Chapter 3

1  The word is faithful: if any one aspires to exercise oversight, he desires a good work. 2  The overseer then must be irreproachable, husband of one wife, sober, discreet, decorous, hospitable, apt to teach; 3  not given to excesses from wine, not a striker, but mild, not addicted to contention, not fond of money, 4  conducting his own house well, having his children in subjection with all gravity; 5  (but if one does not know how to conduct his own house, how shall he take care of the assembly of God?) 6  not a novice, that he may not, being inflated, fall into the fault of the devil. 7  But it is necessary that he should have also a good testimony from those without, that he may fall not into reproach and the snare of the devil.

8  Ministers, in like manner, grave, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not seeking gain by base means, 9  holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience. 10  And let these be first proved, then let them minister, being without charge against them. 11  The women in like manner grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things. 12  Let the ministers be husbands of one wife, conducting their children and their own houses well: 13  for those who shall have ministered well obtain for themselves a good degree, and much boldness in faith which is in Christ Jesus.

14  These things I write to thee, hoping to come to thee more quickly; 15  but if I delay, in order that thou mayest know how one ought to conduct oneself in God’s house, which is the assembly of the living God, the pillar and base of the truth. 16  And confessedly the mystery of piety is great. God has been manifested in flesh, has been justified in the Spirit, has appeared to angels, has been preached among the nations, has been believed on in the world, has been received up in glory.