1 Timothy 3
1 Stedfast [is] the word: If any one the oversight doth long for, a right work he desireth;
This is a faithful saying: If someone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a good work.
2 it behoveth, therefore, the overseer to be blameless, of one wife a husband, vigilant, sober, decent, a friend of strangers, apt to teach,
The overseer, therefore, must be beyond criticism, the husband of one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, good at teaching;
3 not given to wine, not a striker, not given to filthy lucre, but gentle, not contentious, not a lover of money,
not a drunkard, not violent, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money;
4 his own house leading well, having children in subjection with all gravity,
one who rules his own house well, having children in subjection with all reverence;
5 (and if any one his own house [how] to lead hath not known, how an assembly of God shall he take care of?)
(but if someone does not know how to manage his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?)
6 not a new convert, lest having been puffed up he may fall to a judgment of the devil;
not a new convert, lest being puffed up he fall into the same condemnation as the devil.
7 and it behoveth him also to have a good testimony from those without, that he may not fall into reproach and a snare of the devil.
Moreover he must have good testimony from those who are outside, to avoid falling into disgrace and the trap of the devil.
8 Ministrants — in like manner grave, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not given to filthy lucre,
Deacons, in the same way, must be reverent, not double-tongued, not devoted to a lot of wine, not greedy for money;
9 having the secret of the faith in a pure conscience,
holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.
10 and let these also first be proved, then let them minister, being unblameable.
Let them also first be tested; then let them serve as deacons, if they are blamesless.
11 Women — in like manner grave, not false accusers, vigilant, faithful in all things.
Their wives in the same way must be reverent, not slanderers, temperate, faithful in all things.
12 Ministrants — let them be of one wife husbands; the children leading well, and their own houses,
Let deacons be husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.
13 for those who did minister well a good step to themselves do acquire, and much boldness in faith that [is] in Christ Jesus.
For those who have served well as deacons gain for themselves a good standing, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.
14 These things I write to thee, hoping to come unto thee soon,
These things I write to you, hoping to come to you shortly;
15 and if I delay, that thou mayest know how it behoveth [thee] to conduct thyself in the house of God, which is an assembly of the living God — a pillar and foundation of the truth,
but if I wait long, that you may know how people ought to behave themselves in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.
16 and, confessedly, great is the secret of piety — God was manifested in flesh, declared righteous in spirit, seen by messengers, preached among nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory!
Without controversy, the mystery of godliness is great: He was revealed in the flesh, justified by the Spirit, seen by angels, preached among the nations, believed on in the world, and received up in glory.
