1 Timothy 3

English Standard Version

Qualifications for Overseers

3 The saying is ^(A)trustworthy: If anyone aspires to ^(B)the office of overseer, he desires a noble task. ²Therefore ^(C)an overseer^[a] must be above reproach, ^(D)the husband of one wife,^[b] ^(E)sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, ^(F)hospitable, ^(G)able to teach, ³not a drunkard, not violent but ^(H)gentle, not quarrelsome, ^(I)not a lover of money. ⁴He must manage his own household well, with all dignity ^(J)keeping his children submissive, ⁵for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for ^(K)God's church? ⁶He must not be a recent convert, or he may ^(L)become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil. ⁷Moreover, he must be well thought of by ^(M)outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace, into ^(N)a snare of the devil.

Qualifications for Deacons

⁸^(O)Deacons likewise must be dignified, not double-tongued,^[c] ^(P)not addicted to much wine, ^(Q)not greedy for dishonest gain. ⁹They must ^(R)hold the mystery of the faith with ^(S)a clear conscience. ¹⁰And ^(T)let them also be tested first; then let them serve as deacons if they prove themselves blameless. ¹¹^(U)Their wives likewise^[d] must be dignified, not slanderers, but sober-minded, ^(V)faithful in all things. ¹²Let deacons each be ^(W)the husband of one wife, ^(X)managing their children and their own households well. ¹³For ^(Y)those who serve well as deacons gain a good standing for themselves and also great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.

The Mystery of Godliness

¹⁴I hope to come to you soon, but I am writing these things to you so that, ¹⁵if I delay, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth. ¹⁶Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness:

^(Z)He^[e] was manifested in the flesh,
    vindicated^[f] by the Spirit,^[g]
        ^(AA)seen by angels,
^(AB)proclaimed among the nations,
    ^(AC)believed on in the world,
        ^(AD)taken up in glory.

Footnotes

1 Timothy 3:2 Or bishop; Greek episkopos; a similar term occurs in verse 1
1 Timothy 3:2 Or a man of one woman; also verse 12
1 Timothy 3:8 Or devious in speech
1 Timothy 3:11 Or Wives likewise, or Women likewise
1 Timothy 3:16 Greek Who; some manuscripts God; others Which
1 Timothy 3:16 Or justified
1 Timothy 3:16 Or vindicated in spirit

Proverbs 31

English Standard Version

The Words of King Lemuel

31 The words of King Lemuel. An oracle that his mother taught him:

²What are you doing, my son?^[a] What are you doing, ^(A)son of my womb?
    What are you doing, ^(B)son of my vows?
³Do ^(C)not give your strength to women,
    your ways to those ^(D)who destroy kings.
⁴^(E)It is not for kings, O Lemuel,
    it is not for kings ^(F)to drink wine,
    or for rulers to take ^(G)strong drink,
⁵lest they drink and forget what has been decreed
    and ^(H)pervert the rights of all the afflicted.
⁶Give strong drink to the one who ^(I)is perishing,
    and wine to ^(J)those in bitter distress;^[b]
⁷^(K)let them drink and forget their poverty
    and remember their misery no more.
⁸^(L)Open your mouth for the mute,
    for the rights of all who are destitute.^[c]
⁹Open your mouth, ^(M)judge righteously,
    ^(N)defend the rights of ^(O)the poor and needy.

The Woman Who Fears the Lord

¹⁰^[d] ^(P)An excellent wife who can find?
    She is far more precious than ^(Q)jewels.
¹¹The heart of her husband trusts in her,
    and he will have no lack of gain.
¹²She does him good, and not harm,
    all the days of her life.
¹³She ^(R)seeks wool and flax,
    and works with willing hands.
¹⁴She is like the ships of the merchant;
    she brings her food from afar.
¹⁵She ^(S)rises while it is yet night
    and ^(T)provides food for her household
    and portions for her maidens.
¹⁶She considers a field and buys it;
    with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.
¹⁷She ^(U)dresses herself^[e] with strength
    and makes her arms strong.
¹⁸She perceives that her merchandise is profitable.
    Her lamp does not go out at night.
¹⁹She puts her hands to the distaff,
    and her hands hold the spindle.
²⁰She ^(V)opens her hand to ^(W)the poor
    and reaches out her hands to ^(X)the needy.
²¹She is not afraid of snow for her household,
    for all her household are clothed in ^(Y)scarlet.^[f]
²²She makes ^(Z)bed coverings for herself;
    her clothing is ^(AA)fine linen and ^(AB)purple.
²³Her husband is known in ^(AC)the gates
    when he sits among the elders of the land.
²⁴She makes ^(AD)linen garments and sells them;
    she delivers sashes to the merchant.
²⁵^(AE)Strength and dignity are her clothing,
    and she laughs at the time to come.
²⁶She opens her mouth with wisdom,
    and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.
²⁷She looks well to the ways of her household
    and does not eat the bread of idleness.
²⁸Her children rise up and call her blessed;
    her husband also, and he praises her:
²⁹“Many ^(AF)women have done ^(AG)excellently,
    but you surpass them all.”
³⁰^(AH)Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain,
    but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
³¹Give her of the fruit of her hands,
    and let her works praise her in the gates.

Footnotes

Proverbs 31:2 Hebrew What, my son?
Proverbs 31:6 Hebrew those bitter in soul
Proverbs 31:8 Hebrew are sons of passing away
Proverbs 31:10 Verses 10–31 are an acrostic poem, each verse beginning with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet
Proverbs 31:17 Hebrew She girds her loins
Proverbs 31:21 Or in double thickness