Copyrights & Licensing: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0)
1 This saying is trustworthy: If someone desires to be an overseer, he desires a good work.
2 Therefore the overseer must be without reproach. He must be a husband of one wife. He must be moderate, sensible, orderly, and hospitable. He must be able to teach.
3 He must not be addicted to wine, not a brawler, but instead, gentle, peaceful. He must not be a lover of money.
4 He should manage his own household well, and he should make sure his children obey and respect him in every way.
5 For if a man does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for a church of God?
6 He should not be a new convert, so that he does not swell with pride and might fall into condemnation as the devil.
7 He must also have a good reputation with those outside, so that he does not fall into disgrace and the trap of the devil.
8 In the same way, deacons should be dignified, not double-talkers. They should not drink too much wine or be greedy.
9 They should keep the mystery of the faith with a clean conscience.
10 They should also be approved first, and then they should serve because they are blameless.
11 In the same way, their wives should be dignified, not slanderers, but sober and faithful in all things.
12 Deacons must be husbands of one wife. They must manage well their children and household.
13 For those who have served well acquire for themselves a good standing and great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.
14 As I write these things to you, I hope to come to you soon.
15 But if I delay, I am writing so that you may know how to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth.
16 We all agree that the mystery of godliness is great: "He was revealed in the flesh, was vindicated by the Spirit, was seen by angels, was proclaimed among nations, was believed on in the world, and was taken up in glory."