1 Timothy 3
1 This saying is trustworthy: If someone desires to be an overseer, he desires a good work.
It is a faithful saying, that if a man desireth the eldership, he desireth a good work.
2 Therefore the overseer must be without reproach. He must be a husband of one wife. He must be moderate, sensible, orderly, and hospitable. He must be able to teach.
And an elder ought to be such, that no blame can be found in him; and he should be the husband of one wife, with a vigilant mind, and sober and regular in his habits, and affectionate to strangers, and instructive;
3 He must not be addicted to wine, not a brawler, but instead, gentle, peaceful. He must not be a lover of money.
and not a transgressor in regard to wine, and whose hand is not swift to strike; but he should be humble, and not contentious, nor a lover of money;
4 He should manage his own household well, and his children should obey him with all respect.
and one that guideth well his own house, and holdeth his children in subjection with all purity.
5 For if a man does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for a church of God?
For if he knoweth not how to guide his own house well, how can he guide the church of God.
6 He should not be a new convert, so that he does not swell with pride and might fall into condemnation as the devil.
Neither let him be of recent discipleship; lest he be uplifted, and fall into the condemnation of Satan.
7 He must also have a good reputation with those outside, so that he does not fall into disgrace and the trap of the devil.
And there ought to be good testimony of him from those without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of Satan.
8 Deacons, likewise, should be dignified, not double-talkers. They should not drink too much wine or be greedy.
And so also the deacons should be pure, and not speak double, nor incline to much wine, nor love base gains;
9 They should keep the revealed truth of the faith with a clean conscience.
but should hold the mystery of the faith with a pure conscience.
10 They should also be approved first, then they should serve because they are blameless.
And let them be first tried, and then let them serve, if they are without blame.
11 Women in the same way should be dignified. They should not be slanderers. They should be moderate and faithful in all things.
So also should the wives be chaste and of vigilant minds; and they should be faithful in all things; and they should not be slanderers.
12 Deacons must be husbands of one wife. They must manage well their children and household.
Let the deacons be such as have each one wife and guide well their children and households.
13 For those who have served well acquire for themselves a good standing and great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.
For they who serve well as deacons, procure for themselves a good degree, and much boldness in the faith of Jesus the Messiah.
14 I am writing these things to you, and I expect to come to you soon.
These things I write to thee, while hoping soon to come to thee;
15 But if I delay, I am writing so that you may know how to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth.
but if I should delay, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to conduct thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God. The pillar and the foundation of the truth,
16 It is undeniable that the revealed truth of godliness is great: “He appeared in the flesh, was justified by the Spirit, was seen by angels, was proclaimed among nations, was believed on in the world, and was taken up in glory.”
and truly great, is this mystery of righteousness, which was revealed in the flesh, and justified in the spirit, and seen by angels, and proclaimed among the Gentiles, and believed on in the world, and received up into glory.
