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
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!
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
