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;
not a drunkard, not combative but restrained, not quarrelsome, not covetous;
4 One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity;
but a man who leads his own house well, having children who are subordinate with all chastity.
5 ( For if a man knoweth not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)
For if a man does not know how to lead his own house, how will he take care of the Church of God?
6 Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.
He must not be a new convert, lest, being elated by pride, he may fall under the sentence of the devil.
7 Moreover he must have a good report of them who are outside the church; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.
And it is necessary for him also to have good testimony from those who are outside, so that he may not fall into disrepute and the snare of the devil.
8 Likewise must the deacons be grave, not doubletongued, not given to much wine, not greedy for money;
Similarly, deacons must be chaste, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not pursuing tainted profit,
9 Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.
holding to the mystery of the faith with a pure conscience.
10 And let these also first be proved; then let them use the office of a deacon, being found blameless.
And these things should be proven first, and then they may minister, being without offense.
11 Even so must their wives be grave, not slanderers, sober minded, faithful in all things.
Similarly, the women must be chaste, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things.
12 Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.
Deacons should be the husband of one wife, men who lead their own children and their own houses well.
13 For they that have used the office of a deacon well, purchase to themselves a good standing, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.
For those who have ministered well will acquire for themselves a good position, and much confidence in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.
14 These things I write to thee, hoping to come to thee shortly:
I am writing these things to you, with the hope that I will come to you soon.
15 But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.
But, if I am delayed, you should know the manner in which it is necessary to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the Church of the living God, the pillar and the foundation of truth.
16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was revealed in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen by angels, preached to the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.
And it is clearly great, this mystery of piety, which was manifested in the flesh, which was justified in the Spirit, which has appeared to Angels, which has been preached to the Gentiles, which is believed in the world, which has been taken up in glory.
