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Guidelines for Leaders in the Church

This is a statement that can be trusted: If anyone sets his heart on being a bishop,[a] he desires something excellent. A bishop must have a good reputation. He must have only one wife, be sober, use good judgment, be respectable, be hospitable, and be able to teach. He must not drink excessively or be a violent person, but he must be gentle. He must not be quarrelsome or love money. He must manage his own family well. His children should respectfully obey him. (If a man doesn’t know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God’s church?) He must not be a new Christian, or he might become arrogant like the devil and be condemned. People who are not Christians must speak well of him, or he might become the victim of disgraceful insults that the devil sets as traps for him.

Deacons[b] must also be of good character. They must not be two-faced or addicted to alcohol. They must not use shameful ways to make money. They must have clear consciences about possessing the mystery of the Christian faith. 10 First, a person must be evaluated. Then, if he has a good reputation, he may become a deacon.

11 Their wives must also be of good character. They must not be gossips, but they must control their tempers and be trustworthy in every way.

12 A deacon must have only one wife. Deacons must manage their children and their families well. 13 Those deacons who serve well gain an excellent reputation and will have confidence as a result of their faith in Christ Yeshua.

14 I hope to visit you soon. However, I’m writing this to you 15 in case I’m delayed. I want you to know how people who are members of God’s family must live. God’s family is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth.

16 The mystery that gives us our reverence for God is acknowledged to be great:

He[c] appeared in his human nature,
    was approved by the Spirit,
    was seen by angels,
    was announced throughout the nations,
    was believed in the world,
        and was taken to heaven in glory.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Timothy 3:1 English equivalent difficult.
  2. 1 Timothy 3:8 English equivalent difficult.
  3. 1 Timothy 3:16 Some manuscripts read “God.”

This is a faithful saying: someone who seeks to be an overseer[a] desires a good work. The overseer therefore must be without reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, sensible, modest, hospitable, good at teaching; not a drinker, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous; one who rules his own house well, having children in subjection with all reverence; (for how could someone who doesn’t know how to rule his own house take care of God’s assembly?) not a new convert, lest being puffed up he fall into the same condemnation as the devil. Moreover he must have good testimony from those who are outside, to avoid falling into reproach and the snare of the devil.

Servants,[b] in the same way, must be reverent, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for money, holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience. 10 Let them also first be tested; then let them serve[c] if they are blameless. 11 Their wives in the same way must be reverent, not slanderers, temperate, and faithful in all things. 12 Let servants[d] be husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well. 13 For those who have served well[e] gain for themselves a good standing and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.

14 These things I write to you, hoping to come to you shortly, 15 but if I wait long, that you may know how men ought to behave themselves in God’s house, which is the assembly of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth. 16 Without controversy, the mystery of godliness is great:

God[f] was revealed in the flesh,
justified in the spirit,
seen by angels,
preached among the nations,
believed on in the world,
and received up in glory.

Footnotes

  1. 3:1 or, superintendent, or bishop
  2. 3:8 or, Deacons.
  3. 3:10 or, serve as deacons
  4. 3:12 or, deacons
  5. 3:13 or, served well as deacons
  6. 3:16 NU replaces “God” with “who”

Qualifications for Overseers and Deacons

Here is a trustworthy saying:(A) Whoever aspires to be an overseer(B) desires a noble task. Now the overseer is to be above reproach,(C) faithful to his wife,(D) temperate,(E) self-controlled, respectable, hospitable,(F) able to teach,(G) not given to drunkenness,(H) not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome,(I) not a lover of money.(J) He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him, and he must do so in a manner worthy of full[a] respect.(K) (If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God’s church?)(L) He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited(M) and fall under the same judgment(N) as the devil. He must also have a good reputation with outsiders,(O) so that he will not fall into disgrace and into the devil’s trap.(P)

In the same way, deacons[b](Q) are to be worthy of respect, sincere, not indulging in much wine,(R) and not pursuing dishonest gain. They must keep hold of the deep truths of the faith with a clear conscience.(S) 10 They must first be tested;(T) and then if there is nothing against them, let them serve as deacons.

11 In the same way, the women[c] are to be worthy of respect, not malicious talkers(U) but temperate(V) and trustworthy in everything.

12 A deacon must be faithful to his wife(W) and must manage his children and his household well.(X) 13 Those who have served well gain an excellent standing and great assurance in their faith in Christ Jesus.

