1 This is a faithful saying: someone who seeks to be an overseer desires a good work. 2 The overseer therefore must be without reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, sensible, modest, hospitable, good at teaching; 3 not a drinker, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous; 4 one who rules his own house well, having children in subjection with all reverence; 5 (for how could someone who doesn’t know how to rule his own house take care of God’s assembly?) 6 not a new convert, lest being puffed up he fall into the same condemnation as the devil. 7 Moreover he must have good testimony from those who are outside, to avoid falling into reproach and the snare of the devil.

8 Servants, in the same way, must be reverent, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for money, 9 holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience. 10 Let them also first be tested; then let them serve if they are blameless. 11 Their wives in the same way must be reverent, not slanderers, temperate, and faithful in all things. 12 Let servants be husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well. 13 For those who have served well gain for themselves a good standing and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.

14 These things I write to you, hoping to come to you shortly, 15 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 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.

1 "如果有人渴慕监督的职分， 他就是爱慕善工。"这话是可信的。

2 所以作监督的， 必须无可指摘， 只作一个妻子的丈夫， 有节制， 自律， 庄重， 乐意接待客旅， 善于教导，

3 不好酒， 不打人， 只要温和， 与人无争， 不贪财，

4 好好管理自己的家， 使儿女凡事敬重顺服。

5 （人若不知道怎样管理自己的家， 怎能照料 神的教会呢？）

6 初信主的不可作监督， 恐怕他骄傲， 就落在魔鬼所受的刑罚里。

7 作监督的也必须在教外有好声誉， 免得他被人毁谤， 就落在魔鬼的陷阱里。

8 照样， 执事也必须庄重， 不一口两舌， 不酗酒， 不贪不义之财，

9 用清洁的良心持守信仰的奥秘。

10 他们也必须先受考验， 若没有可责之处， 然后才让他们作执事。

11 照样， 他们的妻子（"他们的妻子"可解作"女执事"）也要庄重， 不说谗言， 有节制， 凡事忠心。

12 执事只可以作一个妻子的丈夫， 善于管理儿女和自己的家。

13 那善于作执事的， 就为自己得了好的位分， 也因着相信基督耶稣得到大大的胆量。

14 我把这些事写给你， 希望不久可以到你那里去；

15 假如我来迟了， 你也可以知道在 神的家里应该怎样行。这家就是永活 神的教会、真理的柱石和根基。

16 敬虔的奥秘真伟大啊， 这是众人所公认的， 就是： "他在肉身显现， 在圣灵里称义， 被天使看见； 被传于列国， 被世人信服， 被接到荣耀里。"