1 Timothy 3
Modern English Version
Qualifications of Overseers
3 This is a faithful saying: If a man desires the office of an overseer, he desires a good work. 2 An overseer then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, sober, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach; 3 not given to drunkenness, not violent, not greedy for money, but patient, not argumentative, not covetous; 4 and one who manages his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence. 5 For if a man does not know how to manage his own house, how will he take care of the church of God? 6 He must not be newly converted, so that he does not become prideful and fall into the condemnation of the devil. 7 Moreover he must have a good reputation among those who are outsiders, so that he does not fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.
Qualifications of Deacons
8 Likewise deacons must be serious, not insincere, not given to much wine, not greedy, 9 keeping the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience. 10 And let them first be tested; then, being found blameless, let them serve as deacons.
11 Likewise, their wives must be serious, not slanderers, sober, and faithful in all things.
12 Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, managing their children and their own houses well. 13 For those who have served well in the office of deacon purchase for themselves good standing and great boldness in the faith, which is in Christ Jesus.
The Mystery of Our Religion
14 I am writing these things to you, hoping to come to you shortly, 15 but if I am delayed, you might know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth. 16 Without question, great is the mystery of godliness:
God was revealed in the flesh,
justified in the Spirit,
seen by angels,
preached to the Gentiles,
believed on in the world,
taken up into glory.
1 Timothy 3
New King James Version
Qualifications of Overseers
3 This is a faithful saying: If a man desires the position of a [a]bishop, he desires a good work. 2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach; 3 not [b]given to wine, not violent, [c]not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not [d]covetous; 4 one who rules his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence 5 (for if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?); 6 not a [e]novice, lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the same condemnation as the devil. 7 Moreover he must have a good testimony among those who are outside, lest he fall into reproach and the (A)snare of the devil.
Qualifications of Deacons
8 Likewise deacons must be reverent, not double-tongued, (B)not given to much wine, not greedy for money, 9 holding the [f]mystery of the faith with a pure conscience. 10 But let these also first be tested; then let them serve as deacons, being found blameless. 11 Likewise, their wives must be reverent, not [g]slanderers, temperate, faithful in all things. 12 Let deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well. 13 For those who have served well as deacons (C)obtain for themselves a good standing and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.
The Great Mystery
14 These things I write to you, though I hope to come to you shortly; 15 but if I am delayed, I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and [h]ground of the truth. 16 And without controversy great is the [i]mystery of godliness:
(D)God[j] was manifested in the flesh,
(E)Justified in the Spirit,
(F)Seen by angels,
(G)Preached among the Gentiles,
(H)Believed on in the world,
(I)Received up in glory.
Footnotes
- 1 Timothy 3:1 Lit. overseer
- 1 Timothy 3:3 addicted
- 1 Timothy 3:3 NU omits not greedy for money
- 1 Timothy 3:3 loving money
- 1 Timothy 3:6 new convert
- 1 Timothy 3:9 hidden truth
- 1 Timothy 3:11 malicious gossips
- 1 Timothy 3:15 foundation, mainstay
- 1 Timothy 3:16 hidden truth
- 1 Timothy 3:16 NU Who
1 Timothy 3
Authorized (King James) Version
3 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 Timoteo 3
Reina-Valera Antigua
3 PALABRA fiel: Si alguno apetece obispado, buena obra desea.
2 Conviene, pues, que el obispo sea irreprensible, marido de una mujer, solícito, templado, compuesto, hospedador, apto para enseñar;
3 No amador del vino, no heridor, no codicioso de torpes ganancias, sino moderado, no litigioso, ajeno de avaricia;
4 Que gobierne bien su casa, que tenga sus hijos en sujeción con toda honestidad;
5 (Porque el que no sabe gobernar su casa, ¿cómo cuidará de la iglesia de Dios?)
6 No un neófito, porque inflándose no caiga en juicio del diablo.
7 También conviene que tenga buen testimonio de los extraños, porque no caiga en afrenta y en lazo del diablo.
8 Los diáconos asimismo, deben ser honestos, no bilingües, no dados á mucho vino, no amadores de torpes ganancias;
9 Que tengan el misterio de la fe con limpia conciencia.
10 Y éstos también sean antes probados; y así ministren, si fueren sin crimen.
11 Las mujeres asimismo, honestas, no detractoras, templadas, fieles en todo.
12 Los diáconos sean maridos de una mujer, que gobiernen bien sus hijos y sus casas.
13 Porque los que bien ministraren, ganan para sí buen grado, y mucha confianza en la fe que es en Cristo Jesús.
14 Esto te escribo con esperanza que iré presto á ti:
15 Y si no fuere tan presto, para que sepas cómo te conviene conversar en la casa de Dios, que es la iglesia del Dios vivo, columna y apoyo de la verdad.
16 Y sin cotradicción, grande es el misterio de la piedad: Dios ha sido manifestado en carne; ha sido justificado con el Espíritu; ha sido visto de los ángeles; ha sido predicado á los Gentiles; ha sido creído en el mundo; ha sido recibido en gloria.
The Holy Bible, Modern English Version. Copyright © 2014 by Military Bible Association. Published and distributed by Charisma House.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
KJV reproduced by permission of Cambridge University Press, the Crown’s patentee in the UK.