1 Timothy 3

Legacy Standard Bible

Overseers and Deacons

3 ^(A)It is a trustworthy saying: if any man aspires to the ^(B)office of ^[a]overseer, he desires a good work. ²^[b]^(C)An overseer, then, must be above reproach, ^(D)the husband of one wife, ^(E)temperate, sensible, respectable, ^(F)hospitable, ^(G)able to teach, ³^(H)not addicted to wine ^[c]or pugnacious, but considerate, peaceable, ^(I)free from the love of money; ⁴^(J)leading his own household well, having his children in submission with all dignity ⁵(but if a man does not know how to lead his own household, how will he take care of ^(K)the church of God?), ⁶and not a new convert, so that he will not become ^(L)conceited and fall into the ^(M)condemnation of the devil. ⁷And he must ^(N)have a good reputation with ^(O)those outside the church, so that he will not fall into reproach and ^(P)the snare of the devil.

⁸^(Q)Deacons likewise must be dignified, not ^[d]double-tongued, ^(R)not indulging in much wine, ^(S)not fond of dishonest gain, ⁹^(T)but holding to the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. ¹⁰^(U)And these men must also first be tested; then let them serve as deacons if they are beyond reproach. ¹¹^[e]Women must likewise be dignified, ^(V)not malicious gossips, but ^(W)temperate, faithful in all things. ¹²^(X)Deacons must be ^(Y)husbands of only one wife, ^(Z)leading their children and their own households well. ¹³For those who have served well as deacons ^(AA)obtain for themselves a ^[f]high standing and great boldness in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.

¹⁴I am writing these things to you, hoping to come to you soon, ¹⁵but ^[g]in case I am delayed, I write so that you will know how ^[h]one ought to conduct himself in ^(AB)the household of God, which is the ^(AC)church of ^(AD)the living God, the ^(AE)pillar and support of the truth. ¹⁶And by common confession, great is ^(AF)the mystery of godliness:

He who was ^(AG)manifested in the flesh,
Was ^[i]^(AH)vindicated ^[j]in the Spirit,
^(AI)Seen by angels,
^(AJ)Proclaimed among the nations,
^(AK)Believed on in the world,
^(AL)Taken up in glory.

Footnotes

1 Timothy 3:1 Or bishop
1 Timothy 3:2 Lit The
1 Timothy 3:3 Lit not
1 Timothy 3:8 Or given to double-talk
1 Timothy 3:11 Either deacons’ wives or deaconesses
1 Timothy 3:13 Lit good
1 Timothy 3:15 Lit if I delay
1 Timothy 3:15 Or you ought to conduct yourself
1 Timothy 3:16 Or justified
1 Timothy 3:16 Or by

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. ²An overseer then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, sober, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach; ³not given to drunkenness, not violent, not greedy for money, but patient, not argumentative, not covetous; ⁴and one who manages his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence. ⁵For if a man does not know how to manage his own house, how will he take care of the church of God? ⁶He must not be newly converted, so that he does not become prideful and fall into the condemnation of the devil. ⁷Moreover 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

⁸Likewise deacons must be serious, not insincere, not given to much wine, not greedy, ⁹keeping the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience. ¹⁰And let them first be tested; then, being found blameless, let them serve as deacons.

¹¹Likewise, their wives must be serious, not slanderers, sober, and faithful in all things.

¹²Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, managing their children and their own houses well. ¹³For 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

¹⁴I am writing these things to you, hoping to come to you shortly, ¹⁵but 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. ¹⁶Without 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.

Legacy Standard Bible (LSB)

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Modern English Version (MEV)

1 Timothy 3 Legacy Standard Bible