1 F aithful is the saying, If a man seeketh the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.

This is a faithful saying: if a man seeks the office of an overseer, he desires a good work.

2 T he bishop therefore must be without reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, orderly, given to hospitality, apt to teach;

The overseer therefore must be without reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, sensible, modest, hospitable, good at teaching;

3 n o brawler, no striker; but gentle, not contentious, no lover of money;

not a drinker, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous;

4 o ne that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity;

one who rules his own house well, having children in subjection with all reverence;

5 ( but if a man knoweth not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)

(but if a man doesn’t know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the assembly of God?)

6 n ot a novice, lest being puffed up he fall into the condemnation of the devil.

not a new convert, lest being puffed up he fall into the same condemnation as the devil.

7 M oreover he must have good testimony from them that are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.

Moreover he must have good testimony from those who are outside, to avoid falling into reproach and the snare of the devil.

8 D eacons in like manner must be grave, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre;

Servants, in the same way, must be reverent, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for money;

9 h olding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.

holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.

10 A nd let these also first be proved; then let them serve as deacons, if they be blameless.

Let them also first be tested; then let them serve if they are blameless.

11 W omen in like manner must be grave, not slanderers, temperate, faithful in all things.

Their wives in the same way must be reverent, not slanderers, temperate, faithful in all things.

12 L et deacons be husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.

Let servants be husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.

13 F or they that have served well as deacons gain to themselves a good standing, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.

For those who have served well gain for themselves a good standing, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.

14 T hese things write I unto thee, hoping to come unto thee shortly;

These things I write to you, hoping to come to you shortly;

15 b ut if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how men ought to behave themselves in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.

but if I wait long, that you may know how men ought to behave themselves in God’s house, which is the assembly of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.

16 A nd without controversy great is the mystery of godliness; He who was manifested in the flesh, Justified in the spirit, Seen of angels, Preached among the nations, Believed on in the world, Received up in glory.

Without controversy, the mystery of godliness is great: God was revealed in the flesh, justified in the spirit, seen by angels, preached among the nations, believed on in the world, and received up in glory.