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

It is a trustworthy statement: if any man aspires to the office of overseer, it is a fine work he desires to do.

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

An overseer, then, must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, prudent, respectable, hospitable, able to teach,

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

not addicted to wine or pugnacious, but gentle, peaceable, free from the love of money.

4 o ne who rules his own house well, having children in subjection with all reverence;

He must be one who manages his own household well, keeping his children under control with all dignity

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

(but if a man does not know how to manage his own household, how will he take care of the church of God?),

6 n ot a new convert, lest being puffed up he fall into the same condemnation as the devil.

and not a new convert, so that he will not become conceited and fall into the condemnation incurred by the devil.

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

And he must have a good reputation with those outside the church, so that he will not fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.

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

Deacons likewise must be men of dignity, not double-tongued, or addicted to much wine or fond of sordid gain,

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

but holding to the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience.

10 L et them also first be tested; then let them serve if they are blameless.

These men must also first be tested; then let them serve as deacons if they are beyond reproach.

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

Women must likewise be dignified, not malicious gossips, but temperate, faithful in all things.

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

Deacons must be husbands of only one wife, and good managers of their children and their own households.

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

For those who have served well as deacons obtain for themselves a high standing and great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.

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

I am writing these things to you, hoping to come to you before long;

15 b ut 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.

but in case I am delayed, I write so that you will know how one ought to conduct himself in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth.

16 W ithout 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.

By common confession, great is the mystery of godliness: He who was revealed in the flesh, Was vindicated in the Spirit, Seen by angels, Proclaimed among the nations, Believed on in the world, Taken up in glory.