1 Timothy 3

Williams^{(i) 1} This is a saying to be trusted: "Whoever aspires to the office of pastor desires an excellent work." ² So the pastor must be a man above reproach, must have only one wife, must be temperate, sensible, well-behaved, hospitable, skillful in teaching; ³ not addicted to strong drink, not pugnacious, gentle and not contentious, not avaricious, ⁴ managing his own house well, with perfect seriousness keeping his children under control ⁵ (if a man does not know how to manage his own house, how can he take care of a church of God?). ⁶ He must not be a new convert, or else becoming conceited he may incur the doom the devil met. ⁷ He must also have a good reputation with outsiders, or else he may incur reproach and fall into the devil's trap. ⁸ Deacons, too, must be serious, sincere in their talk, not addicted to strong drink or dishonest gain, ⁹ but they must continue to hold the open secret of faith with a clear conscience. ¹⁰ They, too, should first be tested till approved, and then, if they are found above reproach, they should serve as deacons. ¹¹ The deaconesses too must be serious, not gossips; they must be temperate and perfectly trustworthy. ¹² A deacon too must have only one wife, and manage his children and household well. ¹³ For those who render good service win a good standing for themselves in their faith in Christ Jesus. ¹⁴ Though I hope to come to you soon, I am writing you this, ¹⁵ so that, if I am detained, you may know how people ought to conduct themselves in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth. ¹⁶ Undoubtedly the mystery of our religion is a great wonder: "He was made visible in human form; He was vindicated by the Spirit; He was seen by angels; He was proclaimed among the heathen; He was trusted in throughout the world; He was taken up to glory."