1 Timothy 2–3

Chapter 2

A Call to Prayer

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

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

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

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

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

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

^7aFor 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.

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

Women Instructed

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

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

^11aA woman must quietly receive instruction with entire submissiveness.

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

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

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

¹⁵But 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

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

^21aAn overseer, then, must be above reproach, ^bthe husband of one wife, ^ctemperate, prudent, respectable, ^dhospitable, ^eable to teach,

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

⁴He 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?),

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

⁷And 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.

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

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

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

¹¹¹Women must likewise be dignified, ^anot malicious gossips, but ^btemperate, faithful in all things.

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

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

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

¹⁵but 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.

¹⁶By 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.