1 This is a faithful saying: if a man seeks the office of an
overseer*1 , 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*2 ,
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 Or, bishop
2 The word for "deacons" literally means "servants."
World English Bible - Public Domain |
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