¹ This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.

² A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;

³ Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;

⁴ One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity;

⁵ (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)

⁶ Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.

⁷ Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.

⁸ Likewise must the deacons be grave, not doubletongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre;

⁹ Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.

¹⁰ And let these also first be proved; then let them use the office of a deacon, being found blameless.

¹¹ Even so must their wives be grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things.

¹² Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.

¹³ For they that have used the office of a deacon well purchase to themselves a good degree, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.

¹⁴ These things write I unto thee, hoping to come unto thee shortly:

¹⁵ But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.

¹⁶ And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.

---

¹ This is a true ^G4103 saying, ^G3056 If a man ^G1536 desire ^G3713 the office of a bishop, ^G1984 he desireth ^G1937 a good ^G2570 work. ^G2041

² A bishop ^G1985 then ^G3767 must ^G1163 be ^G1511 blameless, ^G423 the husband ^G435 of one ^G3391 wife, ^G1135 vigilant, ^G3524 sober, ^G4998 of good behaviour, ^G2887 given to hospitality, ^G5382 apt to teach; ^G1317

³ Not ^G3361 given to wine, ^G3943 no ^G3361 striker, ^G4131 not ^G3361 greedy of filthy lucre; ^G146 but ^G235 patient, ^G1933 not a brawler, ^G269 not covetous; ^G866

⁴ One that ruleth ^G4291 well ^G2573 his own ^G2398 house, ^G3624 having ^G2192 his children ^G5043 in ^G1722 subjection ^G5292 with ^G3326 all ^G3956 gravity; ^G4587

⁵ (For ^G1161 if a man ^G1536 know ^G1492 not ^G3756 how ^G1492 to rule ^G4291 his own ^G2398 house, ^G3624 how ^G4459 shall he take care of ^G1959 the church ^G1577 of God?) ^G2316

⁶ Not ^G3361 a novice, ^G3504 lest ^G3363 being lifted up with pride ^G5187 he fall ^G1706 into ^G1519 the condemnation ^G2917 of the devil. ^G1228

⁷ Moreover ^{G1161 G2532} he ^G846 must ^G1163 have ^G2192 a good ^G2570 report ^G3141 of ^G575 them which are without; ^G1855 lest ^G3363 he fall ^G1706 into ^G1519 reproach ^G3680 and ^G2532 the snare ^G3803 of the devil. ^G1228

⁸ Likewise ^G5615 must the deacons ^G1249 be grave, ^G4586 not ^G3361 doubletongued, ^G1351 not ^G3361 given ^G4337 to much ^G4183 wine, ^G3631 not ^G3361 greedy of filthy lucre; ^G146

⁹ Holding ^G2192 the mystery ^G3466 of the faith ^G4102 in ^G1722 a pure ^G2513 conscience. ^G4893

¹⁰ And ^G1161 let ^G1381 these ^G3778 also ^G2532 first ^G4412 be proved; ^G1381 then ^G1534 let them use the office of a deacon, ^G1247 being ^G5607 found blameless. ^G410

¹¹ Even so ^G5615 must their wives ^G1135 be grave, ^G4586 not ^G3361 slanderers, ^G1228 sober, ^G3524 faithful ^G4103 in ^G1722 all things. ^G3956

¹² Let ^G2077 the deacons ^G1249 be ^G2077 the husbands ^G435 of one ^G3391 wife, ^G1135 ruling ^G4291 their children ^G5043 and ^G2532 their own ^G2398 houses ^G3624 well. ^G2573

¹³ For ^G1063 they that have used the office of a deacon ^G1247 well ^G2573 purchase ^G4046 to themselves ^G1438 a good ^G2570 degree, ^G898 and ^G2532 great ^G4183 boldness ^G3954 in ^G1722 the faith ^G4102 which ^G3588 is in ^G1722 Christ ^G5547 Jesus. ^G2424

¹⁴ These things ^G5023 write I ^G1125 unto thee, ^G4671 hoping ^G1679 to come ^G2064 unto ^G4314 thee ^G4571 shortly: ^G5032

¹⁵ But ^G1161 if ^G1437 I tarry long, ^G1019 that ^G2443 thou mayest know ^G1492 how ^G4459 thou oughtest ^G1163 to behave thyself ^G390 in ^G1722 the house ^G3624 of God, ^G2316 which ^G3748 is ^G2076 the church ^G1577 of the living ^G2198 God, ^G2316 the pillar ^G4769 and ^G2532 ground ^G1477 of the truth. ^G225

¹⁶ And ^G2532 without controversy ^G3672 great ^G3173 is ^G2076 the mystery ^G3466 of godliness: ^G2150 God ^G2316 was manifest ^G5319 in ^G1722 the flesh, ^G4561 justified ^G1344 in ^G1722 the Spirit, ^G4151 seen ^G3700 of angels, ^G32 preached ^G2784 unto ^G1722 the Gentiles, ^G1484 believed on ^G4100 in ^G1722 the world, ^G2889 received up ^G353 into ^G1722 glory. ^G1391

---

¹ Faithful is the saying, If a man seeketh the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.

² The bishop therefore must be without reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, orderly, given to hospitality, apt to teach;

³ no brawler, no striker; but gentle, not contentious, no lover of money;

⁴ one that ruleth well his own house, having `his' children in subjection with all gravity;

⁵ (but if a man knoweth not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)

⁶ not a novice, lest being puffed up he fall into the condemnation of the devil.

