1 Timothy 3:1–16

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.