Qualifications of Elders

⁵ For this reason I left you behind in Crete, so that you would set right what remains unfinished, and appoint ^[a]elders in every city as I directed you, ⁶ namely, a man of unquestionable integrity, the husband of one wife, having children who believe, not accused of being immoral or rebellious. ⁷ For the ^[b]overseer, as God’s steward, must be blameless, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not addicted to wine, not violent, not greedy for dishonest gain [but financially ethical]. ⁸ And he must be hospitable [to believers, as well as strangers], a lover of what is good, sensible (upright), fair, devout, self-disciplined [above reproach—whether in public or in private]. ⁹ He must hold firmly to the trustworthy word [of God] as it was taught to him, so that he will be able both to give accurate instruction in sound [reliable, error-free] doctrine and to refute those who contradict [it by explaining their error].