1 Timothy 2–3

Chapter 2

I desire therefore, first of all, that supplications, prayers, intercessions and thanksgivings be made for all men:

²For kings and for all that are in high station: that we may lead a quiet and a peaceable life in all piety and chastity.

³For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour,

⁴Who will have all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

⁵For there is one God: and one mediator of God and men, the man Christ Jesus:

⁶Who gave himself a redemption for all, a testimony in due times.

⁷Whereunto I am appointed a preacher and an apostle (I say the truth, I lie not), a doctor of the Gentiles in faith and truth.

⁸I will therefore that men pray in every place, lifting up pure hands, without anger and contention.

⁹In like manner, women also in decent apparel: adorning themselves with modesty and sobriety, not with plaited hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly attire:

¹⁰But, as it becometh women professing godliness, with good works.

¹¹Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection.

¹²But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to use authority over the man: but to be in silence.

¹³Adam was first formed; then Eve.

¹⁴And Adam was not seduced; but the woman, being seduced, was in the transgression.

¹⁵Yet she shall be saved through child bearing; if she continue in faith and love and sanctification with sobriety.

Chapter 3

A faithful saying: If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth good work.

²It behoveth therefore a bishop to be blameless, the husband of one wife, sober, prudent, of good behaviour, chaste, given to hospitality, a teacher,

³Not given to wine, no striker, but modest, not quarrelsome, not covetous, but

⁴One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all chastity.

⁵But if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?

⁶Not a neophyte: lest, being puffed up with pride, he fall into the judgment of the devil.

⁷Moreover, he must have a good testimony of them who are without: lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.

⁸Deacons in like manner: chaste, not double tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre:

⁹Holding the mystery of faith in a pure conscience.

¹⁰And let these also first be proved: and so let them minister, having no crime.

¹¹The women in like manner: chaste, not slanderers, but sober, faithful in all things.

¹²Let deacons be the husbands of one wife: who rule well their children and their own houses.

¹³For they that have ministered well shall purchase to themselves a good degree and much confidence in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.

¹⁴These things I write to thee, hoping that I shall come to thee shortly.

¹⁵But 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.

¹⁶And 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.