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Overseers and Deacons

(A)It is a trustworthy saying: if any man aspires to the (B)office of [a]overseer, he desires a good work. [b](C)An overseer, then, must be above reproach, (D)the husband of one wife, (E)temperate, sensible, respectable, (F)hospitable, (G)able to teach, (H)not addicted to wine [c]or pugnacious, but considerate, peaceable, (I)free from the love of money; (J)leading his own household well, having his children in submission with all dignity (but if a man does not know how to lead his own household, how will he take care of (K)the church of God?), and not a new convert, so that he will not become (L)conceited and fall into the (M)condemnation of the devil. 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.

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Timothy 3:1 Or bishop
  2. 1 Timothy 3:2 Lit The
  3. 1 Timothy 3:3 Lit not

Qualifications for Overseers and Deacons

This saying is trustworthy:(A) “If anyone aspires to be an overseer,[a](B) he desires a noble work.” An overseer,(C) therefore, must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, self-controlled, sensible,(D) respectable, hospitable,(E) able to teach, not an excessive drinker, not a bully but gentle, not quarrelsome, not greedy.(F) He must manage his own household competently and have his children under control with all dignity. (If anyone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he take care of God’s church?) He must not be a new convert, or he might become conceited and incur the same condemnation as the devil.(G) Furthermore, he must have a good reputation among outsiders, so that he does not fall into disgrace and the devil’s(H) trap.

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Footnotes

  1. 3:1 Or bishop, or pastor