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Leaders in the Church

This is a trustworthy saying: “If someone aspires to be a church leader,[a] he desires an honorable position.” So a church leader must be a man whose life is above reproach. He must be faithful to his wife.[b] He must exercise self-control, live wisely, and have a good reputation. He must enjoy having guests in his home, and he must be able to teach. He must not be a heavy drinker[c] or be violent. He must be gentle, not quarrelsome, and not love money. He must manage his own family well, having children who respect and obey him. For if a man cannot manage his own household, how can he take care of God’s church?

A church leader must not be a new believer, because he might become proud, and the devil would cause him to fall.[d] Also, people outside the church must speak well of him so that he will not be disgraced and fall into the devil’s trap.

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Footnotes

  1. 3:1 Or an overseer, or a bishop; also in 3:2, 6.
  2. 3:2 Or must have only one wife, or must be married only once; Greek reads must be the husband of one wife; also in 3:12.
  3. 3:3 Greek must not drink too much wine; similarly in 3:8.
  4. 3:6 Or he might fall into the same judgment as the devil.

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