⁷ Moreover he must have good testimony from them that are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.

⁸ Deacons in like manner `must be' grave, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre;

⁹ holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.

¹⁰ And let these also first be proved; then let them serve as deacons, if they be blameless.

¹¹ Women in like manner `must be' grave, not slanderers, temperate, faithful in all things.

¹² Let deacons be husbands of one wife, ruling `their' children and their own houses well.

¹³ For they that have served well as deacons gain to themselves a good standing, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.

¹⁴ These things write I unto thee, hoping to come unto thee shortly;

¹⁵ but if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how men ought to behave themselves in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.

¹⁶ And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness; He who was manifested in the flesh, Justified in the spirit, Seen of angels, Preached among the nations, Believed on in the world, Received up in glory.

---

¹ Stedfast `is' the word: If any one the oversight doth long for, a right work he desireth;

² it behoveth, therefore, the overseer to be blameless, of one wife a husband, vigilant, sober, decent, a friend of strangers, apt to teach,

³ not given to wine, not a striker, not given to filthy lucre, but gentle, not contentious, not a lover of money,

⁴ his own house leading well, having children in subjection with all gravity,

⁵ (and if any one his own house `how' to lead hath not known, how an assembly of God shall he take care of?)

⁶ not a new convert, lest having been puffed up he may fall to a judgment of the devil;

⁷ and it behoveth him also to have a good testimony from those without, that he may not fall into reproach and a snare of the devil.

⁸ Ministrants -- in like manner grave, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not given to filthy lucre,

⁹ having the secret of the faith in a pure conscience,

¹⁰ and let these also first be proved, then let them minister, being unblameable.

¹¹ Women -- in like manner grave, not false accusers, vigilant, faithful in all things.

¹² Ministrants -- let them be of one wife husbands; the children leading well, and their own houses,

¹³ for those who did minister well a good step to themselves do acquire, and much boldness in faith that `is' in Christ Jesus.

¹⁴ These things I write to thee, hoping to come unto thee soon,

¹⁵ and if I delay, that thou mayest know how it behoveth `thee' to conduct thyself in the house of God, which is an assembly of the living God -- a pillar and foundation of the truth,

¹⁶ and, confessedly, great is the secret of piety -- God was manifested in flesh, declared righteous in spirit, seen by messengers, preached among nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory!

---

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.

---

¹ This is a faithful saying: if a man seeks the office of an overseer{Or, bishop}, he desires a good work.

² The overseer therefore must be without reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, sensible, modest, hospitable, good at teaching;

³ not a drinker, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous;

⁴ one who rules his own house well, having children in subjection with all reverence;

⁵ (but if a man doesn't know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the assembly of God?)

⁶ not a new convert, lest being puffed up he fall into the same condemnation as the devil.

⁷ Moreover he must have good testimony from those who are outside, to avoid falling into reproach and the snare of the devil.

⁸ Deacons{The word for "deacons" literally means "servants."}, in the same way, must be reverent, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for money;

⁹ holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.

¹⁰ Let them also first be tested; then let them serve as deacons, if they are blameless.

¹¹ Their wives in the same way must be reverent, not slanderers, temperate, faithful in all things.

¹² Let deacons be husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.

¹³ For those who have served well as deacons gain to themselves a good standing, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.

¹⁴ These things I write to you, hoping to come to you shortly;

¹⁵ but if I wait long, that you may know how men ought to behave themselves in the house of God, which is the assembly of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.

¹⁶ Without controversy, the mystery of godliness is great: God was revealed in the flesh, Justified in the spirit, Seen by angels, Preached among the nations, Believed on in the world, And received up in glory.

---

¹ This is a true saying, A man desiring the position of a Bishop has a desire for a good work.

² The Bishop, then, is to be a man of good name, the husband of one wife, self-controlled, serious-minded, having respect for order, opening his house freely to guests, a ready teacher;

³ Not quickly moved to wrath or blows, but gentle; no fighter, no lover of money;

⁴ Ruling his house well, having his children under control with all serious behaviour;

⁵ (For if a man has not the art of ruling his house, how will he take care of the church of God?)

⁶ Not one newly taken into the church, for fear that, through his high opinion of himself, he may come into the same sin as the Evil One.

⁷ And he is to have a good name among those outside the church, so that nothing may be said against him and he may not be taken by the designs of the Evil One.

⁸ Deacons, in the same way, are to be serious in their behaviour, not false in word, not given to taking much wine or greatly desiring the wealth of this world;

⁹ Keeping the secret of the faith in a heart free from sin.

¹⁰ And let these first be put to the test; then let them become Deacons if there is nothing against them.

¹¹ Women are to be serious in behaviour, saying no evil of others, controlling themselves, true in all things.

¹² Let Deacons be husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their houses well.

¹³ For those who have done good work as Deacons get for themselves a good position and become free from fear in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.

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

¹⁵ But if I am long in coming, this will make clear to you what behaviour is right for men in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and base of what is true.

¹⁶ And without argument, great is the secret of religion: He who was seen in the flesh, who was given God's approval in the spirit, was seen by the angels, of whom the good news was given among the nations, in whom the world had faith, who was taken up in glory.