1 Timothy, 3

1. Here is a saying that you can rely on: to want to be a presiding elder is to desire a noble task.

1. The saying is sure: If any one aspires to the office of bishop, he desires a noble task.

2. That is why the presiding elder must have an impeccable character. Husband of one wife, he must be temperate, discreet and courteous, hospitable and a good teacher;

2. Now a bishop must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, sensible, dignified, hospitable, an apt teacher,

3. not a heavy drinker, nor hot-tempered, but gentle and peaceable, not avaricious,

3. no drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, and no lover of money.

4. a man who manages his own household well and brings his children up to obey him and be well-behaved:

4. He must manage his own household well, keeping his children submissive and respectful in every way;

5. how can any man who does not understand how to manage his own household take care of the Church of God?

5. for if a man does not know how to manage his own household, how can he care for God's church?

6. He should not be a new convert, in case pride should turn his head and he incur the same condemnation as the devil.

6. He must not be a recent convert, or he may be puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil;

7. It is also necessary that he be held in good repute by outsiders, so that he never falls into disrepute and into the devil's trap.

7. moreover he must be well thought of by outsiders, or he may fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.

8. Similarly, deacons must be respectable, not double-tongued, moderate in the amount of wine they drink and with no squalid greed for money.

8. Deacons likewise must be serious, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for gain;

9. They must hold to the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience.

9. they must hold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience.

10. They are first to be examined, and admitted to serve as deacons only if there is nothing against them.

10. And let them also be tested first; then if they prove themselves blameless let them serve as deacons.

11. Similarly, women must be respectable, not gossips, but sober and wholly reliable.

11. The women likewise must be serious, no slanderers, but temperate, faithful in all things.

12. Deacons must be husbands of one wife and must be people who manage their children and households well.

12. Let deacons be the husband of one wife, and let them manage their children and their households well;

13. Those of them who carry out their duties well as deacons will earn a high standing for themselves and an authoritative voice in matters concerning faith in Christ Jesus.

13. for those who serve well as deacons gain a good standing for themselves and also great confidence in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.

14. I write this to you in the hope that I may be able to come to you soon;

14. I hope to come to you soon, but I am writing these instructions to you so that,

15. but in case I should be delayed, I want you to know how people ought to behave in God's household -- that is, in the Church of the living God, pillar and support of the truth.

15. if I am delayed, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and bulwark of the truth.

16. Without any doubt, the mystery of our religion is very deep indeed: He was made visible in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed to the gentiles, believed in throughout the world, taken up in glory.

16. Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of our religion: He was manifested in the flesh, vindicated in the Spirit, seen by angels, preached among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory.