1 Timothy 3
American Standard Version
3 [a]Faithful is the saying, If a man seeketh the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work. 2 The [b]bishop therefore must be without reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, orderly, given to hospitality, apt to teach; 3 [c]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 [d]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 [e]how men ought to behave themselves in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and [f]ground of the truth. 16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness;
[g]He who was manifested in the flesh,
Justified in the spirit,
Seen of angels,
Preached among the [h]nations,
Believed on in the world,
Received up in glory.
Footnotes
- 1 Timothy 3:1 Some connect the words Faithful is the saying with the preceding paragraph.
- 1 Timothy 3:2 Or, overseer
- 1 Timothy 3:3 Or, not quarrelsome over wine
- 1 Timothy 3:6 Greek judgment.
- 1 Timothy 3:15 Or, how thou oughtest to behave thyself
- 1 Timothy 3:15 Or, stay
- 1 Timothy 3:16 The word God, in place of He who, rests on no sufficient ancient evidence. Some ancient authorities read which.
- 1 Timothy 3:16 Or, Gentiles
1 Timothy 3
Young's Literal Translation
3 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 Timothy 3
Revised Standard Version
Qualifications of Bishops
3 The saying is sure: If any one aspires to the office of bishop, he desires a noble task. 2 Now a bishop must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, sensible, dignified, hospitable, an apt teacher, 3 no drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, and no lover of money. 4 He must manage his own household well, keeping his children submissive and respectful in every way; 5 for if a man does not know how to manage his own household, how can he care for God’s church? 6 He must not be a recent convert, or he may be puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil;[a] 7 moreover he must be well thought of by outsiders, or he may fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.[b]
Qualifications of Deacons
8 Deacons likewise must be serious, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for gain; 9 they must hold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. 10 And let them also be tested first; then if they prove themselves blameless let them serve as deacons. 11 The women likewise must be serious, no slanderers, but temperate, faithful in all things. 12 Let deacons be the husband of one wife, and let them manage their children and their households well; 13 for those who serve well as deacons gain a good standing for themselves and also great confidence in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.
The Mystery of Our Religion
14 I hope to come to you soon, but I am writing these instructions to you so that, 15 if I am delayed, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and bulwark of the truth. 16 Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of our religion:
He[c] was manifested in the flesh,
vindicated[d] in the Spirit,
seen by angels,
preached among the nations,
believed on in the world,
taken up in glory.
Footnotes
- 1 Timothy 3:6 Or slanderer
- 1 Timothy 3:7 Or slanderer
- 1 Timothy 3:16 Greek Who; other ancient authorities read God; others, Which
- 1 Timothy 3:16 Or justified
Public Domain (Why are modern Bible translations copyrighted?)
Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright © 1946, 1952, and 1971 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.