1 Timothy 3

1 This is a faithful saying: someone who seeks to be an overseer desires a good work.

It is a faithful saying, If any one desires the episcopacy, he covets a beautiful work.

2 The overseer therefore must be without reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, sensible, modest, hospitable, good at teaching;

Therefore it behooves the bishop to be blameless, the husband of one wife, modest, prudent, orderly, hospitable, competent to teach,

3 not a drinker, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous;

not given to wine, not a controvertist; but gentle, peaceable, not a money lover;

4 one who rules his own house well, having children in subjection with all reverence;

ruling his own house beautifully; having children in subordination with all gravity;

5 (for how could someone who doesn’t know how to rule his own house take care of God’s assembly?)

but if any one does not know how to rule his own house, how will 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 novice, lest being puffed up he may fall into the condemnation 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.

But it also behooves him indeed to have a beautiful testimony from the aliens, in order that he may not 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,

Likewise let the deacons be grave, not double tongued, not given to much wine, not fond of filthy lucre;

9 holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.

having the testimony of faith in a pure conscience.

10 Let them also first be tested; then let them serve if they are blameless.

And let them also first be proven; then let them minister the office of deacon, being irreproachable.

11 Their wives in the same way must be reverent, not slanderers, temperate, and faithful in all things.

Likewise let their wives be grave, not tattlers, modest, faithful in all things.

12 Let servants be husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.

Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses beautifully.

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 those having ministered the office of a deacon beautifully procure to themselves beautiful progress, and much boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.

14 These things I write to you, hoping to come to you shortly,

I write these things to you, hoping to come to you more speedily;

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, in order that you may know how it behooves you to deport yourself 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 among the nations, believed on in the world, and received up in glory.

And assuredly great is the mystery of godliness; Who is manifested in the flesh, was justified in the spirit, was seen of angels, was preached among the Gentiles, was believed on in the world, was taken up in glory.