1 Timothy 3

Leaders in the Church

3This is a true saying: if a man is eager to be a church leader, he desires an excellent work. ^2*A church leader must be without fault; he must have only one wife,^c be sober, self-controlled, and orderly; he must welcome strangers in his home; he must be able to teach; ^3*he must not be a drunkard or a violent man, but gentle and peaceful; he must not love money; ^4*he must be able to manage his own family well and make his children obey him with all respect. ^5*For if a man does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of the church of God? ^6*He must be mature in the faith, so that he will not swell up with pride and be condemned, as the Devil was. ^7*He should be a man who is respected by the people outside the church, so that he will not be disgraced and fall into the Devil’s trap.

Helpers in the Church

⁸Church helpers must also have a good character and be sincere; they must not drink too much wine or be greedy for money; ⁹they should hold to the revealed truth of the faith with a clear conscience. ¹⁰They should be tested first, and then, if they pass the test, they are to serve. ¹¹Their wives^d also must be of good character and must not gossip; they must be sober and honest in everything. ¹²A church helper must have only one wife,^e and be able to manage his children and family well. ¹³Those helpers who do their work well win for themselves a good standing and are able to speak boldly about their faith in Christ Jesus.

The Great Secret

¹⁴As I write this letter to you, I hope to come and see you soon. ¹⁵But if I am delayed, this letter will let you know how we should conduct ourselves in God’s household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth. ¹⁶No one can deny how great is the secret of our religion:

He appeared in human form,

was shown to be right by the Spirit,^f and was seen by angels.

He was preached among the nations,

was believed in throughout the world, and was taken up to heaven.