Reasons for Paul’s Instructions

14 Although I hope to come to you soon, I am writing you these instructions so that, 15 if I am delayed, you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in God’s household, which is the church(Y) of the living God,(Z) the pillar and foundation of the truth. 16 Beyond all question, the mystery(AA) from which true godliness(AB) springs is great:

He appeared in the flesh,(AC)
    was vindicated by the Spirit,[d]
was seen by angels,
    was preached among the nations,(AD)
was believed on in the world,
    was taken up in glory.(AE)

Footnotes

  1. 1 Timothy 3:4 Or him with proper
  2. 1 Timothy 3:8 The word deacons refers here to Christians designated to serve with the overseers/elders of the church in a variety of ways; similarly in verse 12; and in Romans 16:1 and Phil. 1:1.
  3. 1 Timothy 3:11 Possibly deacons’ wives or women who are deacons
  4. 1 Timothy 3:16 Or vindicated in spirit

Ang mga Tagapangasiwa sa Iglesya

Totoo ang pahayag na ito: Ang sinumang nagnanais na maging tagapangasiwa[a] sa iglesya ay naghahangad ng mabuting gawain. Kaya(A) nga, ang isang tagapangasiwa ay kailangang walang kapintasan; isa lamang ang asawa,[b] matino ang pag-iisip, marunong magpigil sa sarili, kagalang-galang, bukás ang tahanan sa iba, at may kakayahang magturo. Dapat hindi siya lasenggo, hindi marahas kundi mahinahon; hindi mahilig makipag-away at hindi maibigin sa salapi. Dapat mahusay siyang mamahala sa sariling pamilya, iginagalang at sinusunod ng kanyang mga anak. Sapagkat paano siyang makakapangasiwa nang maayos sa iglesya ng Diyos kung hindi niya mapamahalaan ang sarili niyang pamilya? Hindi siya dapat isang baguhang mananampalataya; baka siya'y maging palalo at mahatulan na gaya ng diyablo. Bukod dito, kailangang mabuti ang pagkakilala sa kanya ng mga hindi sumasampalataya upang hindi siya mapintasan at hindi mahulog sa bitag ng diyablo.

Ang mga Tagapaglingkod sa Iglesya

Ang mga tagapaglingkod[c] naman ay dapat ding maging kagalang-galang, tapat mangusap, hindi lasenggo at hindi sakim sa salapi. Kailangang sila'y tapat sa pananampalataya na ating ipinapahayag, at may malinis na budhi. 10 Kailangang subukin muna sila, at kung mapatunayang sila'y karapat-dapat, saka sila gawing mga tagapaglingkod.

11 Gayundin naman, ang kanilang mga asawa[d] ay dapat maging kagalang-galang, hindi mapanirang-puri, mapagtimpi at tapat sa lahat ng mga bagay.

12 Ang mga tagapaglingkod sa iglesya ay dapat isa lamang ang asawa[e] at maayos mangasiwa sa kanilang mga anak at sambahayan. 13 Ang mga tagapaglingkod na tapat sa tungkulin ay nagkakamit ng paggalang ng mga tao at nagkakaroon ng malaking tiwala dahil sa pananampalataya kay Cristo Jesus.

Ang Hiwaga ng Ating Relihiyon

14 Umaasa akong magkikita tayo sa lalong madaling panahon, ngunit isinulat ko ang mga ito 15 upang kung hindi man ako makarating agad ay malaman mo kung ano ang dapat na maging ugali ng mga tao sa sambahayan ng Diyos na buháy, sa iglesya na haligi at saligan ng katotohanan. 16 Hindi maikakaila na napakadakila ng hiwaga ng ating relihiyon:

Siya'y[f] nahayag sa anyong tao,
    pinatunayang matuwid ng Espiritu,[g] at nakita ng mga anghel.
Ipinangaral sa mga bansa,
    pinaniwalaan sa sanlibutan, at itinaas sa kaluwalhatian.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Timoteo 3:1 tagapangasiwa: o kaya'y obispo .
  2. 1 Timoteo 3:2 isa lamang ang asawa: o kaya'y minsan lang nag-asawa .
  3. 1 Timoteo 3:8 tagapaglingkod: o kaya'y diakono .
  4. 1 Timoteo 3:11 kanilang mga asawa: o kaya'y mga babae .
  5. 1 Timoteo 3:12 isa lamang ang asawa: o kaya'y minsan lang nag-asawa .
  6. 1 Timoteo 3:16 Siya'y: Sa ibang matatandang manuskrito'y Ang Diyos ay .
  7. 1 Timoteo 3:16 pinatunayang matuwid ng Espiritu: o kaya'y pinatunayang matuwid sa espiritu .

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.