1 Timothy 3
1 This [is] a true saying, If a man desireth the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.
How true is this saying: ‘To aspire to be to be a supervisor in the church is to be ambitious for a noble task.’
2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behavior, given to hospitality, apt to teach;
The supervisor should be of blameless character; a faithful partner; living a temperate, discreet, and well-ordered life; hospitable, and a skillful teacher,
3 Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre, but patient; not a brawler, not covetous;
not addicted to drink or brawling, but of a forbearing and peaceable disposition, and not a lover of money;
4 One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity;
they should provide for their own household well, and their children should kept under control and be well-behaved.
5 (For if a man knoweth not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)
If someone does not know how to provide for their own household, how can they take charge of the church of God?
6 Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.
The supervisor should not be a recent convert, or they might become blinded by pride and fall under the same judgment as the devil.
7 Moreover, he must have a good report of them who are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.
They should also be well spoken of by outsiders, so that they may not incur censure and so fall into the devil’s trap.
8 Likewise [must] the deacons [be] grave, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre,
So, too, assistants should be serious and straightforward, not given to taking much drink or to questionable money-making,
9 Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.
but people who hold the deep truths of the faith and have a clear conscience.
10 And let these also first be proved; then let them use the office of a deacon, being [found] blameless.
They should be tested first, and only appointed to their office if no objection is raised against them.
11 Even so [must their] wives [be] grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things.
It should be the same with the women in this office. They should be serious, not gossips, sober, and trustworthy in all respects.
12 Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children, and their own houses well.
Assistants should be faithful partners who manage their children and their households well.
13 For they that have used the office of a deacon well, purchase to themselves a good degree, and great boldness in the faith, which is in Christ Jesus.
Those who have filled that post with honor gain for themselves an honorable position, as well as great confidence through the faith that they place in Christ Jesus.
14 These things I write to thee, hoping to come to thee shortly:
I am writing this to you, though I hope that I will come to see you before long;
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 in case I should be delayed, I want you to know what your conduct ought to be in the household of God, which is the church of the living God – the pillar and stay of the truth.
16 And without controversy, great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen by angels, preached to the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.
Yes, and undeniably wonderful are the deep truths of our religion; for – ‘He was revealed in our nature, pronounced righteous in spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among the Gentiles, believed on in the world, taken up into glory.’
