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A church leader[a] is a manager of God’s household, so he must live a blameless life. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered; he must not be a heavy drinker,[b] violent, or dishonest with money.

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Footnotes

  1. 1:7a Or An overseer, or A bishop.
  2. 1:7b Greek must not drink too much wine.

Since an overseer(A) manages God’s household,(B) he must be blameless—not overbearing, not quick-tempered, not given to drunkenness, not violent, not pursuing dishonest gain.(C)

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10 He is especially hard on those who follow their own twisted sexual desire, and who despise authority.

These people are proud and arrogant, daring even to scoff at supernatural beings[a] without so much as trembling.

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Footnotes

  1. 2:10 Greek at glorious ones, which are probably evil angels.

10 This is especially true of those who follow the corrupt desire(A) of the flesh[a] and despise authority.

Bold and arrogant, they are not afraid to heap abuse on celestial beings;(B)

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Peter 2:10 In contexts like this, the Greek word for flesh (sarx) refers to the sinful state of human beings, often presented as a power in opposition to the Spirit; also in verse 18.

18 Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit,

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18 Do not get drunk on wine,(A) which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit,(B)

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Care for the flock that God has entrusted to you. Watch over it willingly, not grudgingly—not for what you will get out of it, but because you are eager to serve God.

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Be shepherds of God’s flock(A) that is under your care, watching over them—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be;(B) not pursuing dishonest gain,(C) but eager to serve;

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10 God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another.

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10 Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others,(A) as faithful(B) stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.

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Listening and Doing

19 Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. 20 Human anger[a] does not produce the righteousness[b] God desires.

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Footnotes

  1. 1:20a Greek A man’s anger.
  2. 1:20b Or the justice.

Listening and Doing

19 My dear brothers and sisters,(A) take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak(B) and slow to become angry, 20 because human anger(C) does not produce the righteousness that God desires.

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42 And the Lord replied, “A faithful, sensible servant is one to whom the master can give the responsibility of managing his other household servants and feeding them.

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42 The Lord(A) answered, “Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom the master puts in charge of his servants to give them their food allowance at the proper time?

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24 A servant of the Lord must not quarrel but must be kind to everyone, be able to teach, and be patient with difficult people. 25 Gently instruct those who oppose the truth. Perhaps God will change those people’s hearts, and they will learn the truth.

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24 And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful.(A) 25 Opponents must be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth,(B)

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Now, however, Israel is led by drunks
    who reel with wine and stagger with alcohol.
The priests and prophets stagger with alcohol
    and lose themselves in wine.
They reel when they see visions
    and stagger as they render decisions.

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And these also stagger(A) from wine(B)
    and reel(C) from beer:
Priests(D) and prophets(E) stagger from beer
    and are befuddled with wine;
they reel from beer,
    they stagger when seeing visions,(F)
    they stumble when rendering decisions.

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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.

In the same way, deacons must be well respected and have integrity. They must not be heavy drinkers or dishonest with money. They must be committed to the mystery of the faith now revealed and must live with a clear conscience. 10 Before they are appointed as deacons, let them be closely examined. If they pass the test, then let them serve as deacons.

11 In the same way, their wives[e] must be respected and must not slander others. They must exercise self-control and be faithful in everything they do.

12 A deacon must be faithful to his wife, and he must manage his children and household well. 13 Those who do well as deacons will be rewarded with respect from others and will have increased confidence in their faith in Christ Jesus.

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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.
  5. 3:11 Or the women deacons. The Greek word can be translated women or wives.

Qualifications for Overseers and Deacons

Here is a trustworthy saying:(A) Whoever aspires to be an overseer(B) desires a noble task. Now the overseer is to be above reproach,(C) faithful to his wife,(D) temperate,(E) self-controlled, respectable, hospitable,(F) able to teach,(G) not given to drunkenness,(H) not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome,(I) not a lover of money.(J) He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him, and he must do so in a manner worthy of full[a] respect.(K) (If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God’s church?)(L) He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited(M) and fall under the same judgment(N) as the devil. He must also have a good reputation with outsiders,(O) so that he will not fall into disgrace and into the devil’s trap.(P)

In the same way, deacons[b](Q) are to be worthy of respect, sincere, not indulging in much wine,(R) and not pursuing dishonest gain. They must keep hold of the deep truths of the faith with a clear conscience.(S) 10 They must first be tested;(T) and then if there is nothing against them, let them serve as deacons.

11 In the same way, the women[c] are to be worthy of respect, not malicious talkers(U) but temperate(V) and trustworthy in everything.

12 A deacon must be faithful to his wife(W) and must manage his children and his household well.(X) 13 Those who have served well gain an excellent standing and great assurance in their faith in Christ Jesus.

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Timothy 3:4 Or him with proper
  2. 1 Timothy 3:8 The word deacons refers here to Christians designated to serve with the overseers/elders of the church in a variety of ways; similarly in verse 12; and in Romans 16:1 and Phil. 1:1.
  3. 1 Timothy 3:11 Possibly deacons’ wives or women who are deacons

21 The priests must not drink wine before entering the inner courtyard.

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21 No priest is to drink wine when he enters the inner court.(A)

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10 For the leaders of my people—
    the Lord’s watchmen, his shepherds—
    are blind and ignorant.
They are like silent watchdogs
    that give no warning when danger comes.
They love to lie around, sleeping and dreaming.
11     Like greedy dogs, they are never satisfied.
They are ignorant shepherds,
    all following their own path
    and intent on personal gain.
12 “Come,” they say, “let’s get some wine and have a party.
    Let’s all get drunk.
Then tomorrow we’ll do it again
    and have an even bigger party!”

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10 Israel’s watchmen(A) are blind,
    they all lack knowledge;(B)
they are all mute dogs,
    they cannot bark;
they lie around and dream,
    they love to sleep.(C)
11 They are dogs with mighty appetites;
    they never have enough.
They are shepherds(D) who lack understanding;(E)
    they all turn to their own way,(F)
    they seek their own gain.(G)
12 “Come,” each one cries, “let me get wine!(H)
    Let us drink our fill of beer!
And tomorrow will be like today,
    or even far better.”(I)

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18 A hot-tempered person starts fights;
    a cool-tempered person stops them.

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18 A hot-tempered person stirs up conflict,(A)
    but the one who is patient calms a quarrel.(B)

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