CHAPTER 3

Overseers and Deacons

1 aIt is a trustworthy saying: if any man aspires to the boffice of 1overseer, he desires a good work.

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

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

4 aleading his own household well, having his children in submission with all dignity

5 (but if a man does not know how to lead 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 of 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 dignified, not 1double-tongued, bnot indulging in much wine, cnot fond of dishonest gain,

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

10 aAnd these 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, cleading their children and their own households well.

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

14 I am writing these things to you, hoping to come to you soon,

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 And by common confession, great is athe mystery of godliness:

He who was bmanifested in the flesh,

Was 1cvindicated 2in the Spirit,

dSeen by angels,

eProclaimed among the nations,

fBelieved on in the world,

gTaken up in glory.