1 T he saying is true and irrefutable: If any man seeks the office of bishop (superintendent, overseer), he desires an excellent task (work).

Stedfast the word: If any one the oversight doth long for, a right work he desireth;

2 N ow a bishop (superintendent, overseer) must give no grounds for accusation but must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, circumspect and temperate and self-controlled; sensible and well behaved and dignified and lead an orderly (disciplined) life; hospitable a capable and qualified teacher,

it behoveth, therefore, the overseer to be blameless, of one wife a husband, vigilant, sober, decent, a friend of strangers, apt to teach,

3 N ot given to wine, not combative but gentle and considerate, not quarrelsome but forbearing and peaceable, and not a lover of money.

not given to wine, not a striker, not given to filthy lucre, but gentle, not contentious, not a lover of money,

4 H e must rule his own household well, keeping his children under control, with true dignity, commanding their respect in every way and keeping them respectful.

his own house leading well, having children in subjection with all gravity,

5 F or if a man does not know how to rule his own household, how is he to take care of the church of God?

(and if any one his own house to lead hath not known, how an assembly of God shall he take care of?)

6 H e must not be a new convert, or he may as the result of pride fall into the condemnation that the devil did.

not a new convert, lest having been puffed up he may fall to a judgment of the devil;

7 F urthermore, he must have a good reputation and be well thought of by those outside, lest he become involved in slander and incur reproach and fall into the devil’s trap.

and it behoveth him also to have a good testimony from those without, that he may not fall into reproach and a snare of the devil.

8 I n like manner the deacons worthy of respect, not shifty and double-talkers but sincere in what they say, not given to much wine, not greedy for base gain.

Ministrants -- in like manner grave, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not given to filthy lucre,

9 T hey must possess the mystic secret of the faith with a clear conscience.

having the secret of the faith in a pure conscience,

10 A nd let them also be tried and investigated and proved first; then, if they turn out to be above reproach, let them serve.

and let these also first be proved, then let them minister, being unblameable.

11 w omen likewise must be worthy of respect and serious, not gossipers, but temperate and self-controlled, trustworthy in all things.

Women -- in like manner grave, not false accusers, vigilant, faithful in all things.

12 L et deacons be the husbands of but one wife, and let them manage children and their own households well.

Ministrants -- let them be of one wife husbands; the children leading well, and their own houses,

13 F or those who perform well as deacons acquire a good standing for themselves and also gain much confidence and freedom and boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.

for those who did minister well a good step to themselves do acquire, and much boldness in faith that in Christ Jesus.

14 A lthough I hope to come to you before long, I am writing these instructions to you so that,

These things I write to thee, hoping to come unto thee soon,

15 I f I am detained, you may know how people ought to conduct themselves in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and stay (the prop and support) of the Truth.

and if I delay, that thou mayest know how it behoveth to conduct thyself in the house of God, which is an assembly of the living God -- a pillar and foundation of the truth,

16 A nd great and important and weighty, we confess, is the hidden truth (the mystic secret) of godliness. He '> God] was made visible in human flesh, justified and vindicated in the Spirit, was seen by angels, preached among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory.

and, confessedly, great is the secret of piety -- God was manifested in flesh, declared righteous in spirit, seen by messengers, preached among nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory!