1 The word {is} faithful: if any one aspires to exercise oversight, he desires a good work.

2 The overseer then must be irreproachable, husband of one wife, sober, discreet, decorous, hospitable, apt to teach;

3 not given to excesses from wine, not a striker, but mild, not addicted to contention, not fond of money,

4 conducting his own house well, having {his} children in subjection with all gravity;

5 (but if one does not know how to conduct his own house, how shall he take care of the assembly of God?)

6 not a novice, that he may not, being inflated, fall into {the} fault of the devil.

7 But it is necessary that he should have also a good testimony from those without, that he may fall not into reproach and {the} snare of the devil.

8 Ministers, in like manner, grave, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not seeking gain by base means,

9 holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.

10 And let these be first proved, then let them minister, being without charge {against them}.

11 {The} women in like manner grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things.

12 Let {the} ministers be husbands of one wife, conducting {their} children and their own houses well:

13 for those who shall have ministered well obtain for themselves a good degree, and much boldness in faith which {is} in Christ Jesus.

14 These things I write to thee, hoping to come to thee more quickly;

15 but if I delay, in order that thou mayest know how one ought to conduct oneself in God's house, which is {the} assembly of {the} living God, {the} pillar and base of the truth.

16 And confessedly the mystery of piety is great. God has been manifested in flesh, has been justified in {the} Spirit, has appeared to angels, has been preached among {the} nations, has been believed on in {the} world, has been received up in glory.

1 This is a true saying, A man desiring the position of a Bishop has a desire for a good work.

2 The Bishop, then, is to be a man of good name, the husband of one wife, self-controlled, serious-minded, having respect for order, opening his house freely to guests, a ready teacher;

3 Not quickly moved to wrath or blows, but gentle; no fighter, no lover of money;

4 Ruling his house well, having his children under control with all serious behaviour;

5 (For if a man has not the art of ruling his house, how will he take care of the church of God?)

6 Not one newly taken into the church, for fear that, through his high opinion of himself, he may come into the same sin as the Evil One.

7 And he is to have a good name among those outside the church, so that nothing may be said against him and he may not be taken by the designs of the Evil One.

8 Deacons, in the same way, are to be serious in their behaviour, not false in word, not given to taking much wine or greatly desiring the wealth of this world;

9 Keeping the secret of the faith in a heart free from sin.

10 And let these first be put to the test; then let them become Deacons if there is nothing against them.

11 Women are to be serious in behaviour, saying no evil of others, controlling themselves, true in all things.

12 Let Deacons be husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their houses well.

13 For those who have done good work as Deacons get for themselves a good position and become free from fear in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.

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

15 But if I am long in coming, this will make clear to you what behaviour is right for men in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and base of what is true.

16 And without argument, great is the secret of religion: He who was seen in the flesh, who was given God's approval in the spirit, was seen by the angels, of whom the good news was given among the nations, in whom the world had faith, who was taken up in glory.