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 πιστος ο λογος ει τις επισκοπης ορεγεται καλου εργου επιθυμει2 δει ουν τον επισκοπον ανεπιληπτον ειναι μιας γυναικος ανδρα {VAR1: νηφαλεον } {VAR2: νηφαλιον } σωφρονα κοσμιον φιλοξενον διδακτικον3 μη παροινον μη πληκτην μη αισχροκερδη αλλ επιεικη αμαχον αφιλαργυρον4 του ιδιου οικου καλως προισταμενον τεκνα εχοντα εν υποταγη μετα πασης σεμνοτητος5 ει δε τις του ιδιου οικου προστηναι ουκ οιδεν πως εκκλησιας θεου επιμελησεται6 μη νεοφυτον ινα μη τυφωθεις εις κριμα εμπεση του διαβολου7 δει δε αυτον και μαρτυριαν καλην εχειν απο των εξωθεν ινα μη εις ονειδισμον εμπεση και παγιδα του διαβολου8 διακονους ωσαυτως σεμνους μη διλογους μη οινω πολλω προσεχοντας μη αισχροκερδεις9 εχοντας το μυστηριον της πιστεως εν καθαρα συνειδησει10 και ουτοι δε δοκιμαζεσθωσαν πρωτον ειτα διακονειτωσαν ανεγκλητοι οντες11 γυναικας ωσαυτως σεμνας μη διαβολους {VAR1: νηφαλεους } {VAR2: νηφαλιους } πιστας εν πασιν12 διακονοι εστωσαν μιας γυναικος ανδρες τεκνων καλως προισταμενοι και των ιδιων οικων13 οι γαρ καλως διακονησαντες βαθμον εαυτοις καλον περιποιουνται και πολλην παρρησιαν εν πιστει τη εν χριστω ιησου14 ταυτα σοι γραφω ελπιζων ελθειν προς σε ταχιον15 εαν δε βραδυνω ινα ειδης πως δει εν οικω θεου αναστρεφεσθαι ητις εστιν εκκλησια θεου ζωντος στυλος και εδραιωμα της αληθειας16 και ομολογουμενως μεγα εστιν το της ευσεβειας μυστηριον θεος εφανερωθη εν σαρκι εδικαιωθη εν πνευματι ωφθη αγγελοις εκηρυχθη εν εθνεσιν επιστευθη εν κοσμω ανεληφθη εν δοξη