1 Timothy 3
1 This is a faithful saying: someone who seeks to be an overseer desires a good work.
A faithful saying: if a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.
2 The overseer therefore must be without reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, sensible, modest, hospitable, good at teaching;
It behoveth therefore a bishop to be blameless, the husband of one wife, sober, prudent, of good behaviour, chaste, given to hospitality, a teacher,
3 not a drinker, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous;
Not given to wine, no striker, but modest, not quarrelsome, not covetous, but
4 one who rules his own house well, having children in subjection with all reverence;
One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all chastity.
5 (for how could someone who doesn’t know how to rule his own house take care of God’s assembly?)
But if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?
6 not a new convert, lest being puffed up he fall into the same condemnation as the devil.
Not a neophyte: lest being puffed up with pride, he fall into the judgment of the devil.
7 Moreover he must have good testimony from those who are outside, to avoid falling into reproach and the snare of the devil.
Moreover he must have a good testimony of them who are without: lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.
8 Servants, in the same way, must be reverent, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for money,
Deacons in like manner chaste, not double tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre:
9 holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.
Holding the mystery of faith in a pure conscience.
10 Let them also first be tested; then let them serve if they are blameless.
And let these also first be proved: and so let them minister, having no crime.
11 Their wives in the same way must be reverent, not slanderers, temperate, and faithful in all things.
The women in like manner chaste, not slanderers, but sober, faithful in all things.
12 Let servants be husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.
Let deacons be the husbands of one wife: who rule well their children, and their own houses.
13 For those who have served well gain for themselves a good standing and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.
For they that have ministered well, shall purchase to themselves a good degree, and much confidence in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.
14 These things I write to you, hoping to come to you shortly,
These things I write to thee, hoping that I shall come to thee shortly.
15 but if I wait long, that you may know how men ought to behave themselves in God’s house, which is the assembly of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.
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.
16 Without controversy, the mystery of godliness is great: God was revealed in the flesh, justified in the spirit, seen by angels, preached amongst the nations, believed on in the world, and received up in glory.
And evidently great is the mystery of godliness, which was manifested in the flesh, was justified in the spirit, appeared unto angels, hath been preached unto the Gentiles, is believed in the world, is taken up in glory.
