1 Timothy 3
1 Faithful is the saying, "If any one is eager to have the oversight of a Church, he desires a noble work."
This is a trustworthy saying: If anyone aspires to be an overseer, he desires a noble task.
2 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;
An overseer, then, must be above reproach, the husband of but one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach,
3 not a hard drinker nor given to blows; not selfish or quarrelsome or covetous;
not dependent on wine, not violent but gentle, peaceable, and free of the love of money.
4 but ruling his own household wisely and well, with children kept under control with true dignity.
An overseer must manage his own household well and keep his children under control, with complete dignity.
5 (If a man does not know how to rule his own household, how shall he have the Church of God given into his care?)
For if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how can he care for the church of God?
6 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.
He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same condemnation as the devil.
7 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.
Furthermore, he must have a good reputation with outsiders, so that he will not fall into disgrace and into the snare of the devil.
8 Deacons, in the same way, must be men of serious demeanour, not double-tongued, nor addicted to much wine, nor greedy of base gain,
Deacons likewise must be dignified, not double-tongued or given to much wine or greedy for money.
9 but holding the secret truths of the faith with a clear conscience.
They must hold to the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience.
10 And they must also be well-tried men, and when found to be of unblemished character then let them serve as deacons.
Additionally, they must first be tested. Then, if they are above reproach, let them serve as deacons.
11 Deaconesses, in the same way, must be sober-minded women, not slanderers, but in every way temperate and trustworthy.
In the same way, the women must be dignified, not slanderers, but temperate and faithful in all things.
12 A deacon must be true to his one wife, and rule his children and his own household wisely and well.
A deacon must be the husband of but one wife, a good manager of his children and of his own household.
13 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.
For those who have served well as deacons acquire for themselves a high standing and great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.
14 All this I write to you, though I am hoping before long to come to see you.
Although I hope to come to you soon, I am writing you these things
15 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.
in case I am delayed, so that you will know how each one must conduct himself in God’s household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth.
16 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.
By common confession, the mystery of godliness is great: He appeared in the flesh, was vindicated by the Spirit, was seen by angels, was proclaimed among the nations, was believed in throughout the world, was taken up in glory.
