1 Timothy 3

Qualifications for Overseers

¹ This is a faithful saying: If a man desires the position of a ₁ bishop, he desires a good work. ² A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach; ³ not ₂ given to wine, not violent, ₃ not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not ₄ covetous; ⁴ one who rules his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence ⁵ (for if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?); ⁶ not a ₅ novice, lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the same condemnation as the devil. ⁷ Moreover he must have a good testimony among those who are outside, lest he fall into reproach and the _a snare of the devil.

Qualifications for Deacons

⁸ Likewise deacons must be reverent, not double-tongued, _b not given to much wine, not greedy for money, ⁹ holding the ₆ mystery of the faith with a pure conscience. ¹⁰ But let these also first be tested; then let them serve as deacons, being found blameless. ¹¹ Likewise, their wives must be reverent, not ₇ slanderers, temperate, faithful in all things. ¹² Let deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well. ¹³ For those who have served well as deacons _c obtain for themselves a good standing and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.

The Mystery of Godliness

¹⁴ These things I write to you, though I hope to come to you shortly; ¹⁵ but if I am delayed, I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ₈ ground of the truth.

¹⁶ And without controversy great is the ₉ mystery of godliness:
_d God ₁₀ was manifested in the flesh,
_e Justified in the Spirit,
_f Seen by angels,
_g Preached among the Gentiles,
_h Believed on in the world,
_i Received up in glory.