1 Timothy 3
New American Standard Bible 1995
Overseers and Deacons
3 (A)It is a trustworthy statement: if any man aspires to the (B)office of [a]overseer, it is a fine work he desires to do. 2 [b](C)An overseer, then, must be above reproach, (D)the husband of one wife, (E)temperate, prudent, respectable, (F)hospitable, (G)able to teach, 3 (H)not addicted to wine [c]or pugnacious, but gentle, peaceable, (I)free from the love of money. 4 He must be one who (J)manages his own household well, keeping his children under control with all dignity 5 (but if a man does not know how to manage his own household, how will he take care of (K)the church of God?), 6 and not a new convert, so that he will not become (L)conceited and fall into the (M)condemnation [d]incurred by the devil. 7 And 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 men of dignity, not [e]double-tongued, [f](R)or addicted to much wine [g](S)or fond of sordid gain, 9 (T)but holding to the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. 10 (U)These men must also first be tested; then let them serve as deacons if they are beyond reproach. 11 [h]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, and [i](Z)good managers of their children and their own households. 13 For those who have served well as deacons (AA)obtain for themselves a [j]high standing and great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.
14 I am writing these things to you, hoping to come to you before long; 15 but [k]in case I am delayed, I write so that you will know how [l]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. 16 By common confession, great is (AF)the mystery of godliness:
He who was (AG)revealed in the flesh,
Was [m](AH)vindicated [n]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 3:6 Lit of the devil
- 1 Timothy 3:8 Or given to double-talk
- 1 Timothy 3:8 Lit not
- 1 Timothy 3:8 Lit not
- 1 Timothy 3:11 I.e. either deacons’ wives or deaconesses
- 1 Timothy 3:12 Lit managing well
- 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
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!
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
