I Timothy 3

¹This is a true saying, If any man desire the office of a Bishop, he desireth a worthie worke.

²A Bishop therefore must be vnreproueable, the husband of one wife, watching, temperate, modest, harberous, apt to teache,

³Not giuen to wine, no striker, not giuen to filthy lucre, but gentle, no fighter, not couetous,

⁴One that can rule his owne house honestly, hauing children vnder obedience with all honestie.

⁵For if any cannot rule his owne house, how shall he care for the Church of God?

⁶He may not be a yong scholer, lest he being puffed vp fall into the condemnation of the deuill.

⁷He must also be well reported of, euen of them which are without, lest he fall into rebuke, and the snare of the deuill.

⁸Likewise must Deacons be graue, not double tongued, not giuen vnto much wine, neither to filthy lucre,

⁹Hauing the mysterie of the faith in pure conscience.

¹⁰And let them first be proued: then let them minister, if they be found blameles.

¹¹Likewise their wiues must be honest, not euill speakers, but sober, and faithfull in all things.

¹²Let the Deacons be the husbands of one wife, and such as can rule their children well, and their owne housholdes.

¹³For they that haue ministred well, get them selues a good degree, and great libertie in the faith, which is in Christ Iesus.

¹⁴These things write I vnto thee, trusting to come very shortly vnto thee.

¹⁵But if I tary long, that thou maist yet know, how thou oughtest to behaue thy self in ye house of God, which is the Church of the liuing God, the pillar and ground of trueth.

¹⁶And without controuersie, great is the mysterie of godlinesse, which is, God is manifested in the flesh, iustified in the Spirit, seene of Angels, preached vnto the Gentiles, beleeued on in the world, and receiued vp in glorie.

I Timothy 3

¹This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.

²A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;

³Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;

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

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

⁶Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.

⁷Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.

⁸Likewise must the deacons be grave, not doubletongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre;

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

¹⁰And let these also first be proved; then let them use the office of a deacon, being found blameless.

¹¹Even so must their wives be grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things.

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

¹³For they that have used the office of a deacon well purchase to themselves a good degree, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.

¹⁴These things write I unto thee, hoping to come unto thee shortly:

¹⁵But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.

¹⁶And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.