I Timothy 3

1. Faithful is the saying, “If any man aspires to be an overseer, he desires a good work.”

2. Now then, it is obligatory that the overseer be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, serious-minded, respectable, hospitable, skillful in teaching;

3. Not given to much wine, not a bully, not greedy for selfish gain; but kind, not a quarreler, not a lover of money;

4. One who rules his own house well, having his children in subjection with all respect;

5. (For if a man does not know how to rule his own household, how will he take care of the church of God?)

6. Not a novice, lest he become conceited and fall into the same condemnation as the devil.

7. It is mandatory that he also have a good report from those who are outside the church, lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.

8. In the same way also, the deacons who serve must be serious-minded, not hypocritical, not given to much wine, not greedy for selfish gain;

9. Holding the mystery of the faith with a pure conscience.

10. And let those who meet the qualifications also be proved first; then let them be appointed to serve, if they are found to be blameless.

11. In the same way also, their wives must be serious-minded, not slanderers, sober and faithful in all things.

12. Let the deacons be husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own households well.

13. For those who have served well acquire for themselves a good standing and much confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.

14. These things I am writing to you, hoping to come to you shortly;

15. But if I should delay, you have these things in writing, so that you may know how one is obligated to conduct oneself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth.

16. And undeniably, great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh, was justified in the Spirit, was seen by angels, was proclaimed among the Gentiles, was believed on in the world, was received up in glory.