1 Faithful is the saying, "If any one is eager to have the oversight of a Church, he desires a noble work." 2 A minister then must be a man of irreproachable character, true to his one wife, temperate, sober-minded, well-behaved, hospitable to strangers, and with a gift for teaching; 3 not a hard drinker nor given to blows; not selfish or quarrelsome or covetous; 4 but ruling his own household wisely and well, with children kept under control with true dignity. 5 6 He ought not to be a new convert, for fear he should be blinded with pride and come under the same condemnation as the Devil. 7 It is needful also that he bear a good character with people outside the Church, lest he fall into reproach or a snare of the Devil. 8 Deacons, in the same way, must be men of serious demeanour, not double-tongued, nor addicted to much wine, nor greedy of base gain, 9 but holding the secret truths of the faith with a clear conscience. 10 And they must also be well-tried men, and when found to be of unblemished character then let them serve as deacons. 11 Deaconesses, in the same way, must be sober-minded women, not slanderers, but in every way temperate and trustworthy. 12 A deacon must be true to his one wife, and rule his children and his own household wisely and well. 13 For those who have filled the deacon's office wisely and well, are already gaining for themselves an honourable standing, and are acquiring great freedom of speech in proclaiming the faith which rests on Christ Jesus. 14 All this I write to you, though I am hoping before long to come to see you. 15 But, for fear I may be hindered, I now write, so that you may have rules to guide you in dealing with God's household. For this is what the Church of the ever-living God is, and it is the pillar and foundation-stone of the truth. 16 And, beyond controversy, great is the mystery of our religion-- that Christ appeared in human form, and His claims justified by the Spirit, was seen by angels and proclaimed among Gentile nations, was believed on in the world, and received up again into glory. | |