Qualifications of Overseers

This is a faithful saying: If a man desires the position of a [a]bishop, he desires a good work. A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach; not [b]given to wine, not violent, [c]not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not [d]covetous; one who rules his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence (for if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?); not a [e]novice, lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the same condemnation as the devil. 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

Likewise deacons must be reverent, not double-tongued, (B)not given to much wine, not greedy for money, 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. 1 Timothy 3:1 Lit. overseer
  2. 1 Timothy 3:3 addicted
  3. 1 Timothy 3:3 NU omits not greedy for money
  4. 1 Timothy 3:3 loving money
  5. 1 Timothy 3:6 new convert
  6. 1 Timothy 3:9 hidden truth
  7. 1 Timothy 3:11 malicious gossips
  8. 1 Timothy 3:15 foundation, mainstay
  9. 1 Timothy 3:16 hidden truth
  10. 1 Timothy 3:16 NU Who

Изисквания към епископите и дяконите

(A)Вярно е това слово: Ако поиска някой епископство, добро дело желае.

(B)Обаче епископът трябва да бъде непорочен, мъж на една жена, самообладан, разбран, порядъчен, гостоприемен, способен да поучава,

(C)не пристрастен към виното, не побойник, а кротък, не препирлив, не сребролюбец;

(D)който управлява добре своя собствен дом и държи децата си в послушание с пълна сериозност

(защото ако човек не знае да управлява своя собствен дом, как ще се грижи за Божията църква?);

(E)да не е нов във вярата, за да не се възгордее и падне под същото осъждане като дявола.

(F)Освен това той трябва да се ползва с добри отзиви и от външните, за да не падне в укор и в примката на дявола.

(G)Така и дяконите трябва да бъдат сериозни, не двулични, да не са пристрастени към много вино, да не бъдат лакоми за гнусна печалба,

(H)да държат с чиста съвест тайната на вярата.

10 Също и те първо да се изпитват и после да стават дякони, ако са непорочни.

11 (I)Така и жените им трябва да бъдат сериозни, не клеветници, самообладани, верни във всичко.

12 Дяконите да бъдат мъже всеки на една жена и да управляват добре децата си и домовете си.

13 (J)Защото тези, които са служили добре като дякони, придобиват за себе си добро положение и голямо дръзновение във вярата на Христос Исус.

Тайнството на вярата

14 Надявам се скоро да дойда при тебе; но това ти пиша

15 (K)в случай, че закъснея, за да знаеш как трябва да се държат хората в Божия дом, който е църква на живия Бог, стълб и опора на истината.

16 (L)И без противоречие – велика е тайната на благочестието: Този,

„Който бе явен в плът,
потвърден чрез Духа,
видян от ангели,
проповядван между народите,
повярван в света,
възнесен в слава“.

Leaders in the Church

What I say is true: If anyone wants to become an overseer, he is wanting a good work. An overseer must be so good that people cannot rightly criticize him. He must have only one wife. He must have self-control and be wise. He must be respected by other people and must be ready to help people by accepting them into his home. He must be a good teacher. He must not drink too much wine, and he must not be a man who likes to fight. He must be gentle and peaceful. He must not love money. He must be a good leader of his own family so that his children obey him with full respect. (If a man does not know how to be a leader over his own family, he will not be able to take care of God’s church.) But an elder must not be a new believer. A new believer might be too proud of himself. Then he would be judged guilty for his pride just as the devil was. An elder must also have the respect of people who are not in the church. Then he will not be criticized by others and caught in the devil’s trap.

Helpers in the Church

In the same way, deacons must be men that people can respect. They must not say things they do not mean. They must not use their time drinking too much wine, and they must not be men who are always trying to get rich by cheating others. They must follow the faith that God made known to us and always do what they know is right. 10 You should test those men first. If you find nothing wrong in them, then they can serve as deacons. 11 In the same way, the women[a] must have the respect of other people. They must not be women who repeat evil gossip about other people. They must have self-control and be women who can be trusted in everything. 12 Deacons must have only one wife. They must be good leaders of their children and their own families. 13 Those who serve well as deacons are making an honorable place for themselves. And they will feel very sure of their faith in Christ Jesus.

The Secret of Our Life

14 I hope I can come to you soon. But I am writing these things to you now. 15 Then, even if I cannot come soon, you will know about the things that people must do in the family of God. That family is the church of the living God, the support and foundation of the truth. 16 Without doubt, the secret of our life of worship is great:

He[b] was shown to us in a human body,
    proved right by the Spirit,
and seen by angels.
    He was preached to the nations,
believed in by the world,
    and taken to heaven in glory.

Footnotes

  1. 3:11 women This might mean the wives of the deacons, or it might mean women who serve in the same way as deacons.
  2. 3:16 He Some Greek copies read “God.”

This is a true saying, if a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.

A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;

Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;

One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity;

(For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)

Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.

Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.

Likewise must the deacons be grave, not doubletongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre;

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.