A Call to Prayer

1 First of all, then, I urge that aentreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men,

2 afor kings and all who are in 1authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and 2dignity.

3 This is good and acceptable in the sight of aGod our Savior,

4 awho desires all men to be bsaved and to ccome to the 1knowledge of the truth.

5 For there is aone God, and bone mediator also between God and men, the cman Christ Jesus,

6 who agave Himself as a ransom for all, the btestimony 1given at 2cthe proper time.

7 aFor this I was appointed a 1preacher and ban apostle (cI am telling the truth, I am not lying) as a teacher of dthe Gentiles in faith and truth.

8 Therefore aI want the men bin every place to pray, clifting up dholy hands, without wrath and dissension.

Women Instructed

9 Likewise, I want awomen to adorn themselves with proper clothing, 1modestly and discreetly, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly garments,

10 but rather by means of good works, as is proper for women making a claim to godliness.

11 aA woman must quietly receive instruction with entire submissiveness.

12 aBut I do not allow a woman to teach or exercise authority over a man, but to remain quiet.

13 aFor it was Adam who was first 1created, and then Eve.

14 And it was not Adam who was deceived, but athe woman being deceived, 1fell into transgression.

15 But women will be 1preserved through the bearing of children if they continue in afaith and love and sanctity with 2self-restraint.

Chapter 3

Overseers and Deacons

1 aIt is a trustworthy statement: if any man aspires to the boffice of 1overseer, it is a fine work he desires to do.

2 1aAn overseer, then, must be above reproach, bthe husband of one wife, ctemperate, prudent, respectable, dhospitable, eable to teach,

3 anot addicted to wine 1or pugnacious, but gentle, peaceable, bfree from the love of money.

4 He must be one who amanages his own household well, keeping his children under control with all dignity

5 (but if a man does not know how to manage his own household, how will he take care of athe church of God?),

6 and not a new convert, so that he will not become aconceited and fall into the bcondemnation 1incurred by the devil.

7 And he must ahave a good reputation with bthose outside the church, so that he will not fall into reproach and cthe snare of the devil.

8 aDeacons likewise must be men of dignity, not 1double-tongued, 2bor addicted to much wine 2cor fond of sordid gain,

9 abut holding to the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience.

10 aThese men must also first be tested; then let them serve as deacons if they are beyond reproach.

11 1Women must likewise be dignified, anot malicious gossips, but btemperate, faithful in all things.

12 aDeacons must be bhusbands of only one wife, and 1cgood managers of their children and their own households.

13 For those who have served well as deacons aobtain for themselves a 1high standing and great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.

14 I am writing these things to you, hoping to come to you before long;

15 but 1in case I am delayed, I write so that you will know how 2one ought to conduct himself in athe household of God, which is the bchurch of cthe living God, the dpillar and support of the truth.

16 By common confession, great is athe mystery of godliness:

He who was brevealed in the flesh,

Was 1cvindicated 2in the Spirit,

dSeen by angels,

eProclaimed among the nations,

fBelieved on in the world,

gTaken up in glory.