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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; (but how could someone who doesn’t know how to rule one’s 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.

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Footnotes

  1. 3:1 or, superintendent, or bishop

Qualifications for Leaders in the Church

This is a trustworthy saying:[a]

The one who would an elder be,
a noble task desires he.

Therefore, an elder must be blameless, the husband of one wife,[b] stable, sensible, respectable, hospitable to strangers, and teachable.[c] He must not drink excessively or be a violent person, but instead be gentle. He must not be argumentative or love money. He must manage his own family well and have children who are submissive and respectful in every way. For if a man does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God’s church? He must not be a recent convert, so that he won’t become arrogant and fall into the Devil’s condemnation. He must be well thought of by outsiders, so he doesn’t[d] fall into disgrace and the trap set for him by[e] the Devil.

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Timothy 3:1 This formula accompanied early Christian sayings on which full reliance could be placed.
  2. 1 Timothy 3:2 Or devoted to his wife; lit. a man of one woman
  3. 1 Timothy 3:2 Or able to teach
  4. 1 Timothy 3:7 Lit. outsiders, lest he
  5. 1 Timothy 3:7 Lit. the trap of