1 Timothy 3:1–13

Qualifications of Overseers

3This is a faithful saying: If a man desires the position of a ¹bishop, he desires a good work. ²A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach; ³not ²given to wine, not violent, ³not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not ⁴covetous; ⁴one who rules his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence ⁵(for if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?); ⁶not a ⁵novice, lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the same condemnation as the devil. ⁷Moreover he must have a good testimony among those who are outside, lest he fall into reproach and the ^asnare of the devil.

Qualifications of Deacons

⁸Likewise deacons must be reverent, not double-tongued, ^bnot given to much wine, not greedy for money, ⁹holding the ⁶mystery of the faith with a pure conscience. ¹⁰But let these also first be tested; then let them serve as deacons, being found blameless. ¹¹Likewise, their wives must be reverent, not ⁷slanderers, temperate, faithful in all things. ¹²Let deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well. ¹³For those who have served well as deacons ^cobtain for themselves a good standing and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.