Overseers and Deacons
1 (A)It is a trustworthy statement: if any man aspires to the (B)office of (a)overseer, it is a fine work he desires to do.
2 (b)(C)An overseer, then, must be above reproach, (D)the husband of one wife, (E)temperate, prudent, respectable, (F)hospitable, (G)able to teach,
3 (H)not addicted to wine (c)or pugnacious, but gentle, peaceable, (I)free from the love of money.
4 He must be one who (J)manages his own household well, keeping his children under control with all dignity
5 (but if a man does not know how to manage his own household, how will he take care of (K)the church of God?),
6 and not a new convert, so that he will not become (L)conceited and fall into the (M)condemnation (d)incurred by the devil.
7 And he must (N)have a good reputation with (O)those outside the church, so that he will not fall into reproach and (P)the snare of the devil.
8 (Q)Deacons likewise must be men of dignity, not (e)double-tongued, (f)(R)or addicted to much wine (g)(S)or fond of sordid gain,
9 (T)but holding to the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience.
10 (U)These men must also first be tested; then let them serve as deacons if they are beyond reproach.
11 (h)Women must likewise be dignified, (V)not malicious gossips, but (W)temperate, faithful in all things.
12 (X)Deacons must be (Y)husbands of only one wife, and (i)(Z)good managers of their children and their own households.
13 For those who have served well as deacons (AA)obtain for themselves a (j)high standing and great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.
14 I am writing these things to you, hoping to come to you before long;
15 but (k)in case I am delayed, I write so that you will know how (l)one ought to conduct himself in (AB)the household of God, which is the (AC)church of (AD)the living God, the (AE)pillar and support of the truth.
16 By common confession, great is (AF)the mystery of godliness:
Footnotes:
a.
1 Timothy 3:1: ['Or ', bishop]
b.
1 Timothy 3:2: ['Lit ', The]
c.
1 Timothy 3:3: ['Lit ', not]
d.
1 Timothy 3:6: ['Lit ', of the devil]
e.
1 Timothy 3:8: ['Or ', given to double-talk]
f.
1 Timothy 3:8: ['Lit ', not]
g.
1 Timothy 3:8: ['Lit ', not]
h.
1 Timothy 3:11: ['I.e. either deacons’ wives or deaconesses']
i.
1 Timothy 3:12: ['Lit ', managing well]
j.
1 Timothy 3:13: ['Lit ', good]
k.
1 Timothy 3:15: ['Lit ', if I delay]
l.
1 Timothy 3:15: ['Or ', you ought to conduct yourself]
m.
1 Timothy 3:16: ['Or ', justified]
n.
1 Timothy 3:16: ['Or ', by]
Cross references:
AH.
1 Timothy 3:16:
Romans 3:4
